Country Store Products, Inc. v. Cornucopia Products, Inc. (In re Country Store Products, Inc.)

21 B.R. 28, 1980 Bankr. LEXIS 4881
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedJuly 1, 1980
DocketBankruptcy No. 80-01779K; Adv. No. 81-1548K
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 21 B.R. 28 (Country Store Products, Inc. v. Cornucopia Products, Inc. (In re Country Store Products, Inc.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Country Store Products, Inc. v. Cornucopia Products, Inc. (In re Country Store Products, Inc.), 21 B.R. 28, 1980 Bankr. LEXIS 4881 (Pa. 1980).

Opinion

OPINION

WILLIAM A. KING, Jr., Bankruptcy Judge.

This adversary proceeding is brought before this Court by Country Store Products, Inc. seeking an order to compel the defendant to turn over to the plaintiff certain candle manufacturing equipment. Specifically, the plaintiff, a debtor-in-possession, having filed a voluntary petition pursuant to Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code on July 25, 1980, contends that it possesses rights in special taper-making equipment. Conversely, defendant responds, in conjunction with the intervening defendant, Continental Bank, that the aforesaid claimed rights of the plaintiff in the machinery are superced-ed by a perfected security interest of Continental Bank in the assets of Cornucopia Candles.1

To resolve this conflict, the sole issue before the Court today, therefore, is whether the equipment in question was leased to the defendant by the plaintiff or whether Country Store sold this equipment to Cornucopia. If only a lease existed Continental Bank’s perfected security interest is worthless because Cornucopia itself lacked an interest in the equipment which it could pledge as security to the Bank. If a sale occurred, however, the plaintiff’s request for turnover would be denied because of Continental Bank’s superior security interest. Based on the evidence and testimony presented to this Court, we hold that a sale of said taper-making equipment has transpired. Therefore, plaintiff’s request for turnover of said equipment must be denied.

Prior to 1980, Country Store was an importer of merchandise in the gift business which included the manufacture of candles for distribution to retailers. However, in January of 1980, Country Store began to experience financial difficulties. In an effort to improve its cash flow situation, Country Store, directed by Robert Ball and Richard Ball, ceased manufacturing candles. Subsequently, an agreement was reached between the Balls, Roy Rhodes (manager of the candle department) and Robert Riley (another employee) in which Country Store permitted Rhodes and Riley to use their candle-making equipment; the only compensation sought by Country Store was to be supplied with a steady source of candles.

During this time, Country Store actively pursued a buyer for this equipment. Robert Riley negotiated with Country Store until February of 1980 when it was agreed that should he be able to secure certain accounts, the plaintiff would sell the equipment to him. When Riley was in fact able to secure the specified supply contracts in early February of 1980, arrangements were made through which Riley (now operating in a 50-50 partnership with Roy Rhodes and trading as Cornucopia Candles) would purchase the taper-making equipment.

Under the terms of this agreement, the purchase price of the taper-making equipment, valued in excess of $113,000, was to be paid over a period of time, from merchandise shipped by Cornucopia to the plaintiff. Specifically, whenever Cornucopia shipped candles to Country Store, it was agreed that the plaintiff would pay only 75 per cent of the total invoice, crediting the remainder toward the total purchase price of the equipment. The parties utilized this system of payments to reduce the outstanding debt from $109,000 to $45,981 during the period from February of 1980 through January of 1982. Although the plaintiff [30]*30does not deny that these payments were made, it contends that these payments were not installments reducing the balance of the purchase price, but instead, rental payments. While the plaintiffs argument appears plausible on the surface, it is highly improbable when viewed in light of the evidence.

Perhaps the most damaging evidence which contraverts the plaintiff’s position arises out of the original complaint which unequivocally stated that a sale had transpired. According to paragraph three (3) of the complaint, the plaintiff agreed to sell to the defendant all of the plaintiffs candle-making equipment which formerly had been located at the plaintiff’s place of business.2 Based on this agreement plaintiff’s initial complaint prayed for turnover of the equipment because of the failure of defendant to remit payment.

Most interesting, however, was the fact that this complaint was accompanied by a sworn affidavit subscribed to by Richard G. Ball, the Secretary-Treasurer of the plaintiff-corporation. This affidavit stated that the “facts contained in the foregoing complaint are true and correct to the best of my information, knowledge and belief.” It must be stressed that, in his capacity as Secretary-Treasurer, no one should be more qualified and knowledgeable of Country Store’s financial transactions and relationship with Cornucopia than Richard G. Ball.

Why then did the plaintiff amend this complaint at trial which completely altered its alleged right of recovery from that based on a default of an executed sale to violation of a lease agreement? Quite simply, Continental Bank (in July of 1981) advanced over $90,000 to Cornucopia and secured the loan by a security agreement and financing statements executed by Cornucopia and duly filed, covering Cornucopia’s machinery and equipment. Even if the plaintiff could establish the existence of a sale, its rights to this equipment, as an unsecured creditor, now were inferior to those of Continental Bank a secured creditor with a perfected security interest. Accordingly, the only way to circumvent the perfected security interest of Continental Bank was to claim that a lease existed. Such irresponsible conduct is abhorrent to the Court.

Even assuming, arguendo, that the foregoing conduct was proper, the plaintiff has utterly failed to meet its burden of proof that a lease existed. In fact, the weight of the evidence and testimony submitted before this Court, support the defendant’s contention that a sale occurred, which the plaintiff has been unable to rebut with any degree of credibility. Specifically, there is the cancelled check for $1,000 which was tendered by Cornucopia as a deposit on the equipment and acknowledged as such by the plaintiff in correspondence dated February 15, 1980.3 There is an invoice dated February 26,1980 4 which sets forth in writing the sale of the disputed equipment from Country Store to Cornucopia for the agreed price of $109,239.32. The plaintiff’s only rebuttal is feeble at best; this document only represented a memo or a so-called “pro forma” invoice. And finally, there is the plaintiff’s attempt to convince this Court that a lease for three (3) months should be viewed as operational for the duration of Cornucopia’s candle-manufacturing enterprise.5 This is an affront to the Court. The lease in question was to run from October 1, 1980 to December 31,1980 and was to include the use of both the equipment and [31]*31the building. It is inconceivable that this lease could apply to the rental of the taper-making equipment either for the period of ten (10) months prior to its creation or for the twelve (12) months subsequent to the termination of the lease. What is even more incredible is that, even if a lease was in existence to cover this time span, Country Store would allow the defendant to use its equipment (valued at over $100,000) for almost two (2) years free of charge.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
21 B.R. 28, 1980 Bankr. LEXIS 4881, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/country-store-products-inc-v-cornucopia-products-inc-in-re-country-paeb-1980.