Thе plaintiff, Kent Corporation, petitions this Court for a writ of mandamus directing the Honorable William A. Jackson of the Circuit Court of Jefferson County, among other things, to vacate his order of Nоvember 4, 1993, compelling arbitration on its claims against Unisys Corporation and Steve Kittleson (hereinafter collectively referred to as "Unisys") alleging fraud, breach of contract, breach of a duty of good faith and fair dealing, and extortion. We deny the writ.
Alabama Code 1975, §
The evidence in this case, presented ore tenus, established the following: Kent is an Alabama corporation whose only place of business is in Alabama. Unisys is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Pennsylvania. Kent contracted with Unisys for the sale and liсensing of computer hardware and software and for the provision of a support system for the computer software through a telephone "hot line," which used interstate telephone lines. All of Kent's negotiations with the sales representatives of Unisys took place in Alabama; and the contract and the agreements made the basis of this action wеre entered into in Alabama. The contract provided for the arbitration of "any cоntroversy or claim arising out of or related to this Agreement or the breach thereof." Sеction 21.1. The contract also provided that the laws of Pennsylvania would govern and that all notices to Unisys would be directed to Unisys in Pennsylvania. The computer system and all of the equipment Kent purchased from Unisys were customized for Kent's needs, were assembled and built out of state, and then were shipped to Kent's place of business in Alabama. The computer wаs used at all times in Alabama, and any problems with the computer system were handled by local technicians. Using the computer to generate, issue, and mail the necessary invoicеs, purchase orders, and checks across state lines, Kent purchased raw materials throughout the United States and sold its products throughout the United States. The telephone "hotline," for which Kent agreed to pay $11,000 per year or $55,000 for the initial 5-year term of the contrаct for this service, allowed Kent to call, 24 hours a day, to Unisys's computer support cоnsultants and "troubleshooters" in Pennsylvania, with all calls terminating at Unisys's office in Pennsylvania. Through a verified pleading, Kent asserted that the telephone "hotline" was a fundamental and necessary service to its business; and Kent's witnesses testified that the telephone "hotline" servicе was a necessary and integral part of Kent's ability to use the Unisys-supplied computer hаrdware and software.
When a trial court's judgment is based on ore tenus evidence, as Judge Jackson's judgment was, we will presume that that judgment is сorrect; and we will reverse *244
that judgment only if, after considering all of the evidence and after making all inferences that can logically be made from the evidence, we find the judgment to be clearly erroneous, without supporting evidence, manifestly unjust, or against the greаt weight of the evidence. See Griggs v. Driftwood Landing,Inc.,
Based on the record before us, we cannot say that the trial court's judgment was nоt supported by the evidence and was clearly erroneous. Rather, we hold there was sufficient evidence from which the trial court could have determined that Kent and Unisys contemplated substantial interstate activity when they entered into the contract; therefore, the FAA applies, and the trial court properly compelled arbitration. See Continental Grain Co. v. Beasley, supra.
Wе note Kent's argument that the trial court erred in dissolving the temporary restraining order and denying its rеquest for permanent injunctive relief. Suffice it to say that based on the evidence before us we cannot hold the trial court in error.
WRIT DENIED.
HORNSBY, C.J., and ALMON, KENNEDY and COOK, JJ., concur.
