United States Ninth Circuit

In an admiralty action for water damage to goods in transit, dismissal of the complaint for improper venue is affirmed, where a forum selection clause in the bill of lading at issue applied to Defendant-Vessel because the bill included a clause allowing anyone assisting in carrying the goods to benefit from contract provisions in favor of the carrier.

Appellate Information

• Argued 03/05/2009
• Decided 05/08/2009
• Published 05/08/2009

Judges

• FISHER, Circuit Judge:, Before:  SUSAN P. GRABER, RAYMOND C. FISHER and MILAN D. SMITH, JR., Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Charles S. Jordan and Michelle Buhler (argued), Danielson Harrigan Leyh & Tollefson LLP, Seattle, WA, for the plaintiffs-appellants.


• For Appellees:
  
• Herbert H. Ray, Jr., Phillip R. Lempriere (argued) and Catharine M. Morisset, Keesal, Young & Logan, Seattle, WA, for the defendant-appellee.