From Casetext: Smarter Legal Research

Lanham v. BNSF Ry. Co.

SUPREME COURT OF NEBRASKA
Jun 12, 2020
306 Neb. 124 (Neb. 2020)

Summary

holding that foreign corporation's registration to transact business under Nebraska law “does not provide an independent basis for the exercise of general jurisdiction”

Summary of this case from Madsen v. Sidwell Air Freight

Opinion

No. S-19-114.

06-12-2020

Alexander LANHAM, appellant and cross-appellee, v. BNSF RAILWAY COMPANY, appellee and cross-appellant.

Corey L. Stull, Lincoln, and Jeanette Stull, of Atwood, Holsten, Brown, Deaver & Spier, P.C., L.L.O., and Christopher H. Leach, of Hubbell Law Firm, L.L.C., for appellant. Nichole S. Bogen, Lincoln, of Lamson, Dugan & Murray, L.L.P., Wayne L. Robbins, Jr., of Robbins Travis, P.L.L.C., and Andrew S. Tulumello, of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, L.L.P., for appellee.


Corey L. Stull, Lincoln, and Jeanette Stull, of Atwood, Holsten, Brown, Deaver & Spier, P.C., L.L.O., and Christopher H. Leach, of Hubbell Law Firm, L.L.C., for appellant.

Nichole S. Bogen, Lincoln, of Lamson, Dugan & Murray, L.L.P., Wayne L. Robbins, Jr., of Robbins Travis, P.L.L.C., and Andrew S. Tulumello, of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, L.L.P., for appellee.

Heavican, C.J., Miller-Lerman, Cassel, Stacy, Funke, Papik, and Freudenberg, JJ.

SUPPLEMENTAL OPINION

Per Curiam.

This case is before us on a motion for rehearing filed by the appellant and cross-appellee, Alexander Lanham, concerning our opinion in Lanham v. BNSF Railway Co. While there is no substantive merit to the motion, Lanham correctly points out that a statutory citation, also used by the district court, addressed nonprofit corporations rather than for-profit corporations such as BNSF Railway Company. This had no effect upon the outcome of the appeal, as the two statutes are substantially identical. We overrule the motion, but we modify the original opinion to substitute the correct citation as follows:

Lanham v. BNSF Railway Co. , 305 Neb. 124, 939 N.W.2d 363 (2020).

In syllabus point 11, we withdraw the reference to " Neb. Rev. Stat. § 21-19,152 (Reissue 2012)" and substitute " Neb. Rev. Stat. § 21-2,209 (Cum. Supp. 2018)."

Id. at 125, 939 N.W.2d at 363.

We make two changes in the background section. We withdraw the phrase "Pursuant to Neb. Rev. Stat. § 21-19,152 (Reissue 2012)," in the fourth sentence of the third paragraph. In the first sentence of the fifth paragraph, we add "Neb. Rev. Stat." before " § 21-19,152" and "(Reissue 2012)" after the statute.

Id. at 126, 939 N.W.2d at 366.

Id. at 127, 939 N.W.2d at 366.

We also modify the analysis section in five respects under the subheading "Consent by Registration. " In the eighth paragraph, after the first sentence, we add "Because § 21-19,152 applies to nonprofit corporations, the district court should have cited to Neb. Rev. Stat. § 21-2,209 (Cum. Supp. 2018), a nearly identical statute applicable to for-profit corporations like BNSF." We withdraw the ninth paragraph and substitute:

Id. at 133, 939 N.W.2d at 370.

Id. at 133-34, 939 N.W.2d at 370.

Section 21-2,209 provides:

... Each foreign corporation authorized to transact business in this state must continuously maintain in this state:

(1) A registered office that may be the same as any of its places of business; and

(2) A registered agent, who may be:

(i) An individual who resides in this state and whose business office is identical with the registered office;

(ii) A domestic corporation or not-for-profit domestic corporation whose business office is identical with the registered office; or

(iii) A foreign corporation or foreign not-for-profit corporation authorized to transact business in this state whose business office is identical with the registered office.

In the 10th paragraph, we substitute "21-2,209" for "21-19,152" in the first and third sentences. Finally, in the second sentence of the last paragraph of the subsection, we substitute "21-2,209" for "21-19,152."

Id. at 134, 939 N.W.2d at 370.

Id. at 135, 939 N.W.2d at 371.
--------

The remainder of the opinion shall remain unmodified.

FORMER OPINION MODIFIED .

MOTION FOR REHEARING OVERRULED .


Summaries of

Lanham v. BNSF Ry. Co.

SUPREME COURT OF NEBRASKA
Jun 12, 2020
306 Neb. 124 (Neb. 2020)

holding that foreign corporation's registration to transact business under Nebraska law “does not provide an independent basis for the exercise of general jurisdiction”

Summary of this case from Madsen v. Sidwell Air Freight
Case details for

Lanham v. BNSF Ry. Co.

Case Details

Full title:ALEXANDER LANHAM, APPELLANT AND CROSS-APPELLEE, v. BNSF RAILWAY COMPANY…

Court:SUPREME COURT OF NEBRASKA

Date published: Jun 12, 2020

Citations

306 Neb. 124 (Neb. 2020)
944 N.W.2d 514

Citing Cases

N. Nat. Gas Co. v. Centennial Res. Prod.

See Lanham v. BNSF Railway Co., 305 Neb. 124, 939 N.W.2d 363 (2020), modified on denial of rehearing 306…

Madsen v. Sidwell Air Freight

s foreign business registration statutes do not “explicitly provide that registering to conduct business in…