Cotton Energy Corporation v. Smith

718 So. 2d 1142, 1998 Ala. Civ. App. LEXIS 574, 1998 WL 430375
CourtCourt of Civil Appeals of Alabama
DecidedJuly 31, 1998
Docket2970552
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 718 So. 2d 1142 (Cotton Energy Corporation v. Smith) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Civil Appeals of Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cotton Energy Corporation v. Smith, 718 So. 2d 1142, 1998 Ala. Civ. App. LEXIS 574, 1998 WL 430375 (Ala. Ct. App. 1998).

Opinion

BEATTY, Retired Justice.

Cotton Energy Corporation appeals from the damages aspect of a judgment in its favor. Our supreme court has transferred this case to this court pursuant to § 12-2-7(6), Ala.Code 1975. We reverse and remand.

In March 1984 Cotton Energy sued numerous defendants, including Albert Smith, Jr., and Charles Ray Smith. The complaint alleged that the defendants owed Cotton Energy money due on an open account. In May 1985 the court entered a judgment against the defendants, including Albert Smith, Jr., and Charles Ray Smith, and in favor of Cotton Energy in the amount of $171,430.

In January 1985, while that ease was pending, Albert Smith, Jr. executed deeds transferring all of his interest in certain real property to his wife, Doris Jean Smith. Thereafter, Doris Jean Smith mortgaged certain portions of this property to Traders and Farmers Bank of Haleyville, Alabama (“the Bank”), in order to obtain new loans.

In November 1993, Cotton Energy sued Doris Jean Smith; the estate of Albert Smith, Jr., deceased; Charles Ray Smith, as executor of the estate of Albert Smith, Jr., deceased (hereinafter collectively referred to as “the Smiths”); and the Bank. The complaint sought to have the January 1985 transfers from Albert Smith, Jr., to Doris Jean Smith set aside, alleging that they were without valuable consideration, violated the Alabama Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act (Ala. Code 1975, §§ 8-9A-1 through -12), and essentially resulted in Albert Smith, Jr.’s becoming insolvent.

The Smiths and the Bank answered, denying the allegations of the complaint. In December 1994, Cotton Energy petitioned for a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction. Cotton Energy alleged it had learned that the proceeds of a Woodmen of the World life insurance policy, issued on the life of Albert Smith, Jr., had been paid and converted to a “beneficiary certificate” with an approximate value of $320,000. Cotton Energy requested that the trial court enjoin the Smiths from dissipating, changing, transferring, encumbering, or otherwise making unavailable for attachment the funds represented by the “beneficiary certificate.” The trial court issued an order, complying with Cotton Energy’s request.

Thereafter, the Bank moved for a summary judgment on all claims alleged against the Bank. The trial court granted the Bank’s motion, entered a summary judgment in favor of the Bank, and certified the judgment as final, pursuant to Rule 54(b), Ala. R. Civ. P. Cotton Energy appealed to our supreme court, which affirmed, without opinion. See Cotton Energy Corp. v. Traders & Farmers Bank of Haleyville, (No. 1950572) 680 So.2d 1034 (Ala.1996) (table).

After a trial on the remaining issues, the court, on January 8, 1997, issued an order holding the following: (1) The Bank has a superior claim to the property covered by the mortgages. (2) Cotton Energy has a “better claim” than the Smiths to certain real property, described in plaintiffs exhibit 8, and that the Smiths are enjoined and restrained from transferring, disposing of, or encumbering that real property. (3) The Smiths

“are enjoined and restrained from dissipating, transferring, encumbering, or otherwise causing the proceeds of the Woodmen of the World life insurance policy on the life of Albert J. Smith, Jr., or the beneficiary certificate in connection therewith or any other form in which the proceeds are held from being unavailable for later attachment or levy of execution by [Cotton Energy],
“4. Other than the above-establishing of priority of claims, [Cotton Energy] shall not have and recover of defendant Doris Jean Smith, also known as Doris J. Smith, and she is discharged herein.
“5. For the benefit of everyone, this court notes that [Cotton Energy’s] exhibits 10 through 15 show the names of people and entities who have not been made parties to this action, and this court cannot rule on any claims those people and entities may have in the real property which is the subject of this action.
[1144]*1144“6. In view of paragraph numbered 5. above, this court declines to order an attachment and sale and to order execution levy, all on the real property above-described, and specifically reserves said claims; this court notes that announcement of the above deficiencies at any sale would result in no bids and, therefore, the sale would be a useless act; this court suggests that [Cotton Energy] is in the same position as any junior lien-holder and that any decision on priority of claims cannot be made at this time, other than that made above.”

The trial court entered an order purporting to certify this January 8,1997, order as final, pursuant to Rule 54(b), Ala. R. Civ. P.

Cotton Energy filed a post-judgment motion, which was denied by operation of law. See Rule 59.1, Ala. R. Civ. P. Cotton Energy appealed, but this court dismissed the appeal as “not from a final judgment.”

Thereafter, the trial court issued another order, amending paragraph 6 of its January 8,1997, order to read as follows:

“6. In view of paragraph numbered 5. above, this court refuses to order an attachment and sale and to order execution and levy all on the real property above-described, and specifically denies said claims.”

Cotton Energy appeals, contending that the trial court erred in failing to enter a money judgment against Doris Jean Smith, the grantee in the fraudulent transfer, and in denying Cotton Energy’s claims for attachment and sale. The Smiths did not favor this court vrith a brief.

When the trial court determined that Cotton Energy’s claims to the property were superior to the Smiths’ claims to the property, the trial court was, in essence, finding that the transfers from Albert Smith, Jr., to Doris Jean Smith were fraudulent transfers. However, the trial court afforded Cotton Energy no relief whatever and, in fact, “discharged” the fraudulent grantee from the case.

In First Nat’l Bank of Birmingham v. Love, 232 Ala. 327, 332, 167 So. 703, 706 (1936), our supreme court stated,

“It is well settled that the grantee in a fraudulent conveyance holds the property in trust, a constructive trust recognized and enforced in equity, on behalf of existing creditors of the grantor; that he disposes of same at his peril, and is personally liable for the value thereof.”

In Swan v. Magnusson, 418 So.2d 844, 845 (Ala.1982), our supreme court said that a “fraudulent grantee occupies the position of trustee and is liable to account as a trustee for ... creditors.” In Yates v. Guest, 416 So.2d 973, 977 (Ala.1982), our supreme court stated, “[A] court of equity has the authority to order an accounting from a fraudulent grantee.” In Swan and Yates, our supreme court relied upon the following statements from American Nat’l Bank & Trust Co. v. Powell, 235 Ala. 236, 246, 178 So. 21, 29-30 (1937):

“Of course, so long as the property remains in the possession of the fraudulent grantee, she, it would seem, is not subject to a personal judgment, in a court of equity, in favor of the creditors of the grantor. The proper course is for such creditors to pursue the property and fasten their lien thereon. But the fraudulent grantee occupies the position of trustee and is liable to account therefor as a trustee for such creditors.

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Bluebook (online)
718 So. 2d 1142, 1998 Ala. Civ. App. LEXIS 574, 1998 WL 430375, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cotton-energy-corporation-v-smith-alacivapp-1998.