Sandhill Amusements, Inc. v. Sheriff of Onslow Cnty.

• Decision Date: 05 September 2014
• Docket Number: No. COA14–85.,COA14–85.
• Citation: 762 S.E.2d 666
• Court: North Carolina Court of Appeals
• Parties: SANDHILL AMUSEMENTS, INC. and Gift Surplus, LLC, Plaintiffs, v. SHERIFF OF ONSLOW COUNTY, North Carolina, Ed Brown, in his official capacity; and District Attorney for the Fourth Prosecutorial District of the State of North Carolina, Ernie Lee, in his official capacity, Defendants.

762 S.E.2d 666

SANDHILL AMUSEMENTS, INC. and Gift Surplus, LLC, Plaintiffs,

v.SHERIFF OF ONSLOW COUNTY, North Carolina, Ed Brown, in his official capacity; and District Attorney for the Fourth Prosecutorial District of the State of North Carolina, Ernie Lee, in his official capacity, Defendants.

No. COA14–85.

Court of Appeals of North Carolina.

Sept. 5, 2014.

Appeal by defendant from orders entered on 4 November 2013 by Judge Jack Jenkins in Onslow County Superior Court. Heard in the Court of Appeals 8 May 2014.

Onslow County Attorney, by Lesley F. Moxley; and Turrentine Law Firm, PLLC, by S.C. Kitchen, for Defendant–Appellant.

Daughtry, Woodard, Lawrence & Starling, Smithfield, by Kelly K. Daughtry; and Hyler & Lopez, P.A., Asheville, by Stephen P. Agan and George B. Hyler, Jr., for Plaintiffs–Appellees.

ROBERT N. HUNTER, JR., Judge.

Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown (“Sheriff Brown”) appeals from orders entered on 4 November 2013 denying his motions to dismiss under Rule 12 as well as granting a preliminary injunction in favor of plaintiffs Sandhill Amusements, LLC (“Sandhill”) and Gift Surplus, LLC (“Gift Surplus”) (collectively “Plaintiffs”).¹

We agree with Sheriff Brown that this Court has jurisdiction to determine his interlocutory appeal of the motions to dismiss because his defense of sovereign immunity affects a substantial right warranting immediate review. We vacate certain portions of the preliminary injunction that affect a substantial right and dismiss Sheriff Brown's appeal from the remaining portions of that order. On the merits of the motions to dismiss, we affirm the trial court.

I. Facts & Procedural History

On 2 July 2013, Alcohol Law Enforcement (“ALE”) Special Agent Kenny Simma (“Agent Simma”), Assistant Supervisor Keith Quick (“Agent Quick”), and Onslow County Sheriff's Office Sergeant John Matthews (“Sgt. Mathews”), in response to complaints that certain video gaming machines (hereinafter “kiosks”) were providing money payouts, visited a business in the Rhodestown area of Onslow County. The business that Sgt. Matthews and the ALE agents visited was located in a building with blacked-out windows lacking any exterior sign displaying the name of the business. Sgt. Matthews and the ALE agents peered inside through a crack in the tint and knocked on the door. A male unlocked and opened the door and allowed Sgt. Matthews and the ALE agents inside. Agent Simma said that inside

[t]he only things in the business was [sic] a counter with two Megatouch video poker machines on the counter, a pool table, I think a jukebox. I can't remember if it was three or four of these specific devices we're referring to, and a claw machine that—like you see at Walmart, you put a quarter in and try to pick up a stuffed animal, and a pool table.

Later the business's proprietor arrived and showed Sgt. Matthews and the ALE agents how the machines worked.

The kiosks each include a 19? touch-screen display, an audio speaker, a control panel with “print ticket and play buttons,” a receipt printer, and a currency acceptor. The kiosks allow patrons the opportunity to purchase gift certificates that may be used at Gift Surplus's online store, www. gift- surplus. com. When a patron inserts currency into the kiosk, a receipt is printed with equivalent credits ($1 is equivalent to 100 sweepstakes entries). The receipts printed also contain a “quick response code,” which users may scan to enter a weekly drawing on the Gift Surplus website. Patrons may also use the kiosk to request a free entry request code, which allows for 100 free sweepstakes entries.

The kiosks contain five game themes: “Silver Bar Spin,” “Truck Stop,” “Lucky Shamrock 2,” “Magic Tricks,” and “Candy Money.” Nick Farley (“Mr. Farley”), an expert in gaming machines and software, described these game as follows:

Each of the aforementioned game themes offer several play levels which the participant may choose. A single finite pool is allocated to each play level for each game theme. Game play for these themes may be accomplished one of two ways:

(1) By pressing the “REVEAL” button an entry is drawn from the corresponding theme/play level finite pool. The potential value is shown to the participant, and they are prompted to “Press SKIP or ANIMATE.” Pressing either button will reveal a reel outcome. If the entry had no winning prize, a non-winning reel combination is displayed and either the play ends (if the “SKIP” button was pressed), or the participant is given the chance to nudge one of the three reels either up or down to another non-winning outcome (if the “ANIMATE” button was pressed). If the entry has a winning prize, a non-winning reel outcome is displayed and the participant must make a decision to nudge one of the three reels either up or down to align a winning combination corresponding to the prize value previous shown.

