In re Harrison-Pringle Co.

223 F. Supp. 332, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7026
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Michigan
DecidedSeptember 30, 1963
DocketNo. 45994
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 223 F. Supp. 332 (In re Harrison-Pringle Co.) 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 Harrison-Pringle Co., 223 F. Supp. 332, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7026 (E.D. Mich. 1963).

Opinion

FREEMAN, District Judge.

The Radio Distributing Company, a Michigan corporation, one of the creditors having a claim of about $115.00 (originally $330.85) in this Chapter XI proceeding, has petitioned for review of an order of the Referee in Bankruptcy dated March 21, 1963, declaring a previous order of February 5, 1963, by the Referee res judicata.

On January 14, 1963, the Referee in Bankruptcy permitted the Harrison[333]*333Pringle Company to propose an amended and modified plan of arrangement under Chapter XI of the Bankruptcy Act, and a notice of hearing thereon to be held February 5, 1963, was duly mailed to the creditors, including petitioner. On February 1, 1963, petitioner filed in such proceeding a “Motion to Adjudicate Debtor Corporation a Bankrupt and for Order Requiring Repayment of Fees to Trustee by Receiver, Attorney for Receiver and Attorneys for Bankrupt.” On the same date, petitioner served upon the attorneys for the said debtor and the attorneys for the receiver a notice that the aforesaid motion would be brought on for hearing on February 5, 1963. No notice of hearing on said motion was given to creditors.

When the ease was called by the Referee on February 5, 1963, petitioner’s motion was taken up and considered in advance of debtor’s petition for modification of the plan of arrangement. In disposing of the motion, the Referee treated it as three separate motions and, among other things, stated: “As far as that part of your Motion which seeks an adjudication of the Debtor at this time will be dismissed.” (Transcript p. 33) On February 7, 1963, an “Order Denying Motion to Adjudicate Debtor Corporation Bankrupt” dated February 5, 1963, drafted by attorneys for the debtor and approved as to form by petitioner’s attorney, was entered by the Referee. Such order contained no statement of reasons for dismissal of the motion.

Petitioner subsequently prepared a new motion entitled “Petition to Adjudge Debtor a Bankrupt,” which was, in essence, a renewal of that part of the motion filed February 1, 1963, which sought to have the debtor adjudicated a bankrupt. The new motion was in proper form according to the law and practice under Section 377 of the Bankruptcy Act, including the setting forth of an appropriate notice of hearing to all creditors and other interested parties as required under Section 377, and was duly filed in the Referee’s office on February 18, 1963.

The Referee and his staff did not send out any notices of hearing on the petition filed February 18th, nor did they set any date for hearing thereon, and, on March 11, 1963, the Referee denied such petition ex v&rte in chambers on the ground that the matter was res judicata by virtue of his prior order of February 5, 1963, which is the only real issue involved in this proceeding.

The instant petition for review was filed in this Court and not with the Referee. Therefore, the first question confronting this Court is whether the formal requirements of Section 39, sub. c of the Bankruptcy Act in regard to the filing of a petition for review with the Referee had to be complied with. As a general rule, this must be done, but the requirements of Section 39, sub. c need not be complied with where the Referee’s order is administrative, or where such order was entered in the absence of adversary proceedings, informally and without notice of hearing. Fazakerly v. E. Kahn’s Sons Co. (C.C.A. 5, 1935), 75 F.2d 110; see also Thomas Corporation v. Nicholas (C.A. 5, 1955), 221 F.2d 286; 2 Collier on Bankruptcy (14th Ed.), f[39.18, pp. 1482-1484. Since the Referee’s order of March 21, 1963, was entered informally and without notice of hearing of the question of whether the order of February 5, 1963, was res judicata, the formal requirements of Section 39, sub. c did not have to be met, and petitioner is properly before this Court.

Petitioner contends that his original motion to adjudicate was dismissed because of lack of notice of hearing to all interested parties, including creditors, and was not considered on its merits. Hence, petitioner argues that the order dismissing such motion was not res judicata as to the Referee’s order of March 21, 1963.

The Referee apparently viewed the petition of February 18, 1963, as a “re[334]*334newal” of petitioner’s motion of February 1, 1963, insofar as the latter sought an adjudication in bankruptcy of the debtor. Petitioner accepts this viewpoint.

An order on a motion is not necessarily viewed in the same light as a “judgment” when applying the doctrine of res judicata. 60 C.J.S. Motions and Orders § 65, p. 83: In re Walton Hotel Co. (Olhausen v. Walton Hotel Co.), 7 Cir., 116 F.2d 110. Petitioner concedes, however, that the doctrine can be applied to an order on a motion under certain circumstances, if there has been a full hearing on the merits, but maintains that it cannot be found either from the wording of the order dated February 5, 1963, or the oral statement of the Referee on February 5, 1963, what was intended to be adjudicated by the order, and that the only legitimate .inference would seem to be that the action of the Referee was based upon irregularities in the application by petitioner for an adjudication in bankruptcy of the debtor, to-wit: ' failure to cause a ten-day notice to be given to creditors as required by Sec. 377 of the Act.

The transcript of the hearing held on February 5, 1963, shows that Radio Distributing Company’s demand for the debtor’s adjudication in bankruptcy was considered and indeed acted upon, even if petitioner’s own motion did not cause such consideration. Relative to adjudication, the Referee stated on February 5, 1963:

“REFEREE MURPHY: Well, as to the Motion to adjudicate the Debtor Corporation, they are entitled to a ten-day notice for one thing. I don’t see how it can be waived. The Statute requires it.
. “MR. TOBIAS: I realize that it is a short notice, Your Honor. I thought it was discretionary with the Court, but if it isn’t,—
“REFEREE MURPHY: I don’t think — that is a Notice provided by the Act and the Notice requires notice to all creditors: ‘upon hearing after notice to the Debtor, the creditors, and such other persons as the Court may direct’ in Section 377.
* * *
“MR. TOBIAS. * * * I will draft another Notice so that there will be the ten days and does Your Honor wish to designate a date? Would you wish me to pick out a date? * * *
“REFEREE MURPHY: Well, I think that perhaps the action on the Petition of the Debtor here may resolve the question of adjudication.”
(Transcript, pages 2, 3 and 4)

Further, the Referee said that an adjudication at this time would be premature (Id. 20) and that an adjudication and a forced sale would avail the creditors little (Id. 21). The Referee expressly ruled that petitioner’s motion seeking an adjudication was dismissed (Id. 32, 33, 36). From a careful reading of the entire transcript, it is clear that the matter of adjudication was considered and denied, therefore creating an appealable issue.

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Related

In re Insulation & Acoustical Specialties, Inc.
311 F. Supp. 1209 (W.D. Missouri, 1969)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
223 F. Supp. 332, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7026, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-harrison-pringle-co-mied-1963.