Grant v. Barr (In re Parr Meadows Racing Ass'n)

78 B.R. 652, 1987 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9524
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. New York
DecidedOctober 13, 1987
DocketNo. 87 M 33
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 78 B.R. 652 (Grant v. Barr (In re Parr Meadows Racing Ass'n)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Grant v. Barr (In re Parr Meadows Racing Ass'n), 78 B.R. 652, 1987 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9524 (E.D.N.Y. 1987).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

McLAUGHLIN, District Judge.

This is an appeal under 28 U.S.C. § 158(a) from a decision of the Bankruptcy Court (Hall, J.) that (1) denied appellant’s motion to compel appellees to produce an estoppel certificate from a mortagagor pri- or to a Bankruptcy Court sale closing, and (2) amended the sale Approval Order to state that the sale was free and clear of liens. For the reasons set forth below, the decision is affirmed.

FACTS

James Barr and Harvey L. Goldstein (“Appellees”) are Trustees in Bankruptcy of, respectively, Parr Meadows Racing Association, Incorporated (“Parr Meadows”) and Ronald J. Parr. Pursuant to a Bankruptcy Court order, appellees sold certain property of Parr Meadows’ estate to a predecessor-in-interest of Suffolk Meadow Corporation (“Suffolk Meadow”), the present owner. As partial consideration for the sale, appellees received a note in the sum of $10.75 million bearing interest at the rate of 11.5%, as well as a purchase money mortgage on the property constituting a first lien (“Mortgage and Note”).

Wilbur F. Breslin and Robert Frankel submitted to appellees a written offer dated August 11, 1986 (“Offer”) to purchase the Mortgage and Note for $7 million. The Offer stated, among other things, that it was “predicated on the presumption that no rights under the Mortgage Note and Mortgage have been waived and that the Note and Mortgage are in full force and effect for the full amount thereof.” Offer, at 2. The Offer also stated that it was

made on the understanding that the said Note and the Mortgage securing the said Note are, and will, at closing, be, valid and subsisting obligations of the Maker thereof and are, and will, at closing and following closing, be enforceable in accordance with their terms and that the said Mortgage constitutes and will then constitute a valid first mortgage lien on the premises described in the said Mort[654]*654gage with no other prior liens, encumbrances, restrictions, agreements or covenants relating thereto which shall not have been disclosed to our clients prior to the closing pursuant to the acceptance of our offer and accepted by our clients as permissible encumbrances.

Offer, at 4. The proposed payment was subsequently raised to $7.4 million.

On November 20, 1986 appellees — as mortgagees — sought authority from the Bankruptcy Court to assign all of their right, title, and interest in the Mortgage and Note to Breslin and Frankel, subject to the Offer’s terms and conditions. A copy of the Offer was appended to the application.

The Bankruptcy Court scheduled a hearing for December 11 to consider the application and to hear better offers. Pursuant to the Court’s order, notice of the hearing was sent to all creditors and was published twice in the New York Times. Notice stated that terms of the sale were to be “as set forth in the [Ojffer,” and that the Offer was on file with the Court.

At the December 11 hearing, appellees’ counsel and the court stated that, with the exception of claims arising from unpaid taxes, the sale was being made under the same terms and conditions as in the Offer. Transcript of Hearing Held December 11, 1986 (“December 11 Tr.”), at 14. Appel-lees’ counsel also stated that appellees were selling their “right, title and interest” in the Mortgage and Note, December 11 Tr., at 7, and that the Mortgage constituted a “first lien on the property,” December 11 Tr., at 7-8. The successful, bidder would be required to deposit ten percent of the purchase price within two days of the approval of the sale, with the balance to be paid at closing. Counsel for the bidders raised the tax issue, and persuaded appel-lees’ counsel to extend the closing date to January 31,1987. December 11 Tr., at 8-9.

Thereafter, bidding commenced. Appellant emerged as the highest bidder, with an offer of $9.75 million. December 11 Tr., at 16. On December 12, the court signed an “Order Approving Sale of Note and Mortgage” (“Approval Order”) submitted by ap-pellees at the court’s direction. The Approval Order referred to neither an estop-pel certificate nor to whether the sale had been free and clear of liens. A closing date of January 31, 1987 was established. Appellant thereafter deposited $975,000.

By letter dated January 16, 1987, appellant’s counsel informed appellees that appellant would require an estoppel certificate from Suffolk Meadow — the mortgagor — certifying the unpaid principal balance on the Mortgage, the accrued but unpaid interest, and Suffolk Meadow’s failure to pay back the principal. Appellees refused to tender the certificate, asserting that Suffolk Meadow did not wish to provide it.

By application dated January 29, 1987 appellant moved the Bankruptcy Court to enter a supplemental order that would, among other things, (1) authorize appellees to sell the Mortgage free and clear of liens, claims, and encumbrances, and (2) condition the sale upon delivery by the appellees to appellant of an estoppel certificate from Suffolk Meadow. By order to show cause, appellant also requested an extension of the closing deadline pending the court’s determination of the application.

The Bankruptcy Court heard argument on the show cause order on January 30. Appellant argued that the offer conditioned sale on the Mortgage being in full force and effect for the full amount of the debt plus interest, and that delivery of the estoppel certificate was the sole means by which satisfaction of this condition could be ascertained. Appellant also argued that since the Mortgage was encumbered by approximately $20 million in liens, a court order authorizing sale free and clear of liens was critical.

Shortly after argument, the judge issued a written order denying the application. The judge found that the Offer did not contemplate delivery of an estoppel certificate, that appellant had not requested such a certificate, and that an estoppel certificate was mentioned in neither the December 11 hearing nor the Approval Order. The judge concluded that appellant’s insistence on receipt of an estoppel certificate [655]*655was unjustified. In addition, the judge determined that the Offer and December 11 hearing made it clear that the sale was to be free and clear of liens. The judge amended the Approval Order to state that the sale was free and clear of liens. Finally, the judge denied appellant’s request for an extension of the closing date.

On February 2, appellant filed a notice of appeal in this Court. Upon appellant’s application, the Court ordered a stay of the sale of the Mortgage as well as a forfeiture of appellant’s deposit, pending determination of the appeal. On February 11, appel-lees tendered the estoppel certificate. Appellant indicated that he would not close. By agreement of the parties, the Court lifted the stay against sale of the Mortgage. The stay against forfeiture of appellant’s deposit was extended pending determination of this appeal.

Appellant argues that the Bankruptcy Court incorrectly decided that receipt of an estoppel certificate was not a condition of closing. Appellant first asserts that receipt of such a certificate is implied in law whenever purchase of a mortgage debt is conditioned upon the debt being enforceable and of a particular amount. Even if the law does not imply such a right, he argues, the parties intended such a condition here.

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Related

In Re Parr Meadows Racing Assoc Inc
847 F.2d 835 (Second Circuit, 1988)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
78 B.R. 652, 1987 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9524, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/grant-v-barr-in-re-parr-meadows-racing-assn-nyed-1987.