Crateo, Inc. v. Intermark, Inc.
| Decision Date | 27 May 1976 |
| Docket Number | Nos. 73-3208,74-2615 and 75-3061,74-2088,s. 73-3208 |
| Citation | 536 F.2d 862 |
| Parties | In re Crateo, Inc., Bankrupt. CRATEO, INC., Appellant, v. INTERMARK, INC., et al., Appellees. |
| Court | U.S. Court of Appeals — Ninth Circuit |
Before KOELSCH and GOODWIN, Circuit Judges, and WOLLENBERG, * District Judge.
Crateo, Inc., a California corporation, was in the business of purchasing "sick" companies. Its own health came into question in late summer of 1970, and its creditors initiated involuntary bankruptcy proceedings. After a jury trial on the question of its ability to pay its debts, Crateo was adjudicated a bankrupt. While appeal from that judgment was pending, Crateo requested permission from the trial court to take depositions pursuant to Rule 27(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. While its original appeal was still pending, Crateo also filed in the trial court two motions to vacate the adjudication of bankruptcy under Rule 60(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Appeals from the denial of all three post-judgment motions were consolidated with the primary appeal. 1 Finding no merit in any of appellant's arguments, we affirm the adjudication of bankruptcy and decline to remand the case for any further proceedings.
In the summer of 1970, Crateo elected to wind up its affairs and voluntarily dissolve. On August 31, 1970, it filed a petition for judicial supervision of the winding up process with the Superior Court of the State of California for San Diego County. See California Corporations Code § 4607. On that same day, the Superior Court ordered that notice of the dissolution proceeding be published and that all known creditors of Crateo be informed of the petition. In addition, the Superior Court ordered all creditor actions against Crateo enjoined and required all claims against Crateo to be presented in the dissolution proceedings. See California Corporations Code §§ 4608, 4616. Shortly thereafter, a creditors' petition was filed in the District Court alleging that Crateo had committed the fifth act of bankruptcy as defined by Section 3(a)(5) of the Bankruptcy Act, 11 U.S.C. § 21(a)(5).
In accord with Section 19(a) of the Bankruptcy Act, 11 U.S.C. § 42(a), Crateo requested a jury trial on the question of its insolvency. Prior to that trial, several issues, including the issue of Crateo's insolvency, were referred to the referee in bankruptcy sitting as a special master. The special master's report on the issue of Crateo's insolvency was read to the jury at trial. The jury subsequently found that Crateo was insolvent at the time it filed its petition for dissolution in the state court, and a judgment adjudicating Crateo a bankrupt was entered on August 9, 1973.
The petitioning creditors alleged that Crateo's petition in the state court for judicial supervision of its dissolution amounted to the fifth act of bankruptcy, 11 U.S.C. § 21(a)(5). That section provides, in pertinent part, that:
Acts of bankruptcy by a person shall consist of his having . . . (5) while insolvent or unable to pay his debts as they mature, procured, permitted, or suffered voluntarily or involuntarily the appointment of a receiver or trustee to take charge of his property. 2
California law governing the dissolution of corporations creates a significant change in the status of the corporation and its directors. We agree with appellant's creditors and the District Court that the net effect of this change means that Crateo's actions in the state court resulted in the "appointment of a receiver or trustee" within the meaning of 11 U.S.C. § 21(a)(5).
After a petition for dissolution is filed, the board of directors continues to operate the corporation in order to settle its affairs. Cal.Corp.Code § 4800. However, directors may be removed by the superior court for reasons of "dishonesty, misconduct, neglect, or abuse of trust". Cal.Corp.Code § 4614. The court can take such an action on its own initiative, and the normal prerequisite of a shareholder's suit is not required. Cf. Cal.Corp.Code § 811.
The duties of the board of directors are also limited once the dissolution proceedings come under judicial supervision. The only business the corporation can carry on is that of winding up. Cal.Corp.Code § 4605. In carrying out this task, the board of directors is invested with extensive powers. Cal.Corp.Code § 4801. The powers of the board of directors, however, are not unlimited. The state court has the specific power to determine the manner in which claims are to be presented and settled and how shareholders' rights are to be determined. The court has the power to oversee the complete dissolution process and discharge the directors from their obligations after the process is completed. Cal.Corp.Code §§ 4608-11, 4617. In addition, the court has the general power to "make orders and adjudge as to any and all matters concerning the winding up of the affairs of the corporation." Cal.Corp.Code § 4607.
