In re Stafford's in the Field, Inc.

192 B.R. 29, 1996 Bankr. LEXIS 74, 1996 WL 39314
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. New Hampshire
DecidedJanuary 18, 1996
DocketBankruptcy No. 94-12824-MWV
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 192 B.R. 29 (In re Stafford's in the Field, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. New Hampshire primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Stafford's in the Field, Inc., 192 B.R. 29, 1996 Bankr. LEXIS 74, 1996 WL 39314 (N.H. 1996).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

MARK W. VAUGHN, Bankruptcy Judge.

The Court has before it a contested matter in which the debtor-movant, Stafford’s in the Fields, Inc. (“Debtor”), objects to a proof of claim, as amended, filed by Respondents, William E. and Carol C. Beggs (“Beggs”). The Beggs’ proof of claim incorporates by reference certain allegations included in a [31]*31writ of summons filed in the Carroll County Superior Court seeking damages for breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation and intentional misrepresentation in the amount of $234,172.12. The Court, in a procedural order dated April 12,1995, ordered that Part VII of the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure apply to this contested matter and that trial would proceed on the issue of liability on the breach of contract claim. By order dated May 3,1995, the Court indicated that the tort claim be tried on the issue of liability alone. A full-day trial was held on June 8, 1995, and oral arguments were heard on June 22, 1995, at which time the Court took the matter under advisement.

This Court has jurisdiction of the subject matter and the parties pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1334 and 157(a) and the “Standing Order of Referral of Title 11 Proceedings to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Hampshire,” dated January 18, 1994 (DiClerico, C.J.). This is a core proceeding in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 157(b).

Facts

The Debtor is the owner-operator of a country inn located in Chocorua, New Hampshire. Fred and Ramona Stafford are the current owners of all of the outstanding shares of the Debtor and are the current officers and directors. They have operated the inn for over thirty years. Mr. Stafford testified that the Debtor had been in default of its mortgage obligation with Fleet Bank since 1990, and first received a notice of intent to accelerate and foreclose on September 14,1993. Since that time, they had been trying to sell the inn and also negotiate with Fleet Bank. In January 1994, the Debtor and the Staffords entered into a listing agreement with New England Hotel Realty Advisors to list the inn for sale at the price of $450,000. The principal broker for the transaction was Mr. Earl B. Wason (‘Wason”). On June 20, 1994, the Staffords signed a purchase and sale agreement with Mr. Beggs for the sale of the inn at a purchase price of $440,000. Paragraph 1 of that agreement identified the parties to the agreement as follows: Stafford’s in the Field, Inc. — Seller; William Beggs — Buyer; and Fred and Ramona Stafford — Staffords. On the signature lines, Fred and Ramona Stafford each signed as sellers. There was no specific signature line identifying Stafford’s in the Field, Inc. Neither of the Staffords indicated any corporate office next to their signatures.

The three paragraphs of the agreement that are relevant to the matter before the Court are hereinafter reproduced:

7. The closing shall take place and the instruments of conveyance shall be delivered at 1:00 p.m. on August 12, 1994, at Carroll County Registry of Deeds, Ossi-pee, NH or on such later date as the parties may mutually agree; provided, however, that the closing shall not take place between Aug. 13, 1994 and Aug. 24,1994, inclusive.
20. This AGREEMENT is subject to the BUYER obtaining a written S.B.A. 504 mortgage commitment from a lending institution in the amount of $535,000 at the prevailing rate and term. The BUYER hereby agrees to execute promptly the instruments necessary to obtain such written mortgage commitment. A copy of said written mortgage commitment is to be given to the SELLER’S agent, NEW ENGLAND HOTEL REALTY or its representative. BUYER hereby grants to the lending institution permission to have a copy of said written mortgage commitment forwarded to NEW ENGLAND HOTEL REALTY. If said written mortgage commitment cannot be obtained after diligent efforts on or before August 1, 1994, all payments hereunder by the BUYER including interest earned thereon shall be forthwith refunded less any legal, appraisal, credit or engineering fees incurred on BUYER’S behalf and all other obligations of all parties hereto shall cease and this AGREEMENT shall be void and without recourse to the parties hereto; provided that the BUYER notified the SELLER or the SELLER’S agent in writing of their inability to obtain said financing on or before said date.
[32]*3220a. BUYER shall give the STAF-FORDS a mortgage for $85,000 in a subordinated position to the S.B.A. 504 loans and be secured by the real estate and personal property. Said mortgage shall be divided into two notes as follows:
Note 1. $55,000 for a term of twenty years. The interest rate for the first five years of the term shall be fixed at 8.75%. No payments shall be made for the first five years of the term and interest shall be capitalized and added to the principle [sic]. Beginning sixty months following the date of the note, the remaining balance of the principle [sic] and capitalized interest shall be amortized for the remaining fifteen years of the term at a rate of interest equal to the greater of two points over the posted New York prime rate or 8.75% and adjusted annually. The interest rate shall not exceed 12.75% over the life of the loan.
Note 2. $30,000 for a term of twenty years. The interest rate for the first five years of the term shall be fixed 8.75%. Interest only shall be payable monthly for the first five years of the term with payments of $218.75. The principle [sic] balance of $30,000 shall be amortized over the remaining fifteen years of the term at a rate of interest equal to the greater of two points over the posted New York prime rate or 8.75% and adjusted annually. The interest rate shall not exceed 12.75% over the life of the loan.
BUYER shall, at the end of the expiration of sixty months following the date of each of the above described notes, apply to the S.B.A. in writing for consent to pay off the outstanding balance of the notes. In the event of consent to same BUYER shall within ninety days pay off said balance. In the event that the S.B.A. shall fail to consent, BUYER shall every twelve months thereafter resubmit in writing said request. BUYER shall diligently pursue such request on each occasion and shall provide to seller evidence of each such application to the S.B.A.
These two notes are to be secured by a real estate mortgage and security agreement on all business assets, and to be personally guaranteed by William and Carol Beggs. BUYER shall provide STAFFORDS with copies of all requests for disbursement of funds from the construction and remodeling account with the PRIMARY LENDER and evidence of payment.

(Debtor’s Exhibit No. 6 at 3 & 4.)

The agreement utilized by the parties was one of the broker’s prepared agreements modified to fit the transaction. The testimony was that it was basically prepared by Wason and Attorney Battles, who represented the Debtor and the Staffords in this transaction. Mr. Beggs was not represented by counsel during the formation of the contract.

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Bluebook (online)
192 B.R. 29, 1996 Bankr. LEXIS 74, 1996 WL 39314, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-staffords-in-the-field-inc-nhb-1996.