Ducas v. Pinecrest Dev. Corp.

19 Pa. D. & C.5th 437
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Monroe County
DecidedOctober 27, 2010
Docketno. 7014 CIVIL 2010
StatusPublished

This text of 19 Pa. D. & C.5th 437 (Ducas v. Pinecrest Dev. Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Monroe County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ducas v. Pinecrest Dev. Corp., 19 Pa. D. & C.5th 437 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2010).

Opinion

SIBUM, J.,

Plaintiffs Michael Ducas (“Ducas”), Wild Pines Enterprises, LLC. (“WPE”), and Wild Pines Management, Inc. (“WPM”) (collectively “plaintiffs”) commenced this action against defendant Pinecrest Development Corporation (“PDC”) for breach of contract, or in the alternative, unjust enrichment. Plaintiffs filed a four count amended complaint on September 4, 2009 arguing two counts of breach of contract and two counts of unjust enrichment. PDC then filed preliminary objections to plaintiffs’ amended complaint raising one motion to transfer for improper venue and five motions to dismiss for legal insufficiency of a pleading (demurrer). This case was argued before the Court of common pleas of Lackawanna County and subsequently transferred to Monroe County, now rendering PDC’s preliminary objection to venue moot. Both parties have submitted briefs and oral arguments were heard before this court on September 7, 2010 as to PDC’s remaining preliminary objections. We are now prepared to decide this matter.

[440]*440DISCUSSION

Preliminary objections may be filed by any party to any pleading on several grounds, including legal insufficiency of a pleading (demurrer). Pa.R.C.P. § 1028(a)(4). In ruling on preliminary obj ections, we recognize that the court must accept as true “all well-pleaded allegations and material facts averred in the complaint, as well as all reasonable inferences deducible therefrom....” Wurth by Wurth v. City of Philadelphia, 584 A.2d 403, 407(Pa. Cmwlth. 1990). The court need not accept as true, however, “conclusions of law, unwarranted inferences from facts, argumentative allegations, or expressions of opinion.” Myers v. Ridge, 712 A.2d 791, 794 (Pa. Cmwlth. 1998). When ruling on a preliminary objection that would dismiss the action, we are mindful to sustain the objection only in the cases which are clear and free from doubt. King v. Detroit Tool Co., 682 A.2d 313, 314 (Pa. Super. 1996).

Reviewing the facts of record in the light most favorable to plaintiffs, the non-moving party, the record reveals the following. Defendant PDC is a Pennsylvania corporation and the developer of the Pinecrest Lake Development located in Pocono Pines, Monroe County, Pennsylvania, amended complaint, ¶5.1 Edward P. Carroll (“Carroll”) is the president and sole voting stock holder of PDC. Id. at 6, 7. In the summer of 2003, Carroll approached plaintiff Ducas and began discussions regarding the sale of PDC to Ducas. Id. at 8. On February 5, 2004, Carroll and Ducas entered into a contract of sale whereby Ducas was to purchase all of the outstanding shares of voting [441]*441and non-voting stock of PDC in exchange for payment of $1,500,000.00 and the assumption of certain liabilities. Id. at 9.

On October 1, 2004, Carroll and Ducas entered into a revised contract of sale whereby Ducas was to purchase all of the outstanding shares of voting and non-voting stock of PDC in exchange for payment of $3,958,000.00. Id. at 10. Pursuant to the agreements of sale, Ducas paid to PDC deposits totaling $404,180.00 as contingent down payments for the purchase of PDC. Id. at 11. At the special request and insistence of Carroll in his official capacity as president of PDC, Ducas wrote five checks payable to Carroll and one check payable to Titan Custom Homes, Inc. Id. at 12.

The five checks written to Carroll were inscribed in the “for” line of the check as “1st Installment — purchase PDC” or as “6/30 Dep” and were intended as contingent down payments for the purchase of PDC. AC, ^l(a)-(e); Exhibit C. The check written to Titan Custom Homes was inscribed “EPC Deposit.” Id. Paragraph 11(e) of plaintiffs’ amended complaint provides that the check was for the purchase of property from Titan Homes by Carroll and was to be considered as the fifth contingent down payment for the purchase of PDC. AC, ¶11(e). One check dated October 1, 2004 was specifically endorsed “pay to the order of Pinecrest Dev. Corp.” Id. at 11(f), Exhibit C. Plaintiffs aver that all checks made payable to Carroll were deposited into bank accounts which were in the name of the defendant, PDC. Id. at 14.

Between May 1, 2003 and September 6, 2005, at the [442]*442request of Carroll in his official capacity as president of PDC, Ducas loaned to PDC for its benefit a total of $411,394.63. Id. at 15, 18, Exhibit D. Carroll stated these loans were to be used for the payment of PDC’s operational expenses and to pay entities which directly benefited PDC. Id. at 15; Exhibit D.

On December 22, 2005, plaintiffs Ducas, WPE and WPM entered into an agreement of sale with PDC whereby PDC was to purchase plaintiffs’ golf course operations in exchange for $12,000,000.00. Id. at 19. Pursuant to this agreement of sale, WPM and WPE were to enter into a long term lease with PDC whereby all plaintiffs were to turn over management of the golf course to PDC and sign a document that forgives all loans made to PDC by plaintiffs, in exchange for the payment of a minimum of $12,000,000.00. Id. at 20.

After signing the agreement of sale on December 22, 2005, PDC took over management of the golf course pursuant to an oral lease agreement. Id. at 44. Pursuant to the oral agreement, PDC agreed to pay the property taxes for the golf course. Id. at 45.

On March 31, 2008, plaintiffs and PDC agreed to terminate the December 22, 2005 agreement pursuant to a written termination agreement (“termination agreement”). Id. at 21, Exhibit F. Pursuant to paragraph 4 of the termination agreement, PDC reaffirmed the obligation to repay the plaintiffs for monies owed. Id. at 22. However, despite agreeing to repay the plaintiffs, PDC has failed to make payment. Id. at 29. In addition, after the signing of the termination agreement, Ducas learned from [443]*443the Monroe County Tax Claim Bureau that PDC failed to pay the real estate taxes on the golf course in the amount of $129,463.00. As aresult, onApril 1,2008, Ducas made the real estate tax payment to the Bureau. Id. at 46.

1. Demurrers to Count 1 - Breach of Contract

PDC first argues in its demurrer to count I (breach of contract) of the amended complaint that, because PDC was not a party to the contract of sale and revised contract of sale for the sale of PDC’s stock, the plaintiffs cannot set forth a cause of action against PDC for monies owed. We disagree.

A demurrer tests the legal sufficiency of the pleading. In determining whether the factual averments of a complaint are sufficient to state a cause of action, all doubts must be resolved in favor of the sufficiency of the complaint. Slaybaugh v. Newman, 479 A.2d 517, 519 (Pa. Super. 1984). A demurrer will be sustained only where the complaint demonstrates with certainty that under the facts averred within, the law will not permit a recovery. Id.; see also Cianfrani v. Commonwealth, State Employees’ Retirement Bd., 505 Pa.

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Bluebook (online)
19 Pa. D. & C.5th 437, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ducas-v-pinecrest-dev-corp-pactcomplmonroe-2010.