Goodman v. DeAzoulay

554 F. Supp. 1029, 1983 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20135
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedJanuary 11, 1983
DocketCiv. A. 81-2550
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 554 F. Supp. 1029 (Goodman v. DeAzoulay) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District 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
Goodman v. DeAzoulay, 554 F. Supp. 1029, 1983 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20135 (E.D. Pa. 1983).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM and ORDER

SHAPIRO, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

In this action Faye Goodman (“Goodman”) and Thelma Makavitt (“Makavitt”) claim damages from Daniel DeAzoulay *1031 (“DeAzoulay”) and Michael Levin (“Levin”) arising out of their investment for the proposed development of real estate. They allege that defendants conspired to defraud them of the funds they invested by misrepresenting defendants’ professional experience, past projects and future prospects, and the projected return from their real estate investments in Margate, New Jersey and Florida (First Amended Complaint ¶ 10, ¶ 20).

Plaintiffs allege federal jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1331 and 15 U.S.C. § 78a for claims under Section 10(b) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, 15 U.S.C. 78j(b), and Rule 10b-5 promulgated by the SEC. (Counts I, II). Plaintiffs also claim a violation of § 12(1) of the Securities Act of 1933, 15 U.S.C. § 777 (both the 1934 and 1933 laws hereinafter termed “the Acts”). 1 Plaintiffs assert pendent state law claims of fraud (Count III) and corporate waste (Count IV). In addition to damages, they seek dissolution of a corporation formed by Goodman, DeAzoulay and Levin, GAL Investments Ltd. (“GAL”) (Count VI), and the appointment of a custodian of its assets (Count V).

Plaintiffs previously moved for a preliminary injunction to freeze defendants’ personal assets and for the appointment of a trustee for GAL. After a hearing which lasted five trial days, this motion was denied. Goodman v. DeAzoulay, 539 F.Supp. 10 (E.D.Pa.1982). An appeal of that denial was later withdrawn. Defendant Levin now moves for summary judgment against both plaintiffs on all counts. Our prior Opinion reviews the facts of this case. See, Goodman, supra at 13. For the reasons discussed below, Levin’s motion for summary judgment is granted in part and denied in part.

II. DISCUSSION

The standard of review of a motion for summary judgment differs from that of a motion for the extraordinary equitable relief of a preliminary injunction. In our prior opinion, we decided that neither Goodman nor Makavitt had demonstrated a “reasonable probability of eventual success,” Constructors Ass’n. v. Kreps, 573 F.2d 811, 815 (3d Cir.1978), against Levin on either the then pending federal securities claims 2 or common law fraud claims. Goodman, supra at 13-16. On a motion for summary judgment we must decide whether there can fairly be said to be a dispute with regard to any material facts and, if not, whether the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law. See, Fed.R. Civ.P. 56(c). Doubts as to the existence of genuine issues of fact are to be resolved against the party moving for summary judgment. Hollinger v. Wagner Mining Equipment Co., 667 F.2d 402, 506 (3d Cir.1981). As non-movants, Goodman and Makavitt are entitled to the benefit of all reasonable inferences from the record. Id. However, Goodman and Makavitt must produce “significant probative evidence tending to support the complaint” or suffer entry of summary judgment. Mogul v. General Motors Corp., 391 F.Supp. 1305, 1307 (E.D.Pa.), aff’d mem., 527 F.2d 645 (3d Cir.1976). Conjecture or general denials will riot suffice to avoid summary judgment. United States v. Donlon, 355 F.Supp. 220, 225 (D.Del.), aff’d mem., 487 F.2d 1395 (3d Cir.1973); Tripoli Co. v. Wella Corp., 425 F.2d 932, 935 (3d Cir.), cert. denied, 400 U.S. 831, 91 S.Ct. 62, 27 L.Ed.2d 62 (1970).

A. Goodman’s Securities Fraud Claims against Levin

We earlier held that Goodman had no reasonable probability of prevailing on her securities fraud claims because her transactions with Levin did not involve a purchase or sale of a security within the meaning of the 1934 Act. Goodman, supra at 14-15. *1032 Levin’s motion for summary judgment on Goodman’s securities fraud claims must now be granted, for the undisputed facts demonstrate that Goodman did not participate in the purchase or sale of a security but “in economic reality she invested in GAL as a joint venturer.” Id.

The definition of “security” in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is broad. 3 It was meant to include “ ‘the many types of investments that in our commercial world fall within the ordinary concept of a security.’” Marine Bank v. Weaver, 551 U.S. 455, 102 S.Ct. 1220, 71 L.Ed.2d 409, 414 (1982) (quoting H.R.Rep. No. 85, 73d Cong., 1st Sess., 11 (1933)). Section 3(a)(10) provides:

(a) When used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires—
(10) The term “security” means any note, stock, treasury stock, bond, debenture, certificate of interest or participation in any profit-sharing agreement or in any oil, gas, or other mineral royalty or lease, any collateral-trust certificate, pre-organization certificate or subscription, transferable share, investment contract, voting-trust certificate, certificate of deposit, for a security, or in general, any instrument commonly known as a “security”; or any certificate of interest or participation in, temporary or interim certificate for, receipt for, or warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase, any of the foregoing; but shall not include currency or any note, draft, bill of exchange, or banker’s acceptance which has a maturity at the time of issuance of not exceeding nine months, exclusive of days of grace, or any renewal thereof the maturity is likewise limited.

The definition includes “ordinary stocks,” Marine Bank, supra, 455 U.S. at 555, 102 S.Ct. at 1223, 71 L.Ed.2d at 414, unless, as the statute provides, the context otherwise requires. Id., 455 U.S. at 556, 102 S.Ct. at 1223, 71 L.Ed.2d at 415. “Congress ... did not intend to provide a broad federal remedy for all fraud.” Id.

In a series of cases, the Supreme Court has delineated the contours of the term “security.” S.E.C. v. C.M. Joiner Leasing Corp., 320 U.S. 344, 64 S.Ct. 120, 88 L.Ed.

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554 F. Supp. 1029, 1983 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20135, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/goodman-v-deazoulay-paed-1983.