In Re Continental Mortgage Investors

5 B.R. 773, 1980 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11681
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedJune 6, 1980
Docket76-593-S
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 5 B.R. 773 (In Re Continental Mortgage Investors) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Continental Mortgage Investors, 5 B.R. 773, 1980 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11681 (D. Mass. 1980).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER ON COMPROMISE

SKINNER, District Judge.

Presently before me in this reorganization proceeding under Chapter X 1 is an application by the Chapter X Trustees for approval of a compromise of the claims of senior creditors. The compromise was originally generated by representatives of the debtor, the senior creditors and a Deben-tureholders’ Committee (which has since been designated as “Committee A”) with the thought that the case would then be re-transferred to Chapter XI. I advised the parties that I was of the opinion that this matter could not be disposed of in Chapter XI consistently with In re Continental Investment Corp., 586 F.2d 241 (1st Cir. 1978). Further, in an opinion dated November 20, 1979, I stated that a report by the Chapter X Trustees on the proposed compromise and distribution of it to all creditors and stockholders with a notice of hearing would be a prerequisite to approval. This report was filed, appropriate notice of hearing was given to all stockholders and creditors, and a hearing was held from April 7 to April 16, 1980, involving substantial testimony and documentary evidence.

The compromise is supported by the Chapter X Trustees, the debtor’s directors and counsel, the Senior Creditors’ Committee, and Debentureholders’ Committee A. Opposed is Debentureholders’ Committee B. It is not clear to what extent, if any, either committee speaks for holders of junior debt other than its own committee members. Committee B circularized the entire list of holders of junior debt, seeking a straw vote on approval of the compromise. This was done without the prior knowledge or approval of the court. An overwhelming majority of those who sent back the “preferential” vote form were opposed to the compromise. They constitute 813 out of 1,622 holders representing a face amount junior debt of $16,292,000 out of the total outstanding of $40,382,000. The circular, however, was.so negatively weighted, and eon- *775 tained so many statements of fact proved at the hearing to be false 2 that it was virtually predicable that those who responded at all to Committee B’s solicitation would respond negatively. Accordingly, I shall assign little significance to this straw vote.

The SEC has participated at every stage. Counsel for the SEC has stated that he takes no position on approval of the compromise. He nevertheless has been severely critical of effecting the compromise outside of a Chapter X plan, has doubted the legality of the proceedings and has challenged the fairness of the proposed compromise, charging that the senior creditors, banks for the most part, are “walking away with the estate.” In his peroration at the hearing, however, counsel urged that the court use its good offices to effect a settlement, i. e., a compromise of the compromise. What appears to be a puzzling ambivalence I believe should be taken as reflecting the desire of the SEC that all of the elements of the compromise be subjected to rigorous scrutiny and challenge so that the compromise would be based on the informed consensus of the parties.

All of the following discussion lies in the shadow of one solemn fact: the face amount of the senior debt, plus interest to the date of the debtor’s original Chapter XI filing exceeds the total assets of the debtor. If the strict priority of Chapter X is imposed, absent equitable subordination of the senior debt, or the imposition of liability for fraudulent transfers, the senior creditors will “walk away” with the entire estate. Even though the debtor is now experiencing a substantial positive cash flow, and has in fact accumulated about $150 million in cash, this situation is not likely to change unless the creditors are deprived of their money for an unconscionable period while the debtor accumulates interest on its cash. 3

The proposed compromise contemplates:

(a) The withdrawal of the pending appeal.
(b) The settlement of all claims against the senior creditors based on equitable subordination, subordination of Eurodollar claims under governing English law and fraudulent transfers.
(c) The creation of a “core company” for the benefit of holders of junior debt and shareholders 4 which would retain two of the debtor’s assets, Hawaii Loa Ridge, near Honolulu, and the Dream Inn and Annex, a resort hotel with assorted related properties in Santa Cruz, California. In addition, the core company would retain $6 million allocated for various purposes and would assume various liabilities of the debt- or unrelated to specific assets.
(d) All of the remaining assets of the debtor (“the transfer assets”) would be transferred to a new corporation called “Senior Corp.” to be liquidated for the benefit of the senior creditors.
(e) Senior Corp. would provide limited “end financing” for purchasers of lots in Hawaii Loa Ridge.

I. The Propriety of the Compromise Procedure

Under Section 27 of the Bankruptcy Act:

“The receiver or trustee may, with the approval of the court, compromise any controversy arising in the administration of the estate upon such terms as he may deem for the best interest of the estate.”

11 U.S.C. § 50 (1976).

On its face, the statute sets out only two conditions to a valid compromise — that the *776 trustee deem it to be in “the best interest of the estate” and that it receive court approval.

Section 27 vests the district courts with broad powers to approve compromises which meet the statutory requisites of “fairness and equity”, e. g., Florida Trailer & Equipment Co. v. Deal, 284 F.2d 567, 571 (5th Cir. 1960) Typically, in Chapter X eases such compromises are effected within the framework of a reorganization plan, Florida Trailer, supra; In the matter of Equity Funding Corporation of America, 416 F.Supp. 132 (C.D.Cal.1975), but in some instances have been considered concurrently with the formation of a plan. In re Associated Gas & Electric Co., 61 F.Supp. 11 (S.D.N.Y.1944), aff’d 149 F.2d 996 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 326 U.S. 736, 66 S.Ct. 45, 90 L.Ed. 439 (1945). In the present case, the Trustees offer the proposed settlement prior to the submission of a reorganization plan, and it is their present view that without the consummation of this compromise no viable reorganization can be achieved.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

ANTONIA ANDRADE-GARCIA
D. Nevada, 2021
In re: Richard James Swintek
Ninth Circuit, 2015
In Re the Gibbons-Grable Co.
135 B.R. 514 (N.D. Ohio, 1991)
Dahl v. Gardner
583 F. Supp. 1262 (D. Utah, 1984)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
5 B.R. 773, 1980 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11681, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-continental-mortgage-investors-mad-1980.