Henry v. Hodges

323 So. 2d 207, 1975 La. App. LEXIS 4020
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedNovember 24, 1975
DocketNo. 10399
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 323 So. 2d 207 (Henry v. Hodges) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Henry v. Hodges, 323 So. 2d 207, 1975 La. App. LEXIS 4020 (La. Ct. App. 1975).

Opinion

LANDRY, Judge.

This appeal by plaintiff, Bob Henry (Appellant), is from judgment ordering [208]*208dissolution of a contract whereby Appellant transferred corporate shares of Paramedical Career Academy, Inc. (Paramed) to defendants, Jim Hodges, Dick Jauregui and John Brewer (Appellees), the dissolution and return of shares to Appellant being conditioned upon Appellant making certain restitution to Appellees. Defendants have neither appealed nor answered plaintiff’s appeal. We affirm.

From inception, all litigants have treated the contract as a sale of corporate shares. In seeking relief, Appellant urges and relies upon those codal articles which prescribe the relief available to a vendor in the event of a purchaser’s breach of a sales contract. For reasons hereinafter noted, we find that the contract in question was not a sale.

Plaintiff prays only that the “sale” of the stock be rescinded. Defendants’ answer is a general denial. In reconvention, defendants assert their obligation to invest in Paramed and aver investments aggregating $15,420.00, which they claim alternatively in the event of judgment for plaintiff.

It is undisputed that on June 21, 1973, Appellant owned 90% of the shares of Paramed, a corporation operating a health occupational school to train medical receptionists, nurses assistants, doctors assistants and allied positions in the health field. The other 10% of Paramed’s stock was owned by Hodges. At this time the school, which was operated in a building leased from Appellant and Appellant’s mother, was in distress. The institution was threatened with closure because of its inability to provide either a surety or cash bond of $10,000.00 to obtain a state license, which license was essential to Federal accreditation, which was also vital to the continued operation of the institution. In addition, Paramed was delinquent in payment of current operating expenses. It also appears that during the prior period of operation, Appellant had personally obligated himself for considerable sums which were advanced to Paramed.

On June 21, 1973, by verbal agreement, Appellant transferred 5% of Paramed’s shares to Hodges, 33% to Jauregui and 32% to Brewer, retaining 20% of the corporation’s shares for himself. It is agreed that no cash purchase price was involved, and that Appellant received no monetary remuneration whatsoever. It is agreed that the terms of the contract were that Appellees would undertake active management of the institution under the supervision of Jauregui, who successfully managed a similar institution in San Antonio, Texas. In return for the stock transfer, Appellees agreed to undertake to secure the bond required to obtain state licensing essential to Federal accreditation and continuance of the school. Appellees further agreed to invest in the corporation sufficient funds to insure its continuance, and also agreed to personally assume liability for certain outstanding corporate obligations. The only dispute between the parties lies in this latter area, namely, the amount and character of obligations for which Appellees assumed liability.

At the time of stock transfer, it is conceded that Paramed owed approximately $6,200.00 in outstanding current bills for such items as advertising and general office and operating expenses. It is also conceded that payment of these obligations was assumed by Appellees. Additionally, Paramed owed a large balance on a Small Business Loan .in the original sum of $24,500.00 obtained through Capital Bank, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for which obligation Appellant was personally bound. Par-amed also owed a balance of $1,500.00 on a note held by City National Bank and $1,000.00 on a note held by Family Finance Company, both of said obligations having been guaranteed by Appellant. Appellees maintain they did not agree to assume personal liability for the SBA loan or the loans by City National Bank and Family [209]*209Finance. Appellant contends these latter obligations were assumed by Appellees.

Appellant concedes the contract was negotiated principally through Hodges who represented Brewer and Jauregui. Appellant testified that Appellees understood they were to assume liability for the delinquent current expense liability of the corporation as well as to relieve Appellant from personal liability on the balances due Capital Bank, City National Bank and Family Finance. In essence Appellant testified he would not have transferred his stock under any other arrangement.

Hodges acknowledged he did most of the negotiation with Appellant, but denies that either he, Hodges, or either of the other two defendants agreed to assume Appellant’s personal liability on the amounts owed Capital Bank, City National Bank or Family Finance. He explained that the principal consideration for the transfer was transferees’ promise to solve the licensing problem which threatened closure, provision of expert supervision, the infusion of sufficient operating capital and payment of current obligations which amounted to about $6,200.00, according to a list furnished by Appellant. Hodges denied any intent to assume Appellant’s personal obligation on the notes held by Capital Bank, City National Bank and Family Finance.

Brewer’s testimony is essentially that he agreed to obtain the required bond which he was able to do because of his experience, knowledge and connections, which function he performed. He also stated he was to furnish supervision and provide operating capital, but that he did not assume payment of the amounts due Capital Bank, City National Bank and Family Finance. He was aware of the amounts due the latter two concerns, but stated he had no knowledge of the SBA loan from Capital Bank until he heard the loan mentioned at trial.

Jauregui’s testimony is to the effect that he agreed to pay the $6,200.00 outstanding current expenses owed by Paramed, but did not agree to assume liability for any personal debts owed by Appellant. He further stated that the matter of plaintiff’s personal obligation on account of funds advanced to Paramed was never discussed.

Allie Pogue, Vice President, Capital Bank, testified that at the time of the transfer, the matter of the SBA loan was discussed with Appellant and Hodges. From the discussion, Pogue formed the impression that the transferees of the stock agreed to assume liability for the balance due on this loan on which Appellant was liable. He acknowledged that some confusion arose at this time concerning whether Paramed, as a corporation, was liable on the SBA note which had been drawn in the name of Bob Henry d/b/a Paramedical Career Academy, which fact was then first brought to his attention. He confirmed that Appellant was personally liable on this note.

Mr. Frank Foil, attorney for Appellees, was apparently the first to discover that the SBA loan was perhaps not an obligation of Paramed based on the technicality that said concern was a corporation, and that the obligation had not been incurred either in the corporate name or with proper corporate authority. He so informed Appellees, including Brewer. In this latter regard, it is significant that Mr. Foil flatly contradicts Brewer’s testimony wherein Brewer stated he had no knowledge of this loan until the time of trial.

It is conceded by all concerned that the proceeds of the SBA loan, the City National Bank Loan and the Family Finance loan were all used by Appellant in the operation and/or purchase of equipment for the school. Neither the amounts of the loans nor balance due are disputed. Appel-lees acknowledge their failure to pay the three disputed accounts.

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323 So. 2d 207, 1975 La. App. LEXIS 4020, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/henry-v-hodges-lactapp-1975.