Azar v. Electric Constructors, Inc.

293 F. Supp. 33, 1967 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11505
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Alabama
DecidedNovember 1, 1967
DocketCiv. A. Nos. 2555-N, 2556-N
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 293 F. Supp. 33 (Azar v. Electric Constructors, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Azar v. Electric Constructors, Inc., 293 F. Supp. 33, 1967 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11505 (M.D. Ala. 1967).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

JOHNSON, Chief Judge.

The questions presented in these consolidated cases arising out of a bankruptcy proceeding are:

1. Did defendant obtain from the bankrupt Fallat a preferential transfer as defined in Section 60 of the Bankruptcy Act (11 U.S.C.A. § 96)?

2. Did defendant obtain from the bankrupt Fallat a voidable transfer as defined in Section 70, sub. e of the Bankruptcy Act (11 U.S.C.A. § 110)?

The formulation of these issues is reflected in the pretrial orders dated August 22, 1967. If the answer to either of the above questions is affirmative, the Trustee in Bankruptcy, plaintiff here, is entitled to recover the value of the property transferred with interest.

Robert L. Fallat, doing business as Fallat’s Furniture Fair, was adjudicated a bankrupt on April 1, 1965. He opened this retail furniture business in Montgomery, Alabama, in November, 1964, and closed its doors to business on March 1, 1965. During that three or four months he incurred debts in excess of $100,000. At and after the date of bankruptcy, his trustee liquidated a total estate turned over by the bankrupt of only $3,375.

The bankrupt was insolvent practically from the inception of business until he was adjudicated a bankrupt. After January 1, 1965, he was sending out form letters advising his creditors of his inability to pay his debts as they accrued. He in fact failed to pay his debts, including his debts for advertising and publicity, which, the evidence shows, was discontinued for non-payment, by the newspapers and television after December, 1964. He defaulted in the payment of his rent to B. H. Klein, his landlord, due on March 1, 1965. He failed to pay his State sales taxes. He depleted his stock of goods without regard to price, and in effect, gave some of the merchandise away. Finally his own petition in bankruptcy, after his creditors placed him in bankruptcy, admits his insolvency.

It is also noteworthy, although we do not consider it in determining this case, that the evidence shows that Fallat had previously, within the past six years, been adjudicated a bankrupt in Kansas, and that his financial reputation was not good. Dun and Bradstreet, on behalf of defendant, had difficulty locating Fallat for purposes of obtaining a financial report.

From November 17, 1964, through November 30, 1964, defendant, a- wholesale appliance distributor, shipped to Fallat at Montgomery from Birmingham, stereo and television sets, and other household appliances, the invoice totals on which were $12,065.60.

On November 18, and November 30, 1964, Fallat executed, through his Attorney-in-fact, C. L. Teal, who was also the president of the defendant corporation, the following documents covering the appliánce items shipped in late November:

1. Two promissory waive notes (for $9,277.25, and $2,788.35) due three months from the date each was made, payable to defendant at Birmingham.

2. On the same piece of paper with each note, what purports to be “Trust Receipts” covering the property ship[35]*35ped, and dated November 18, and 30, 1964. The appliance items were listed on the trust receipts.

On November 18, and November 30, 1964, defendant assigned and conveyed the notes and trust receipts with recourse: the first (for $9,277.25) to the Exchange Security Bank of Birmingham, the second (for $2,788.35) to the Birmingham Trust National Bank of Birmingham.

These Banks advanced the amounts of the promissory notes to defendant, and received copies of the invoices, promissory notes and trust receipts with the executed assignments.

On February 11, 1965, and on March 11, 1965, a “Statement of Trust Receipts Financing” was filed with the Secretary of State of Alabama at Montgomery, covering these appliance items.

At no time were the trust receipts or any other documents giving notice of the debt and claimed security to defendant, put on record in the Probate Office of Montgomery County, where the appliance items were located and offered for sale to the public by Fallat.

From December 1, 1964, to February 15, 1965, Fallat made payments to the Birmingham Trust National Bank on the promissory note it held, leaving appliances with invoice values of $1,448.65, in Fallat’s store. From January 14, 1965, to February 10, 1965, Fallat made payments due to Exchange Security Bank on the promissory note it held, leaving appliances with invoice values of $4,555.-15 in Fallat’s store.

On February 27, 1965, defendant repossessed the appliance items left in Fallat’s store, placed them in a storage warehouse, and subsequently removed them to Birmingham. During warehouse storage, appliance items were sold by defendant to third persons with a total invoice value of $1,236.

After removal of the merchandise to Birmingham, defendant paid both Banks in full the balance of the total invoice prices owing on the Fallat notes.

The trustee now seeks to recover the value of the payments made and the merchandise repossessed for the benefit of general creditors.

There was a preferential transfer, within the meaning of Section 60 of the Bankruptcy Act, of property of the bankrupt to defendant, the value of which the trustee is entitled to recover in these proceedings.

It is undisputed that the payments by Fallat were made, and the repossession took place within four months pri- or to April 1, 1965, the date of bankruptcy. It is also indisputable that Fallat was insolvent at the time the payments were made and the merchandise repossessed on February 27, 1965.1

Moreover, defendant knew or had reasonable cause to believe that Fallat was insolvent at the time of the transfers. The evidence that Fallat was not available for a credit report being made for defendant coupled with the repossession on February 27, one day before the November 30 note was due, is indicative of knowledge, if not of actual insolvency, then at least of knowledge which would have put a reasonably diligent business man on inquiry as to insolvency. The circumstances surrounding repossession, particularly Fallat’s refusal to renew the security arrangement with defendant’s agent, Breed, some ten days before repossession, is an additional factor pointing to knowledge. Defendant is thus chargeable with notice of other facts recited above clearly showing insolvency which such inquiry would have disclosed. Clower v. First State Bank of San Diego, Texas, 343 F.2d 808 (5th Cir. 1965).

Defendant was by his own admission, from November 18, and November 30, 1964 (prior to the transfers) a creditor of Fallat, since defendant held unconditional promissory notes secured by trust receipts on the appliances shipped. [36]*36The assignment of the notes was with recourse on defendant.

The late recording of these trust receipts meant that such trust receipts as transfers within the meaning of the Act were perfected, within the meaning of the Bankruptcy Act (Title 11 U.S.C.A. § 96) and the Alabama Uniform Trust Receipts Act (Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1940, Section 191 et seq.) within four months of Bankruptcy. The recordation of the receipt of November 18, some 85 days later and of the receipt of November 30, some 191 days later, thus served to make the debts antecedent, within the meaning of Section 60, sub. a of the Bankruptcy Act (11 U.S.C.A. § 96).

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Bluebook (online)
293 F. Supp. 33, 1967 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11505, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/azar-v-electric-constructors-inc-almd-1967.