B & G Crane Service, Inc. v. Dolphin Titan International, Inc.

Dolphin Titan International, Inc., owner of two jack-up drilling rigs, appeals a judgment enforcing its alleged oral promise to guarantee the debt of the rigs’ contractor. Persuaded that the district court misapplied the Mississippi statute of frauds to the facts it found, we reverse.

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Dolphin contracted with Gonzales Marine Enterprises, Inc. for the construction of two offshore jack-up drilling rigs at a contract price of $12.3 million. Gonzales leased several cranes and construction mats from B & G Crane Service, Inc. for use in constructing Dolphin’s rigs. Gonzales eventually defaulted on…