Klarfeld v. Vestige Group, L.L.C.

Citations

• 2025 Ohio 2678

Syllabus

Forum-selection clause, commercial contract, fraud or overreaching, unreasonable and unjust enforcement. Plaintiff filed suit in Ohio, individually and on behalf of an Ohio business he owns and operates, against a North Carolina company. Parties had entered service agreements that included a forum-selection clause requiring disputes to be adjudicated in North Carolina. Forum-selection clauses in commercial contracts are ordinarily enforceable. Service agreements were commercial contracts because it was in furtherance of both parties' business activities, even where plaintiff also used some of business's assets personally. Enforcement of forum-selection clause was adequate basis for dismissal where plaintiff did not allege fraud or overreaching in formation of the provision. Enforcement of the clause was also not unreasonable and unjust where, among other factors, plaintiff provided no information to substantiate his claim that he had a medical condition that made litigating in North Carolina unduly burdensome.