F.D.I.C. v. Yardarm Restaurant (In re Yardarm Restaurant, Inc.)

120 B.R. 236, 1990 Bankr. LEXIS 2192
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Florida.
DecidedOctober 12, 1990
DocketBankruptcy No. 86-00792-BKC-SMW; Adv. No. 90-0469-BKC-SMW-A
StatusPublished

This text of 120 B.R. 236 (F.D.I.C. v. Yardarm Restaurant (In re Yardarm Restaurant, Inc.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Florida. primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
F.D.I.C. v. Yardarm Restaurant (In re Yardarm Restaurant, Inc.), 120 B.R. 236, 1990 Bankr. LEXIS 2192 (Fla. 1990).

Opinion

FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

SIDNEY M. WEAVER, Chief Judge.

This cause was tried on October 9, 1990 upon the Amended Adversary Complaint for Reformation, filed by Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, as Receiver for Sunrise Savings and Loan Association, a Federal Savings and Loan Association (hereinafter “F.D.I.C.”), filed against YARDARM RESTAURANT, INC. (hereinafter “the Debtor”). The interests of the Debtor in this adversary proceeding were represented by Raymond B. Ray, as Court-appointed Examiner with expanded powers.1 The Court, after examining the evidence presented, hearing testimony of witnesses and observing the candor and demeanor of the witnesses, considered the arguments of counsel, and being otherwise fully advised in the premises, does hereby make the following Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law:

[237]*237The Amended Complaint filed by F.D.I.C. is in two counts. Count I alleges fraud on the part of the Debtor and Count II alleges negligent misrepresentation on the part of the Debtor. Based upon the facts allegedly constituting such fraud or negligent misrepresentation, F.D.I.C. seeks reformation of its settlement agreement with the Debtor to include an unsecured claim in the amount of its deficiency upon sale of the real estate representing the collateral for its loan.

The facts underlying this lawsuit go back to the initial filing of the Yardarm Chapter 11 proceeding on March 20, 1986. The Debtor filed its Chapter 11 petition in order to stop the foreclosure sale of its real property upon a Final Judgment of Foreclosure obtained by F.S.L.I.C. F.D.I.C. is the successor to F.S.L.I.C. herein. Subsequent to the filing of the Chapter 11 petition, the parties litigated in the Bankruptcy Court, ultimately culminating in a settlement agreement dated October 3, 1988. The settlement agreement, which was approved by the Court, became the basis for the Debt- or’s Modified Plan of Reorganization and Disclosure Statement, providing in applicable part to allow F.S.L.I.C. to foreclose upon the subject real property; for the waiver of any and all claims by F.S.L.I.C. against the Debtor’s estate; and for a waiver of claims by the Debtor against F.D.I.C. in exchange for the payment of the sum of $125,000.00 which was referred to as the “guaranteed fund” and which was utilized as the sole source of payment under the Debtor’s Modified Plan for administrative expenses and creditors claims.

Subsequent to the filing of the Chapter 11 petition, but prior to the aforesaid settlement with F.S.L.I.C., the Debtor became aware, by virtue of a recent decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, that it had a potential cause of action against the City of Pompano Beach for damages for inverse condemnation of the subject real estate. This cause of action was discussed by the Debt- or’s counsel on at least two occasions with counsel for F.S.L.I.C., Patrick Barry. The initial conversation was a discussion as to the potential for such cause of action. The later discussion was a followup by Patrick Barry, as counsel for F.S.L.I.C., as to whether in fact the Debtor had proceeded to file the lawsuit for damages against the City of Pompano Beach. The Debtor's counsel, Stewart Chambers, replied that such litigation had in fact been filed; was dismissed for procedural grounds relating to notice to the City; and depending on the memory of the parties to this conversation (Barry and Chambers), that such litigation either had been refiled or would be refiled when the notice period had elapsed.

Subsequently, Patrick Barry, through correspondence dated July 20, 1987, transmitted to his co-counsel, Laurel Isicoff, a letter referring to the fact that the Debtor was filing its lawsuit for inverse condemnation damages against the City of Pompano Beach. The letter enclosed a newspaper article of July 17,1987, which reported that the Debtor was, that date, filing its lawsuit for damages against the City of Pompano Beach, in the amount of $135,000,000.00.

It is important to note that, at that time, Patrick Barry, of the lawfirm of Blackwell, Walker, Fascell & Hoehl, was the attorney actively representing the interests of F.S.L. I.C. in the Yardarm bankruptcy case. Laurel Isicoff, his co-counsel, was from the lawfirm of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, which lawfirm was acting in a supervisory capacity as to the Yardarm Case. At a date subsequent to these events, approximately April, 1988, Laurel Isicoff took over full representation of the F.S.L.I.C. in the Yardarm bankruptcy case and Mr. Barry’s firm withdrew from representation.

As a result of the aforesaid settlement of October 3, 1988, the Modified Plan of Reorganization of the Debtor was confirmed by Court Order dated November 14, 1988. Said Plan was substantially consummated and all funds distributed.

In the context of recent court proceedings in this case, instituted by the City of Pompano Beach, F.D.I.C. now contends that it had no knowledge or notice of the pendency of the lawsuit for inverse condemnation damages against the City of Pompano Beach. It contends that such cause of action was not disclosed in any [238]*238amendment to the bankruptcy schedules, nor was it disclosed in the Modified Plan of Reorganization or Disclosure Statement. These facts are uncontroverted. Based upon the alleged lack of notice or knowledge, P.D.I.C. now contends that the Debt- or committed fraud, or was guilty of negligent misrepresentation, justifying the reformation of the aforesaid settlement agreement of October 3,1988, in order to provide an unsecured claim for F.D.I.C. in this estate that would allow P.D.I.C. to share in any damages recovered in the pending lawsuit for inverse condemnation damages against the City of Pompano Beach which is presently scheduled for trial.

The Debtor, through the Court-appointed Examiner, contends that P.D.I.C. had actual notice or knowledge of the pendency of this cause of action prior to the time the settlement agreement was negotiated and executed. Further, the Debtor, through the Court-appointed Examiner, contends that this adversary proceeding is time barred, pursuant to 11 U.S.C., § 1144, which precludes the court from revoking or modifying the order of confirmation after 180 days from rendition of the order of confirmation, even upon grounds of fraud. It is further contended that the P.D.I.C. is barred from seeking an unsecured claim in this estate by virtue of its failure to file a proof of claim therein. As the Court will decide this matter upon the factual issue of knowledge or notice, it is unnecessary for the Court to reach the aforesaid legal issues which were raised in Motions for Judgment on the pleadings and Motions for Involuntary Dismissal at trial. Said motions are therefore denied without prejudice.

It is clear from the underlying facts of this case that F.S.L.I.C. had notice or knowledge of the existence and/or penden-cy of the Debtor’s cause of action for damages based upon inverse condemnation against the City of Pompano Beach as early as approximately June, 1987 when Stewart Chambers had his initial conversation with Patrick Barry. Subsequently, this knowledge and/or notice was reduced to writing when Patrick Barry reported to Laurel Isicoff in his letter of July 20, 1987 that “in the Ft. Lauderdale Sun Sentinel, Friday edition, July 17, 1987, Yardarm Restaurant, Inc. announced that it plans to file suit against the City of Pompano Beach for $135,000,000.00 ... a copy of that article is attached.”. The Sun Sentinel article referred to in Mr. Barry’s letter provided in applicable part:

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Bluebook (online)
120 B.R. 236, 1990 Bankr. LEXIS 2192, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fdic-v-yardarm-restaurant-in-re-yardarm-restaurant-inc-flsb-1990.