(2) Alternatively, a participant may initiate the play by pressing the “ANIMATE” or “PLAY” button. A game initiated by pressing either the “ANIMATE” or “PLAY” button will not show the potential win value, but rather simply display a non-winning reel outcome which the player must then make a decision to nudge one of the three reels either up or down to align a winning combination.

Regardless of the method the player uses to initiate play, the potential prize-value is determined by the entry revealed. Whether the potential prize is awarded is dependent upon the participant successfully nudging the correct reel in the correct direction to obtain a winning combination of symbols. Should a player fail to nudge the correct reel in the correct direction to obtain a winning combination, the potential prize is forfeited.

Agent Simma later told his supervisor about his visit and expressed his opinion that the kiosks were illegal video sweepstakes machines. The ALE agents later returned and took photographs and videos of the kiosks. Agent Simma then sent the videos to Deputy Director Mark Senter at ALE headquarters, who also felt that the kiosks in Rhodestown violated the statutes regulating video sweepstakes machines. After receiving the ALE agents' report, District Attorney Ernie Lee and Sheriff Brown composed a letter to Richard W. Frye (“Mr. Frye”), President of Sandhill (hereinafter “innocent owner letter”). The letter informed Mr. Frye that the kiosks would be seized as evidence and that the person/persons in possession would be criminally charged. Mr. Frye testified that Sandhill removed kiosks from two Onslow County locations and opted not to place kiosks in five other Onslow County locations after receiving the innocent owner letter.

On 27 September 2013, Sandhill and Gift Surplus filed a joint Complaint and Motion for Preliminary Injunctive Relief against Sheriff Brown in his official capacity. The complaint alleged that Plaintiffs were suffering irreparable injury from the loss of revenues and profits resulting from the innocent owner letter issued by Sheriff Brown stating that the Plaintiffs' kiosks were illegal. Plaintiffs alleged that, since Sheriff Brown issued this letter, existing retail outlets that used Plaintiffs' products have removed the kiosks, refused to install the kiosks, or gave Plaintiffs notice that they intended to remove the kiosks. Plaintiffs also attached the affidavit and report of Mr. Farley, who opined that the kiosks operated based on skill and dexterity, rather than mere chance.

Plaintiffs' complaint sought the issuance of (i) preliminary and permanent injunctions prohibiting Defendants from removing the kiosks from any establishment in North Carolina and from issuing warnings and citations to such facilities; (ii) preliminary and permanent injunctions prohibiting Defendants from forcing or coercing a North Carolina retailer to remove Plaintiffs' kiosks; (iii) a preliminary injunction prohibiting Defendants from making or issuing statements outside of the litigation stating that the kiosks were illegal; and (iv) a declaratory judgment after a full hearing that declared the kiosks and Plaintiffs' marketing system are “not prohibited gambling, lottery or gaming products.”

On 9 October 2013, Sheriff Brown filed motions to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction under N.C. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1), lack of personal jurisdiction under N.C. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(2), failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted under N.C. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6), and failure to bring suit on behalf of the real party in interest under N.C. Gen.Stat. § 1–57 (2013).

On 11 October 2013, the trial court held a hearing concerning Sheriff Brown's motion to dismiss and Plaintiffs' motion for injunctive relief. On 4 November 2013, Judge Jenkins entered an order relying in part on the expert witness's opinions that denied Sheriff Brown's motion to dismiss and granted Plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction. In its orders, the trial court held that there was a likelihood that the Plaintiffs would prevail in that:

(a) Gift Surplus System v1–01.1 and the Gift Surplus computer kiosk operated by Gift Surplus, LLC, conduct a valid sweepstakes within the applicable law.

(b) The Gift Surplus System v1–01.1 and the Gift Surplus computer kiosk operated by Gift Surplus, LLC, in promotion of their sweepstakes are dependent on skill or dexterity as required under North Carolina statutory law.

(c) The Gift Surplus System v1–01.1 and the Gift Surplus computer kiosk operated by Gift Surplus, LLC, is a lawful promotional device for the sale of gift certificates and operation of their promotional sweepstakes.

The trial court also held that the suit was not barred by the doctrine of sovereign immunity and that Defendant had failed to show that Plaintiffs' claim should be dismissed under Rule 12(b)(1), Rule 12(b)(2), Rule 12(b)(6), or N.C. Gen.Stat. § 1–57. Accordingly, the trial court denied Defendant's motion to dismiss and granted Plaintiffs' request for the issuance of a preliminary injunction. Under the preliminary...