Shell Oil Co. v. Marinello

The opinion of the Court was delivered by

Sullivan, J.

This case involves the interpretation of a lease and a dealer agreement entered into between Shell Oil Company (Shell) and Prank Marinello (Marinello), one of its service station operators, and a determination of the extent of Shell’s right to terminate such lease and agreement.

Shell, a major oil company, is a supplier of motor vehicle fuels and automotive lubricants under the trade name “Shell.” It also supplies tires, batteries and accessories (TBA) to its dealers for resale. Its products are sold in hundreds of Shell service stations…