In re Ira Haupt & Co.

280 F. Supp. 336, 1967 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7592
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedAugust 15, 1967
DocketNo. 64 B 259
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 280 F. Supp. 336 (In re Ira Haupt & Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Ira Haupt & Co., 280 F. Supp. 336, 1967 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7592 (S.D.N.Y. 1967).

Opinion

MOTLEY, District Judge.

Memorandum Opinion on Petition to Review

Petitioner, Kamerman and Kamerman, seeks review of an order of the Hon. Edward J. Ryan, Referee in Bankruptcy, dated December 14, 1966. The order in question granted the Trustee’s motion for reargument of a motion made by Petitioner and previously granted by the Referee. Upon reargument, the Referee reversed his prior decision in favor of Petitioner and denied Petitioner’s motion.

The reargued motion was to dismiss the Trustee’s application objecting to a claim by Petitioner against the bankrupt. Ira Haupt & Co., and seeking to recover from Petitioner a preferential payment of $20,700, plus interest. Petitioner’s motion to dismiss was originally granted on the ground that the two year period of time during which the Trustee could assert his claim for recovery of a voidable preference prescribed by Section lie of the Bankruptcy Act (11 U.S.C. § 29e) had run against the claim here.

The facts relevant to this review are as follows:

1) On March 23, 1964, an involuntary petition in bankruptcy was filed against Ira Haupt & Co. following its suspension from further trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

[338]*3382) Prior to the filing of the foregoing involuntary petition in bankruptcy, Petitioner received payment from a liquidator of Haupt’s business aggregating $20,700.

3) On March 30, 1964, a petition under Chapter XI, Section 321 of the Bankruptcy Act (11 U.S.C. § 721) was filed, purportedly on behalf of Haupt in the pending bankruptcy proceeding.

4) Thereafter, a motion was made to dismiss the Chapter XI petition and on June 10, 1964, the Referee granted the motion on the ground, inter alia, that the Chapter XI petition was not the voluntary act of Haupt.

5) By order and decree dated June 26, 1964, Haupt was adjudicated a bankrupt.

6) Petitioner filed a proof of debt against the bankrupt which has never been allowed or disallowed.

7) On October 6, 1964, the Trustee of the Estate of the Bankrupt was appointed, has since been qualified, and is now acting as such Trustee.

8) On May 20, 1966, the Trustee instituted proceedings objecting to Petitioner’s claim and seeking disallowance of the claim, in accordance with Section 57g of the Bankruptcy Act (11 U.S.C. § 93g) unless Petitioner surrendered to the Trustee the sum of $20,700 with interest, said monies representing voidable preferences under Section 60a and b of the Bankruptcy Act (11 U.S.C. § 96a and b).

9) Petitioner filed an answer dated June 28, 1966, to the Trustee’s objection and application alleging that the Trustee’s application was time barred by the provisions of Sections lie and 302 of the Bankruptcy Act (11 U.S.C. §§ 29e and 702).

10) On the same day on which Petitioner’s answer was filed, Petitioner also filed its motion to dismiss the Trustee’s application upon the ground that it failed to state a claim upon which relief could be granted in that it appeared that the application was barred by the provisions of Sections lie and 302 of the Bankruptcy Act since the claim was not made within two years of the filing of the petition for an arrangement under Chapter XI by Ira Haupt & Co.

The provisions of the Bankruptcy Act cited by Petitioner in support of its motion to dismiss are as follows:

A receiver or trustee may, within two years subsequent to the date of adjudication or within such further period of time as the Federal or State law may permit, institute proceedings in behalf of the estate upon any claim against which the period of limitation fixed by Federal or State law had not expired at the time of the filing of the petition in bankruptcy. Where, by any agreement, a period of limitation is fixed for instituting a suit or proceeding upon any claim, or for presenting or filing any claim, proof of claim, proof of loss, demand, notice, or the like, or where in any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, a period of limitation is fixed, either in such proceeding or by applicable Federal or State law, for taking any action, filing any claim or pleading, or doing any act, and where in any such case such period had not expired at the date of the filing of the petition in bankruptcy, the receiver or trustee of the bankrupt may, for the benefit of the estate, take any such action or do any such act, required of or permitted to the bankrupt, within a period of sixty days subsequent to the date of adjudication or within such further period as may be permitted by the agreement, or in the proceeding or by applicable Federal or State law, as the case may be. (Bankruptcy Act § 11e, 11 U.S.C. § 29e).
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The provisions of chapters 1 to 7 inclusive, of this title shall, insofar as they are not inconsistent with or in conflict with the provisions of this chapter, apply in proceedings under this chapter. For the purposes of such application, provisions relating to “bankrupts” shall be deemed to relate also to “debtors”, and “bankruptcy proceedings” or “proceedings in bank[339]*339ruptcy” shall be deemed to include proceedings under this chapter. For the purposes of such application the date of the filing of the petition in bankruptcy shall be taken to be the date of the filing of an original petition under section 722 of this title, and the date of adjudication shall be taken to be the date of the filing of the petition under section 721 or 722 of this title except where an adjudication had previously been entered. July 1, 1898, ch. 541, § 302, as added June 22, 1938, ch. 575, § 1, 52 Stat. 905. (Bankruptcy Act § 302, 11 U.S.C. § 702).

Relying on these provisions, Petitioner claims that the date of the filing of the Chapter XI petition in this case, i. e. March 30, 1964, is the time from which the two year period of limitation began to run, so that the Trustee’s application, when filed on May 20, 1966, was time barred by March 30, 1966.

In support of its claim, Petitioner cites Henkin v. Rockower Bros., Inc., 259 F.Supp. 202 (S.D.N.Y.1966) in which the court held that Section lie must be read together with Section 302, so that Section lie commences to run on the date of the filing of the Chapter XI petition, i. e. the “date of adjudication”.

When Petitioner’s motion was first heard, the Referee agreed with the Petitioner and entered an order on October 21, 1966 dismissing the Trustee’s application. On reargument, the Referee reversed his decision and denied Petitioner’s motion to dismiss the Trustee’s application.

The Referee’s order of December 14, 1966 provides in pertinent part as follows:

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Bluebook (online)
280 F. Supp. 336, 1967 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7592, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-ira-haupt-co-nysd-1967.