Armstrong Manors v. Burris

193 Cal. App. 2d 447, 14 Cal. Rptr. 338, 1961 Cal. App. LEXIS 1721
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 28, 1961
DocketCiv. 6466
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 193 Cal. App. 2d 447 (Armstrong Manors v. Burris) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Armstrong Manors v. Burris, 193 Cal. App. 2d 447, 14 Cal. Rptr. 338, 1961 Cal. App. LEXIS 1721 (Cal. Ct. App. 1961).

Opinion

SHEPARD, J.

This is an action to quiet title in plaintiff-appellant Armstrong Manors, a corporation, hereinafter called “Corporation,” in the real and personal property of the Del Mar Hotel, with a second cause of action to establish a constructive trust in the same properties in favor of Corporation. Defendants-respondents Burris and Merritt, hereinafter called “Burris,” cross-complained in eight counts on various claims for money judgment.

The Pleadings

Appellants’ complaint is in two counts, first, in the ordinary form of quiet title action, with a second count seeking to establish a constructive trust. However, both counts rely upon essentially the same facts and therefore will be treated as one. (Tiedje v. Aluminum Taper Milling Co., 46 Cal.2d 450, 452 [1] [296 P.2d 554].)

In general essence, appellants’ cause of action is based on the allegation that Burris took title to the entire property without consideration and on an agreement to act as trustees for the use and benefit of Corporation, and that Burris thereafter fraudulently asserted title in themselves and sold the property to respondents Navarro, Lozano and Loreto (who will be hereinafter called “Navarro”). Appellants Mary G. Armstrong, Olive Armstrong Fox and Armelda Armstrong Mendoza, when hereinafter referred to individually, will be called “Mary,” “Olive” or “Armelda,” respectively, and when referred to collectively will be called “Armstrong family.” Estoppel, laches and waiver are pleaded in the various answers.

*450 The Pretrial Order

In general substance, the issues as set forth in the pretrial order involve questions relating to (1) whether or not there was an agreement of trusteeship in the sale to Burris; (2) whether or not such transfer rendered Corporation insolvent ; (3) whether or not any of appellants ought now to be permitted to assert their alleged claims; (4) whether or not appellants ratified the transaction; (5) whether or not appellants were guilty of laches; (6) what amount of unpaid rent, taxes and insurance is due to Burris from appellants; (7) whether or not the claims were, in fact, assigned to Burris; (8) whether or not Burris were personally liable on such claims and whether or not they were entitled to contribution ; (9) whether the furniture and equipment were pledged by the lease; (10) whether the promissory note of J. Leroy Wood was executed for a legal consideration and whether or not Burris must first enforce against the Corporation; (11) whether or not the corporate stock was pledged as security for payment of said note and the ownership of said note; (12) attorneys’ fees; (13) interest; (14) whether or not there was fraud and conversion of the hotel property by Burris; and (15) the sufficiency of appellants’ fraud allegations.

Facts

In 1955 the Del Mar Hotel owners were in bankruptcy and the hotel was for sale. Olive organized Corporation, secured a conditional permit from the Corporation Commissioner for issuance of 590 shares of stock at $20 per share to herself, her mother, Mary, and her sister, Armelda. Olive proposed to buy the Del Mar Hotel properties, believing that they could be profitably operated as a home for aged, life-care patients. She paid $10,000 for an option to buy the hotel properties at a total purchase price of $550,000, to be paid for by $88,000 cash (.of which the option money was a part) and the assumption of three trust deeds, (first, $250,000; second, $62,000; and third, $150,000, totaling $462,000). Until two days prior to the expiration of her option, she was unable to raise the additional $78,000 cash. She then met Burris and persuaded them to come into the operation with their money, representing to them that she had applications of about 50 aged people from which $500,000 to $600,000 could be realized for the operation. Burris acceded, advanced $78,000, of which $5,900 was for 50 per cent or 295 shares of Corporation stock and the balance, or $72,100, was loaned to Corporation. Olive *451 then assigned the option to Corporation and title was taken in its name September 19, 1955. Burris became two of the four directors of Corporation, and the Armstrong family held the other two directorships, with Olive as president and appellant Thomas Fox (who thereafter married Olive and is included in references herein to “Armstrong family”) as secretary, and Mary the other director. From this commencement until Corporation quitclaimed to Burris in September 1958, the Armstrong family remained in operational control of Corporation and the hotel properties.

The morass of financial dealings that followed is too extensive to relate here in complete detail. In general substance it is as follows: By the spring of 1956, expenditures had so far exceeded income that Burris had loaned Corporation a total of $137,000 and Armstrong family had loaned $57,482.32, or total loans to Corporation from stockholders of $194,482.32. While some portion of this had been used in capital improvements, a very substantial portion had gone into operations. According to appellants’ own witnesses, the operational loss had also raised current unpaid liabilities alarmingly by May 31, 1956. These included bank overdrafts, taxes of various kinds, borrowings from the trust fund, unsecured notes and pay roll accounts. The entire Armstrong family lived at the hotel without credits of any kind to Corporation. Corporate business was conducted with the usual informality of closely held stock. Counsel stipulated that Armelda and Mary were kept fully informed of all operations at all times. Olive testified, without contradiction, that everything she did was in accordance with their wishes. Differences arose between Burris and Armstrong family on methods of doing the corporate business and on Burris’ claim that Olive incurred unnecessary and excessive operational expenses. After many discussions between all parties concerned, the decision was reached that one of the two factions should buy out the other.

April 29, 1956, all directors unanimously adopted a resolution by which Burris were authorized to enter into negotiations which would allow Corporation to consolidate existing trust deeds, and in order to accomplish same that the land and buildings be deeded to Burris, who would, in turn, lease the property back to Corporation. Apparently the exact details had not then been fully agreed upon. By May 16, 1956, such details had been worked out between Burris and the Armstrong family. By such transaction Burris purchased *452 the realty without the furnishings, assumed outstanding deeds of trust totaling $462,000, paid in cash $38,000 to settle certain of Corporation’s immediately pressing current obligations, cancelled indebtedness of $137,000 owed to Burris by Corporation, surrendered 295 shares of stock for which they had paid $5,900, and leased the property back to Corporation.

The lease provided, inter alia,

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Bluebook (online)
193 Cal. App. 2d 447, 14 Cal. Rptr. 338, 1961 Cal. App. LEXIS 1721, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/armstrong-manors-v-burris-calctapp-1961.