Deckert v. Independence Shares Corporation Deckert v. Pennsylvania Co For Insurances On Lives and Granting Annuities, Nos. 17

• Court: United States Supreme Court
• Writing for the Court: MURPHY
• Citation: 61 S.Ct. 229,85 L.Ed. 189,311 U.S. 282
• Parties: DECKERT et al. v. INDEPENDENCE SHARES CORPORATION et al. DECKERT et al. v. PENNSYLVANIA CO. FOR INSURANCES ON LIVES AND GRANTING ANNUITIES
• Decision Date: 09 December 1940
• Docket Number: 18,Nos. 17

311 U.S. 282 61 S.Ct. 229 85 L.Ed. 189 DECKERT et al.

v.

INDEPENDENCE SHARES CORPORATION et al. DECKERT et al. v. PENNSYLVANIA CO. FOR INSURANCES ON LIVES AND GRANTING ANNUITIES.

Nos. 17, 18. Argued Oct. 18, 1940. Decided Dec. 9, 1940.

[Syllabus from pages 282-284 intentionally omitted]

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Mr. Harry Shapiro, of Philadelphia, Pa., for petitioners.

Messrs. Robert F. Irwin, Jr., George M. Kevlin, and Frank R. Donahue, all of Philadelphia, Pa., for respondents Independence Shares Corporation and others.

Walter Biddle Saul, of Philadelphia, Pa., for respondent Pennsylvania Co. for Insurances on Lives and Granting Annuities.

Mr. Justice MURPHY delivered the opinion of the Court.

Two important questions are presented by these petitions. The first is whether the Securities Act of 1933, 48 Stat. 74, 15 U.S.C.A. § 77a et seq., authorizes purchasers of securities to maintain a suit in equity to rescind a fraudulent sale and secure restitution of the consideration paid, and to enforce the right to restitution against a third party where the vendor is insolvent and the third party has assets in its possession belonging to the vendor. The second question is whether such purchasers must show that the amount in controversy exceeds $3,000 exclusive of interest and costs as required by Section 24 of the Judicial Code, as amended, 28 U.S.C. § 41, 28 U.S.C.A. § 41.

Petitioners, with one exception residents of Pennsylvania, are owners and holders of Capital Savings Plan Contract Certificates purchased from Capital Savings Plan, Inc., since merged with and now Independence Shares Corporation, a Pennsylvania corporation. These certificates required the holders to make certain installment payments to The Pennsylvania Company for Insurances on Lives and Granting Annuities, also a Pennsylvania corporation.¹ Pennsylvania, after deducting

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certain fixed charges, used the balance of these installment payments to purchase Independence Trust Shares for the benefit of the certificate holders. Independence Trust Shares, issued by Pennsylvania, represented interests in a trust of common stocks of 42 American corporations deposited by Independence with Pennsylvania. Pursuant to trust agreement and indenture between Pennsylvania and Independence, Pennsylvania collected dividends and profits from the stocks and administered the trust.

Petitioners brought this suit in the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against Pennsylvania, Independence, two affiliated companies, and certain officers and directors of Independence whose residence does not appear. The action against the affiliated companies has been dismissed.

The bill alleges that Independence and its predecessor Capital were guilty of fraudulent misrepresentations and concealments in their sale and advertisement of contract certificates to petitioners and others similarly situated in violation of the Securities Act of 1933. It alleges that Independence is insolvent and threatened with many lawsuits, that its business is virtually at a standstill because of unfavorable publicity, that preferences to creditors are probable, and that its assets are in danger of dissipation and depletion. Petitioners therefore pray the appointment of a receiver for Independence with power to collect and take possession of the assets of Independence and the trust assets held by Pennsylvania, liquidate the assets, determine the claims of petitioners and other certificate holders and pay them, and wind up and dissolve the corporations. They also seek relief incidental to the above and an injunction restraining Pennsylvania from transferring or disposing of any of the assets of the corporations or of the trust. There is the usual prayer for general relief.

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None of the original petitioners' claims exceeds $3,000 and respondents contend that the aggregate of all of them will not exceed $3,000. It is conceded that the assets sought to be reached are greatly in excess of $3,000.

Respondents answered the bill and thereafter moved to dismiss it. The motions were heard with petitioners' motions for a temporary injunction and the addition of two plaintiffs. The trial judge denied the motions to dismiss, approved the addition of two plaintiffs, but reserved decision on the application for a receiver. He directed the appointment of a master to take testimony and file a report on the question of the insolvency of Independence, and enjoined Pennsylvania from transferring or otherwise disposing of the sum of $38,258.85 representing certain charges, income, and proceeds received in administration of the trust. D.C., 27 F.Supp. 763.

Pennsylvania, Independence, and the individual defendants appealed from these orders. The Circuit Court of Appeals did not expressly consider whether the appeals were premature. It thought that the Securities Act did not authorize a bill seeking equitable relief against a third party which has assets belonging to the vendor, and therefore, that Pennsylvania was not a proper party to the suit since no cause of action under the Securities Act was stated against it. It reversed all of the orders appealed from and remanded the cause with directions to allow petitioners to amend their complaint to state a claim for a money judgment at law against Independence only. 3 Cir., 108 F.2d 51. We granted certiorari because of the importance of the questions presented. 309 U.S. 648, 60 S.Ct. 715, 84 L.Ed. 1000.

We believe that the appeals from the order granting the temporary injunction were not premature. It is true that Section 128 of the Judicial Code, 28 U.S.C. § 225, 28 U.S.C.A. § 225, authorizes circuit courts of appeals to review only final decisions. But Section 129 of the Judicial Code, 28 U.S.C.A. § 227,

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expressly excepts from the general rule certain interlocutory orders and decrees. It provides in part: 'Where, upon a hearing in a district court * * * an injunction is granted * * * by an interlocutory order or decree * * * an appeal may be taken from such interlocutory order or decree to the circuit court of appeals * * *.' Thus by the plain words of Section 129 the Circuit Court of Appeals was authorized to consider the appeals from the temporary injunction. Compare Enelow v. New York Life Insurance Co., 293 U.S. 379, 55 S.Ct. 310, 79 L.Ed. 440; Shanferoke Coal & Supply Corp. v. Westchester Service Corp., 293 U.S. 449, 55 S.Ct. 313, 79...