Berg v. Capo

994 So. 2d 322, 2007 WL 3355631
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
DecidedNovember 14, 2007
Docket3D05-2004, 3D05-1354
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 994 So. 2d 322 (Berg v. Capo) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court of Appeal of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Berg v. Capo, 994 So. 2d 322, 2007 WL 3355631 (Fla. Ct. App. 2007).

Opinion

994 So.2d 322 (2007)

Donald L. BERG, etc., Appellant,
v.
Julio C. CAPO, Appellee.

Nos. 3D05-2004, 3D05-1354.

District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District.

November 14, 2007.
Rehearing and Rehearing En Banc Denied November 6, 2008.

Jorden Burt and Jeffrey B. Crockett; Lauri Waldman Ross, Miami, for appellant.

Holland & Knight and Rodolfo Sorondo, Jr., and Christopher N. Bellows, Miami, for appellee.

Before WELLS, SHEPHERD, and ROTHENBERG, JJ.

WELLS, Judge.

Donald L. Berg appeals from summary judgments granted in Julio Capo's favor on claims sounding in breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, declaratory judgment, securities fraud, and rescission relating to a stock purchase agreement executed by the parties on January 21, 1999.[1] Because that agreement contains both an integration clause and a clause mutually releasing Berg and Julio Capo "from any and all claims, demands, charges, impositions, damages, collections, etc., of any type or description, arising out of any and all acts, deeds, contracts, undertakings, representations, or any other thing, of any type or description," the judgments in Julio Capo's favor must be affirmed.

Berg nevertheless maintains that he is entitled to rescind the January 21 agreement (and therefore secure reversal on his other claims) not because of the fraud he actually alleged in his complaint as the basis for setting aside this agreement, but because Berg's attorney, Sidney Brodie, *323 also represented Julio's cousin, Gerry Capo, and was part of a conspiracy to benefit Gerry via this agreement between Julio and Berg. Unfortunately for Berg, no conspiracy is alleged in his complaint, nor was this conspiracy/dual representation theory asserted as a basis for setting aside this agreement. Moreover, no dual representation or conflict was demonstrated. It is undisputed that Berg gave a power of attorney to Gerry Capo to act on his behalf in this transaction. Both Berg and Gerry were represented by the same attorney, thus creating no conflict. It is also undisputed that Julio was represented by someone else. Again, there was no dual representation or conflict. The January 21, 1999 agreement and its release therefore stand and bar Berg's claims regarding this transaction.

The judgments on appeal are, therefore, affirmed.

SHEPHERD, J., concurs.

ROTHENBERG, Judge (dissenting).

The complaint filed by Donald Berg ("Berg") against Julio C. Capo ("Julio"); Julio's cousin, Gerardo Capo ("Gerry"); and three companies they jointly owned, B.C.C. Enterprises, Inc., RAU Enterprises, Inc., and Atlantic Land Holdings, Inc., alleges that Berg, Julio, and Gerry were partners in a number of real estate development ventures since 1985. The responsibilities of each partner were assigned as follows: Gerry handled the day-to-day management of the partnership, Julio managed the cash flow, and Berg provided the investment capital. Over the years, Berg invested millions of dollars with Gerry and Julio (collectively "the Capos"). Their general method of operation was informal and based upon trust. Although they were equal partners, sharing equally in the profits, there were no written shareholder agreements between them, and when Julio needed operating capital, he simply called Berg, who would send the money requested without asking for or receiving any written proof.

The lawsuit stems from two ventures the parties entered into for: (1) the purchase and development of 640 acres of raw land ("the Section 7 venture"); and (2) the purchase and development of approximately 500 acres on the Island of Bimini in the Bahamas ("the Bimini venture"). In the instant appeal, Berg seeks reversal of several orders issued by the trial court granting summary judgment in favor of Julio regarding the Bimini venture. The trial court granted summary judgment as to Count I for breach of fiduciary duty; Count IV for rescission of the January 21, 1999, Stock Purchase Agreement; Count V for declaratory relief; Count VI for fraud; and Count VII for securities fraud.

In the complaint, Berg alleges that the Capos set up a corporation, RAV Bahamas Ltd. ("RAV Bahamas"), to be used for the Bimini venture; that Berg contributed more than $1.3 million to RAV Bahamas; and that Berg was promised one-third of the stock ownership of RAV Bahamas to induce him to make the initial $750,000 investment. Berg further alleges that despite his substantial monetary contributions to RAV Bahamas for the Bimini venture and the Capos' promise that he would receive one-third of the company's stock, only two shares of RAV Bahamas stock were issued, each of the Capos received one of the two shares, and Berg did not receive the promised one-third of the company's stock. Additionally, the complaint alleges, and there is record evidence to support these allegations, including admissions from the Capos, that the money Berg gave to the Capos to invest in the Bimini venture was pocketed by the Capos. After pocketing Berg's money without his knowledge, the Capos continued to request and *324 receive funds from Berg to be placed in RAV Bahamas for the Bimini venture.

Berg claims that in 1998, the Capos told him that they had "signed up" Asian investors for the development of the Bimini property. Gerry told Berg that based upon the successful negotiations with the Asian investors, he wished to gain further interest in RAV Bahamas but Julio refused to sell Gerry any additional interest in the company, and instead, Julio was demanding that Gerry buy him out for $7 million. Gerry told Berg that he did not have the money.

Berg alleges that based upon misrepresentations and nondisclosures by the Capos regarding the alleged investors, the assets and liabilities of the company, and the shares issued and to whom, Berg was induced to purchase what he believed was all of Julio's shares and fifty percent of the stock in the company for $7 million.

In negotiating this transaction, Berg hired Sidney Z. Brodie ("Brodie") to represent him as his attorney. Brodie, however, failed to: (1) disclose to Berg that he was also Gerry's attorney and that he had been representing Gerry for approximately twenty-five years; (2) disclose to Berg that he represented RAV Bahamas, the company Berg was purchasing; or (3) warn Berg as to his clear conflicts of interest.

Brodie prepared the Stock Purchase Agreement ("Agreement"). Berg, who believed that his attorney, Brodie, was protecting his interests, signed the Agreement and paid Julio $7 million. What Berg actually purchased was only a portion of Julio's shares at a greatly inflated price. Julio allegedly then transferred his remaining shares to Gerry for ten dollars. The Capos then transferred debts the Capos had incurred through other companies the Capos owned into RAV Bahamas, thereby transferring their debts to Berg.

Subsequently, Brodie filed a petition for disciplinary resignation with the Florida Supreme Court, which was granted. Fla. Bar v. Brodie, 789 So.2d 349 (Fla.2001) (table); see also Fla. Bar v. Hale, 762 So.2d 515, 516-17 (Fla.2000) (stating that a disciplinary resignation is tantamount to disbarment).

SUMMARY JUDGMENT

The trial court concluded, and the majority agrees, that because the Agreement contains a release clause releasing and discharging any claims Berg may have regarding the Agreement, Berg is precluded from raising the instant claims against Julio. The release clause provides:

The parties hereto including Julio C.

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Bluebook (online)
994 So. 2d 322, 2007 WL 3355631, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/berg-v-capo-fladistctapp-2007.