In re Allied Supermarkets

21 B.R. 45, 1982 Bankr. LEXIS 4746
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Michigan
DecidedFebruary 23, 1982
DocketBankruptcy Nos. 78-92871-W, 78-92872-W
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 21 B.R. 45 (In re Allied Supermarkets) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Allied Supermarkets, 21 B.R. 45, 1982 Bankr. LEXIS 4746 (E.D. Mich. 1982).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

GEORGE E. WOODS, Bankruptcy Judge.

FACTS

On May 29, 1981, the debtor, Allied Supermarkets, filed a Plan of Arrangement and it was confirmed on September 29, 1981. Under the Plan, creditors holding a Class Three Debt were entitled to elect to receive either a cash payment or a combination of cash and common stock of Allied. The Plan provided that such election was to be made on a form accompanying the proxy statement and the form was to be returned to the debtor prior to the confirmation of the Plan. Those creditors who did not complete the form and return it prior to the confirmation were deemed to have elected solely a cash payment.

An Order Approving Procedures for Soliciting Acceptances to the Plan was entered on July 27, 1981. That order provided that the registered holders of the Allied debentures as of July 24, 1981 would be entitled to vote on the Plan and that Allied would solicit such registered owners instead of the more numerous beneficial owners. Pursuant to the debenture order, Allied mailed a copy of the proxy statement to all the registered holders. The movant in this matter, Bear, Stearns, is a brokerage house and the registered owner of $360,000.00 worth of Allied debentures.

On September 18, 1981, Bear, Stearns exercised its right of election with respect to $100,000.00 face value of the debentures. On behalf of the beneficial owner of these debentures, Bear, Stearns elected to receive cash and stock. No further election was received by Allied from Bear, Stearns prior to the confirmation date. On October 28, 1981, Bear, Stearns received notice from one of its representatives that a group of beneficial owners of the debentures had demanded that Bear, Stearns exercise the right of election in the form of cash and stock. Apparently, these individuals were not notified of their rights because Bear, Stearns failed to feed into a computer the names and addresses of these beneficial owners. Upon realizing its mistake, Bear, Stearns attempted to compromise with Allied requesting from Allied the right to file a tardy election and informing Allied that a refusal to allow the election would result in substantial damages to Bear, Stearns. When these negotiations failed, Bear, Stearns purchased the election rights of the beneficial holders of the debentures. Bear, Stearns claims that it will incur a loss of approximately $43,825.00 which represents the difference in the aggregate purchase price paid by Bear, Stearns to the beneficial owners and the aggregate price which the straight cash option would have brought under the Plan.

LAW

The primary issue involved herein is whether the Court has retained jurisdiction under the Plan so as to hear the matter presently before it.

Section 368 of the Bankruptcy Act provides:

“The Court shall retain jurisdiction if so provided in the arrangement.”

Article VI of the Plan provides for the retention of jurisdiction by the Bankruptcy Court. It reads:

“The Bankruptcy Court shall retain jurisdiction of these proceedings pursuant to the provisions of Section 368 of the Bankruptcy Act exclusively for the following limited purposes:
6.1 Claims, to allow and disallow claims not finally allowed or disallowed prior to [47]*47confirmation; and to disallow in whole or in part, any claim which, before confirmation, may have been provisionally allowed for voting purposes. The failure of Debtors to object to the voting of any claim shall not be deemed to be a waiver of Debtors’ right to object to said claim, in whole or in part, thereafter. Debtors shall have 90 days after the Confirmation Date to object to the timely claim of any creditor. There shall be no time limit imposed upon Debtors to object to any claim not timely filed or deemed filed.
6.2 Rejection of Executory Contracts. To determine the rejection or cancellation of rejection of any executory contract under Sections 4.2 and 4.3 and the allowance of any claims resulting therefrom.
6.3 Pending Controversies. To determine any and all pending applications, adversary proceedings and litigated matters.
6.4 Injunctions. Upon the application of either Debtor, and upon proper notice and showing of good cause, to issue such orders and injunctions as may be necessary or desirable to effectuate the rehabilitation purposes of Chapter XI of the Bankruptcy Act.
6.5 Classification of Creditors. To determine any controversy relating to the classification of any creditor under Article I of this Arrangement or to the classification of any creditor, in whole or in part, as a secured or unsecured creditor.
6.6 Allowance of Compensation. To determine any and all applications for compensation for professional fees.
6.7 Unliquidated Claims. To exercise jurisdiction relating to timely filed claims which are unliquidated or contingent or both, even though proceedings by the holder of any such claim may have been instituted in any state or federal court; and to allow or disallow any such claim on its merits, at any time after confirmation. Upon the allowance of unsecured claims against Debtors they shall become Class Three Debts, and Debtors shall thereupon make payment and settlement thereof as provided in Article II.
6.8Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, the Bankruptcy Court shall retain no jurisdiction over Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Company of Chicago, the instruments, documents and agreements between it and either of Debtors and any collateral thereunder.

Bear, Stearns alleges that this Court has retained jurisdiction pursuant to 6.1 of the Plan because this action involves a “claim.” The claim which Bear, Stearns argues has arisen is the right to file a tardy election, which it asserts is merely a procedural modification of the Plan not substantially affecting the rights of other creditors concerned with the Plan. The secondary issue, then, is whether this action concerns a claim within the meaning of 6.1 of the Plan. In several places the proxy statement advises, in substance, of the effect of failing to comply with the condition which requires the creditor to file an acceptance form prior to the confirmation date. This requirement is set forth precisely on the first page of Allied’s proxy statement:

“Please note that the Plan provides that each creditor holding a Class Three Debt is entitled to elect to receive either a cash payment or a combination of cash and Common Stock of Allied, and such election must be made on the accompanying form. Creditors who do not complete the election portion of the accompanying form and return it to the Debtors prior to confirmation of the Plan will be deemed to have elected to receive solely a cash payment in accordance with the Plan. Each creditor should independently evaluate whether or not to make such election. The Debtors’ Boards of Directors have taken no position in this regard.”

From the foregoing, it is obvious that a creditor who did not complete the acceptance form and return it to the debtor prior to confirmation elected not to receive a combination of cash and stock.

In the instant case, Bear, Stearns failed to return the election form prior to the confirmation date.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
21 B.R. 45, 1982 Bankr. LEXIS 4746, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-allied-supermarkets-mied-1982.