Allied Mutual Insurance v. Roberson

220 F. Supp. 25, 7 Fed. R. Serv. 2d 296, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7357
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. South Carolina
DecidedJuly 30, 1963
DocketCiv. A. Nos. 1030, 6308, 6450
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 220 F. Supp. 25 (Allied Mutual Insurance v. Roberson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. South Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Allied Mutual Insurance v. Roberson, 220 F. Supp. 25, 7 Fed. R. Serv. 2d 296, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7357 (southcarolinaed 1963).

Opinion

WYCHE, District Judge.

This is a supplemental action to enforce the collection of judgments entered' by this Court in two actions captioned “Allied Mutual Insurance Co. v. Gilbert Roberson” and “Gilbert Roberson, d/b/a State Insurance Service v. Allied Mutual Insurance Co.,” C./A Nos. 6308 and 6450. Those actions arose out of the termination of the general insurance agency of Gilbert Roberson, d/b/a State Insurance Service, as South Carolina State Agent for Allied Mutual Insurance Company (plaintiff’s predecessor in title). Allied brought suit in this Court against Roberson for an accounting of premiums collected by Roberson from subagents and not remitted. Roberson counterclaimed for breach of the agency contract. A similar action instituted by Roberson against Allied in the State Court was re[27]*27moved to this Court. Since the issues raised in both suits were identical, they were consolidated by consent of counsel and referred to a Special Master.

The Special Master found for the insurance company and his findings of fact and conclusions of law were approved and adopted by the Honorable George Bell Timmerman, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of South Carolina, on November 28, 1961. Judgment for Eighteen Thousand, Six Hundred, Seventy-Nine and 6%oo ($18,679.-69) Dollars, plus interest and costs, representing the insurance premiums withheld, was entered against Roberson. This judgment was affirmed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit on June 1, 1962 (306 F.2d 130).

Thereafter in September, 1962, Allied instituted supplemental examination of Roberson to determine the disposition of the premiums and the collectibility of the judgment. On November 9, 1962, Roberson was ordered to turn over to Allied all of the assets owned by him individually, consisting solely of 418 shares of stock in the First Citizens Insurance Company of a value of $1.30 per share. The value of this stock ($543.40) was credited against accrued interest on the judgment and thereafter a Writ of Execution against Roberson was returned nulla bona.

This action was instituted by Allied on December 17, 1962, against Roberson, his wife and daughter, and First Citizens Insurance Corporation. The matter is before me on motions for Summary Judgment, under Rule 56, by Allied against First Citizens Insurance Corporation, and for Summary Judgment by that corporate defendant against Allied, which was made orally with consent of counsel. The motions are based upon the proceedings in the prior cases, depositions of Gilbert Roberson and interrogatories propounded to the defendants.

The record is uneontradicted as to the material facts. Prior to May, 1957, Gilbert Roberson, d/b/a State Insurance Service, was general State Agent for Allied, selling its automobile casualty insurance through his numerous subagents across South Carolina and collecting and remitting to Allied the premiums from such sales. In May, 1957, Roberson’s relationship with Allied was terminated. Roberson testified that while, as a result of this termination, his general agency business was severely restricted, he continued the general agency in existence and continued to write the same type of business through other companies.

Roberson further testified that of the Eighteen Thousand, Six Hundred, Seventy-Nine and 6%oo ($18,679.69) Dollars, in premiums due Allied, he collected Seventeen Thousand, One Hundred, Seventy-Nine and «%oo ($17,179.69) Dollars, from his subagents. He stated that these premiums were spent in his agency business over a period of time following the termination of his relationship with Allied. This testimony was uncontradicted.

In April, 1958, during the pendency of the two prior actions, Roberson formed the First Citizens Insurance Corporation, which later became a holding company for a fire and casualty company, a discount company, and a life insurance company. According to his testimony and First Citizens’ answers to interrogatories, Roberson transferred his general agency, known as State Insurance Service, to First Citizens in exchange for stock in that company. The general agency consisted of office supplies and printed matter, furniture, fixtures and equipment, and agency plant and files (goodwill) of a net value of $39,970.00, for which Roberson received 3,977 shares of stock in the company, valued at $10.00 per share.

At the time of this transfer, Roberson was the President and principal officer, promoter, principal stockholder and director of First Citizens. He was still the company’s president and a director at the time of his testimony regarding the transfer of State Insurance Service and the formation of First Citizens Insurance Corporation. His testimony in this regard is uncontradicted.

[28]*28I find the facts specially and state my conclusions of law thereon as follows:

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. This Court has jurisdiction of the parties and of the subject matter of this action.

2. There is no material issue of fact in dispute.

3. Gilbert Roberson, d/b/a State Insurance Service, collected from his sub-agents $17,169.69 in premiums due Allied Mutual Insurance Company (plaintiff’s predecessor in title). These premiums represent most of the judgment against Gilbert Roberson for $18,679.69 in Civil Actions Numbers 6308 and 6450.

4. Prior to April, 1958, these premiums were invested by Gilbert Roberson in his general agency business known as State Insurance Service.

5. In April, 1958, Gilbert Roberson transferred to First Citizens Insurance Corporation his general agency business known as State Insurance Service in exchange for common stock of the Company. At that time the net assets of the general agency transferred to First Citizens Insurance Corporation had a value of $39,970.00. These assets contained the converted insurance premiums which had been invested by Gilbert Roberson in the business.

6. At the time of the transfer of State Insurance Service to First Citizens Insurance Corporation, Gilbert Roberson was president and principal officer, stockholder and director of that company. He was also the company’s promoter.

7. First Citizens Insurance Corporation has failed to comply with Rule 56(e) by setting forth by affidavits or otherwise specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND OPINION

First Citizens challenged the jurisdiction of this Court because of the plaintiff’s failure to comply with Rule 15(d) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which requires a court order authorizing supplemental pleadings. However, I am satisfied that this Rule was"never intended to apply to supplemental proceedings at equity, such as this, to-enforce the collection of a judgment. Rather, the Rule was intended to apply to supplemental pleadings presenting new matter relating to the merits of the-claim which had occurred subsequent to-the original pleadings. See, 3 Moore’s-Federal Practice, pp. 857-861. This proceeding is in reality an equitable execution to enforce the original claim. Cf. Empire Lighting Fixture Co. v. Practical Lighting Fixture Co., 20 F.2d 295 (CA 2, 1927); 3 Moore’s Federal Practice, pp. 1830-1838.

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220 F. Supp. 25, 7 Fed. R. Serv. 2d 296, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7357, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/allied-mutual-insurance-v-roberson-southcarolinaed-1963.