White Hen Pantry v. Buttke, No. 79-1532

CourtCourt of Appeals of Wisconsin
Writing for the CourtBefore DECKER, C. J., MOSER, P. J., and CANNON; CANNON
Citation295 N.W.2d 763,98 Wis.2d 119
Decision Date16 June 1980
Docket NumberNo. 79-1532
PartiesWHITE HEN PANTRY, a division of Jewel Companies, Inc., Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. Gerald BUTTKE and Buttke Enterprises, Inc., Defendants-Respondents.

Page 763

295 N.W.2d 763
98 Wis.2d 119
WHITE HEN PANTRY, a division of Jewel Companies, Inc.,
Plaintiffs-Appellants,
v.
Gerald BUTTKE and Buttke Enterprises, Inc., Defendants-Respondents.
No. 79-1532.
Court of Appeals of Wisconsin.
Submitted on Briefs May 14, 1980.
Opinion Released June 16, 1980.
Opinion Filed June 16, 1980.
Review Granted.

[98 Wis.2d 120] Andrew O. Riteris and Charles P. Graupner and Michael, Best & Friedrich, Milwaukee, on briefs, for plaintiffs-appellants.

Alan H. Deutch and Lawrence P. Kahn and Deutch & Hansher, S.C., Milwaukee, on brief, for defendants-respondents.

Before DECKER, C. J., MOSER, P. J., and CANNON, J.

CANNON, Judge.

This is an appeal from a final order dismissing the plaintiff's complaint with prejudice. The sole issue involves an interpretation of sec. 135.04, Stats., a provision of the Wisconsin Fair Dealership Law, secs. 135.01 et seq.

The plaintiff-appellant White Hen Pantry (White Hen) is a division of Jewel Companies, Inc., and is a [98 Wis.2d 121] franchisor engaged in the business of franchising convenience retail grocery stores. The defendant-respondent dealership, Buttke Enterprises, Inc., (Buttke) operates a White Hen outlet in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, pursuant to a franchise agreement. Under the franchise agreement entered into on November 15, 1974, the store premises were sublet to Buttke by White Hen. On May 22, 1979, Buttke received a demand for payment of money owed White Hen. Buttke did not respond. On May 30, 1979, White Hen notified Buttke that unless the money owed was paid within ten days, the franchise would be terminated. Buttke did not make payment, the franchise was terminated, and White Hen demanded return of the sublet store premises. Buttke refused to leave

Page 764

and on June 11, 1979, White Hen commenced an eviction action pursuant to sec. 299.01, Stats., in the small claims division of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court.

Buttke answered, claiming that White Hen did not have a right to terminate his franchise, and filed a motion to dismiss on the grounds that the notice was defective and that the action was commenced prior to the expiration of the 90-day notice period under sec. 135.04, Stats.

The trial court dismissed the complaint as untimely, and held that White Hen's notice was defective in not specifying a 90-day notice period. We disagree.

Section 135.04, Stats., reads as follows:

Notice Of Termination Or Change In Dealership. Except as provided in this section, a grantor shall provide a dealer at least 90 days' prior written notice of termination, cancellation, nonrenewal...

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9 practice notes
  • State v. Sweat, No. 95-1975-CR
    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Court of Wisconsin
    • 18 Abril 1997
    ...provision, the entire section and related sections of the statute should be considered. Id. See also, White Hen Pantry v. Buttke, 98 Wis.2d 119, 122, 295 N.W.2d 763 (Ct.App.1980), rev'd on other grounds, citing Omernik v. State, 64 Wis.2d 6, 12, 218 N.W.2d 734 (1974). In determining the mea......
  • Caldwell v. Percy
    • United States
    • Court of Appeals of Wisconsin
    • 23 Octubre 1981
    ...of any single phrase or word in a statute, it is necessary to look at it in light of the whole statute. White Hen Pantry v. Buttke, 98 Wis.2d 119, 122, 295 N.W.2d 763, 764 (Ct.App.1980), rev'd on other grounds, 100 Wis.2d 169, 301 N.W.2d 216 (1981) (citations We also bear in mind the "......
  • Drangstviet v. Auto-Owners Ins. Co., AUTO-OWNERS
    • United States
    • Court of Appeals of Wisconsin
    • 27 Junio 1995
    ...not focus on the word "occupied" alone, but read it within the context of the entire statute. See White Hen Pantry v. Buttke, 98 Wis.2d 119, 122, 295 N.W.2d 763, 764 (Ct.App.1980), rev'd on other grounds, 100 Wis.2d 169, 301 N.W.2d 216 (1981). Thus, we conclude the Kohnen court's ......
  • EA DICKINSON, ETC. v. Simpson Elec. Co., Civ. A. No. 80-C-991.
    • United States
    • United States District Courts. 7th Circuit. United States District Court of Eastern District of Wisconsin
    • 24 Marzo 1981
    ...Addison v. Holly Hill Fruit Products, Inc., 322 U.S. 607, 618, 64 S.Ct. 1215, 1221, 88 L.Ed. 1488 (1943); White Hen Pantry v. Buttke, 98 Wis.2d 119, 295 N.W.2d 763 (1980), there is little doubt that the parties did have a community of interest in the business of selling the defendant's good......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
9 cases
  • State v. Sweat, 95-1975-CR
    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Court of Wisconsin
    • 18 Abril 1997
    ...provision, the entire section and related sections of the statute should be considered. Id. See also, White Hen Pantry v. Buttke, 98 Wis.2d 119, 122, 295 N.W.2d 763 (Ct.App.1980), rev'd on other grounds, citing Omernik v. State, 64 Wis.2d 6, 12, 218 N.W.2d 734 (1974). In determining the mea......
  • Caldwell v. Percy
    • United States
    • Court of Appeals of Wisconsin
    • 23 Octubre 1981
    ...of any single phrase or word in a statute, it is necessary to look at it in light of the whole statute. White Hen Pantry v. Buttke, 98 Wis.2d 119, 122, 295 N.W.2d 763, 764 (Ct.App.1980), rev'd on other grounds, 100 Wis.2d 169, 301 N.W.2d 216 (1981) (citations We also bear in mind the "cardi......
  • Drangstviet v. Auto-Owners Ins. Co., AUTO-OWNERS
    • United States
    • Court of Appeals of Wisconsin
    • 27 Junio 1995
    ...we must not focus on the word "occupied" alone, but read it within the context of the entire statute. See White Hen Pantry v. Buttke, 98 Wis.2d 119, 122, 295 N.W.2d 763, 764 (Ct.App.1980), rev'd on other grounds, 100 Wis.2d 169, 301 N.W.2d 216 (1981). Thus, we conclude the Kohnen court's de......
  • EA DICKINSON, ETC. v. Simpson Elec. Co., Civ. A. No. 80-C-991.
    • United States
    • United States District Courts. 7th Circuit. United States District Court of Eastern District of Wisconsin
    • 24 Marzo 1981
    ...Addison v. Holly Hill Fruit Products, Inc., 322 U.S. 607, 618, 64 S.Ct. 1215, 1221, 88 L.Ed. 1488 (1943); White Hen Pantry v. Buttke, 98 Wis.2d 119, 295 N.W.2d 763 (1980), there is little doubt that the parties did have a community of interest in the business of selling the defendant's good......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

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