In winding up the corporation's affairs, the first duty of the board of directors is to satisfy the corporation's debts and liabilities. Cal.Corp.Code § 5000. In satisfying these obligations, the directors' powers under Cal.Corp.Code § 4801 are circumscribed by the overall supervisory power of the Superior Court under Cal.Corp.Code § 4607. If the directors do not settle the corporation's obligations properly, the court has the duty to vacate the directors' actions and make the appropriate settlement itself. In re Trinity Tractor Co., 3 Cal.App.3d 428, 440-441, 83 Cal.Rptr. 783, 791-792 (1970).
In addition, Crateo's creditors could no longer pursue their normal legal remedies against Crateo once the Superior Court accepted Crateo's petition for judicial supervision of its dissolution proceedings. Actions already begun were stayed by the Superior Court's order. Whether or not legal title to the corporation's assets passed into the possession of the board of directors became irrelevant because creditors could sue neither entity.
There was no need for the board of directors to be formally appointed trustees or to formally possess legal title to the corporation's assets. The effect of Crateo's actions in the Superior Court was to require its board of directors, under court supervision, to act as trustees. 3 In determining whether a corporate dissolution under state law is the equivalent of the fifth act of bankruptcy, "it is the end result that counts". In re Bonnie Classics, 116 F.Supp. 646, 648 (S.D.N.Y.1953). 4
Not every corporate petition for dissolution under the California Corporations Code will necessarily result in an involuntary bankruptcy. Under11 U.S.C. § 21(a)(5), the creditors must also show that the debtor was " insolvent or unable to pay his debts as they mature". However, if this situation exists, California corporations cannot defeat the operation of the bankruptcy laws by applying for dissolution under California law. In re Watts & Sachs, 190 U.S. 1, 27, 23 S.Ct. 718, 47 L.Ed. 933 (1902). The overly technical approach to the interpretation of 11 U.S.C. § 21(a)(5) urged by Crateo must be rejected.
The creditors' petition against Crateo was required by Section 59(b) of the Bankruptcy Act, 11 U.S.C. § 95(b), to be filed by at least "three or more creditors who have provable claims not contingent as to liability". Six petitioning creditors 5 presented evidence before the special master, and Crateo claims that none of them had claims "not contingent as to liability". Examination of the creditors' claims, however, shows that appellant is incorrect.
Intermark Investing Inc. was a judgment creditor of Crateo's pursuant to a stipulated judgment entered in a state court prior to the filing of the creditors' petition. Part of the judgment provided that two parcels of property owned by Crateo would be sold and the proceeds of the sale applied to reduce Crateo's debt to Intermark. A dispute arose over the manner in which the properties were to be appraised prior to their sale. This was essentially a dispute over the manner in which the judgment would be satisfied and cannot obscure the fact that Crateo's liability to Intermark had already been fixed. In re Trimble Co., 339 F.2d 838, 844 (3rd Cir. 1964).
Under a promissory note to Olympia Business Service, Inc., Crateo was obligated to pay $1200 per month. Since appellant did not make the payments due July 1, 1970, and August 1, 1970, Olympia was properly determined to be a creditor whose claim was not contingent as to liability. There was no need for Olympia to obtain a judgment against Crateo before it could achieve the status of a petitioning creditor under Section 59(b). Denham v. Shellman Grain Elevator, Inc., 444 F.2d 1376, 1380 (5th Cir. 1971). Whether or not Crateo received proper notice so as to accelerate payment of the entire amount remaining on the promissory note is irrelevant because the two monthly installments were definitely due at the time the creditors' petition was filed.
General Electric Company held two promissory notes which had fully matured prior to August 31, 1970. Again, there was no need for General Electric to have obtained judgments on these notes in order to satisfy the requirements of Section 59(b). The fact that there was a dispute over Crateo's indebtedness on another separate obligation to General Electric is irrelevant. 6
Under Section 19(a) of the Bankruptcy Act, 11 U.S.C. § 42(a), Crateo was entitled to a jury trial "in respect to the question of (its) insolvency". 7 Prior to that trial, the issue of Crateo's insolvency had been referred to...
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