In re Kessler Manufacturing Corp.

109 B.R. 516, 1989 Bankr. LEXIS 2312
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Florida.
DecidedDecember 29, 1989
DocketBankruptcy No. 88-05128-BKC-AJC
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 109 B.R. 516 (In re Kessler Manufacturing Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Florida. primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Kessler Manufacturing Corp., 109 B.R. 516, 1989 Bankr. LEXIS 2312 (Fla. 1989).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM ORDER ON TRUSTEE’S OBJECTION TO CLAIMS OF SEYMOUR KESSLER

A. JAY CRISTOL, Bankruptcy Judge.

THIS CAUSE, having come before this Court on October 25, 1989 upon the Trustee’s objections to the general unsecured claims filed by Seymour KESSLER, and having considered the arguments provided by counsel for Mr. KESSLER in his letter of November 3, 1989, together with the Trustee’s Memorandum, and having heard the evidence presented, this Court does hereby make findings of fact and conclusions of law and enters its order as follows:

Jurisdiction is vested in this Court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. Sections 1334(b), 157(a) and (b), and the District Court’s general order of reference. This is a core proceeding, as defined by 28 U.S.C. Section 157(b)(2)(B), in which this Court is authorized to hear and determine all matters related to this case. The Trustee’s objection to Mr. KESSLER’S claims were made pursuant to Bankruptcy Rule 3007.

The within captioned Debtor filed Chapter 7 proceedings on December 15, 1988. Its principal, and sole stockholder, is the claimant Seymour KESSLER (hereinafter CLAIMANT), who has filed claims number 19 and 20. Both claims are in the amount of $185,859.16 each, and are admitted by the CLAIMANT to be duplications of the same claim. As a result, this Court is disallowing claim number 20 filed by CLAIMANT, and will treat his claims as one claim in the following discussion. The basis of his claim is alleged loans advanced to the Debtor.

At the hearing on the Trustee’s Objection to Claims, the CLAIMANT presented the Debtor’s 1987 and 1988 financial statements to the COURT as written evidence of the CLAIMANT’S claim. As a result of the discussion that followed, this COURT posed an issue — whether these financial statements are sufficient to toll the statute of limitations or otherwise take this action outside of its scope? The parties were directed to present memorandums in support of their positions on the issues raised by this COURT’S inquiry.

At said hearing, it was also decided to categorize these loans into two groups: (1) more recent loans, made within the last five years (within the current limitations [518]*518period), and supported by documentation acceptable to the Trustee, and (2) older loans made in 1979 for the purpose of capitalization of the Debtor, and not supported by sufficient documentation.

With respect to category (1) loans, the CLAIMANT has provided copies of 22 checks, payable to various entities by the CLAIMANT. In addition, based upon the 1987 financial statement, there appears to be no dispute that the limitations period for category (1) loans should be extended back to December 31, 1983 for undocumented loans (four years prior to the 1987 financial statement), or to December 31, 1982 for documented loans (five years prior to the 1987 financial statement). This extension of category (1) loans is based upon the decision set forth in Whale Harbor Spa, Inc. v. Wood, 266 F.2d 953, 954 (5th Cir. 1959), which is discussed more fully below.

As a result of these checks and the above extension applicable to category (1) loans, the amount of $12,537.77 is no longer disputed by the Trustee. This Court will allow Mr. KESSLER’S claim in that amount. However, the Trustee continues to object to three of the checks dated in 1982, checks numbered 154, 200, & 208. Said objection is based upon the Trustee’s assertion that the applicable statute of limitations had expired for these loans, for the same reasons it had expired for the 1979 loans. This Court agrees with the Trustee on this point and includes two of the three alleged loans represented by these checks in its discussion of category (2) loans. The third check, number 200, in the amount of $14,-000.00 does not constitute evidence of a loan to the corporation. It is a check from CLAIMANT payable to the CLAIMANT— not to the Debtor or one of its creditors. As a result, this portion of CLAIMANT’S claim must be disallowed.

In support of that portion of CLAIMANT’S claim relating to category (2) loans, the CLAIMANT has offered copies of the Debtor’s unaudited financial statements for the years 1987 and 1988, prepared by an independent accountant, who is not an employee of the Debtor. These financial statements are accompanied by a cover letter, signed by the preparer, which states that the attached financial statements are the representation of management. The financial statements are otherwise unsigned. These two financial statements disclose a long term shareholder loan, approximately equal to the amount of CLAIMANT’S claim. However, no creditor of the Debtor was ever shown these financial statements, or otherwise made aware of the Debtor’s alleged obligation to its principal.

The Trustee asserts that these disputed category (2) loans are nevertheless barred by the Statute of Limitations set forth in FLA.STAT. Section 95.11(3)(k), which provides:

Actions other than for recovery of real property shall be commenced as follows:

(3) Within four years.—
(k) A legal or equitable action on a contract, obligation, or liability not founded on a written instrument ...

The CLAIMANT in this case has testified that a promissory note or written loan agreement was never executed for the 1979 loans. As a result, the four year limitations period set forth above applies to CLAIMANT’S alleged 1979 loans. Assuming arguendo that the 1982 checks presented by the CLAIMANT are sufficient documentary evidence of a loan, they fall under the five year limitations period set forth in FLA.STAT. Section 95.11(2).

There is no question that both limitation periods have expired in this case. Approximately 10 years have expired between the time of the 1979 loans, and the filing of CLAIMANT’S claims herein. In addition, over 6 years have expired subsequent to the 1982 loans, wherein a five year limitations period applies.

However, the CLAIMANT asserts that the 1987 and 1988 financial statements restart the limitations clock on the otherwise barred debts. In support of this assertion, the CLAIMANT cites the general rule that the acknowledgment of a debt or obligation on a financial statement during the limitations period is sufficient to interrupt and restart the clock. Whale Harbor [519]*519Spa, Inc. v. Wood, 266 F.2d 953, 954 (5th Cir.1959); Sebastian Enterprises, Inc. v. Florida First National Bank at Vero Beach, 345 So.2d 827, 828 (Fla. 4th DCA 1977).

However, the rule set forth in the above eases, including Whale Harbor, applies only to acknowledgment of debts, made during the running of the limitations period. Id. The effect of a balance sheet or oral acknowledgement of a debt, made after the limitations period has expired, is not within the scope of those decisions. As a general rule, such a fact pattern falls under a different statutory section.

In this case, FLA.STAT.

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109 B.R. 516, 1989 Bankr. LEXIS 2312, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-kessler-manufacturing-corp-flsb-1989.