In re the Dissolution of Martin Foundation, Inc.

73 Misc. 2d 985, 343 N.Y.S.2d 518, 1972 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1265
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 15, 1972
StatusPublished

This text of 73 Misc. 2d 985 (In re the Dissolution of Martin Foundation, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re the Dissolution of Martin Foundation, Inc., 73 Misc. 2d 985, 343 N.Y.S.2d 518, 1972 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1265 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1972).

Opinion

Samuel M. Gold, J.

This is a special proceeding pursuant to paragraph (1) óf .subdivision (a) of section 1008 of the Not-For-Profit Corporation Law (“ N-PCL ”) brought by the daughter of the late Lester Martin, creator of The Martin Foundation, Inc., to vacate the order of dissolution of the foundation. The widow of Lester Martin has moved for leave to intervene, also urging vacatur of the order of dissolution; or, if the court determines not to vacate the order, granting her leave to be heard upon the adequacy and nature of the plan of distribution of the assets of the foundation (N-PCL, § 1008, subd. [a], par. [8]).

The petition for dissolution was made and verified on January 7, 1972, by the daughter as the president of the foundation. It was in the statutory form (N-PCL, § 1003) for a voluntary or nonjudicial dissolution. There was annexed an excerpt of the minutes and resolutions adopted at a special meeting of the members and board of directors held on December 2,1971, certified by the daughter’s husband as secretary of the foundation, stating that the daughter had submitted her resignation as president and director, and that her husband had submitted his resignation as secretary, director and member, both ‘ ‘ effective upon the approval by the Supreme Court of the Decree of1 Dissolution of The Martin Foundation, Inc.”; and that a plan of dissolution and distribution of assets, which had the approval of the Attorney-General of the State of New York, was adopted at said meeting.

The plan of distribution, however, did not provide for distribution of specific sums of money to identified nonprofit institutions or organizations. The principal asset of the foundation is a controlling block of .stock in a public corporation. The plan was to make arrangements for the sale of the stock and distribution of the proceeds or of the stock itself in kind to ‘ ‘ spme ten charities ’ ’ within a period of 12 months from date of approval by the Supreme Court of the plan, to “ such organizations ” having tax exempt status, including a Church, School, Hospital, Fund Raiser for a school, a State and subdivisions thereof, or a Publicly Supported Charity that has been in existence at least five years ’ ’.

There was indorsed on the petition the requisite signed statement of the Attorney-General that he had no objection to judi[987]*987cial approval of the application and waived statutory notice thereof.

The order dated January 20, 1972 granted the application to the extent of allowing dissolution, but provided that approval of the court was required before any distribution of assets could be made, jurisdiction being retained for that purpose.

Ten months later, as the directors are proceeding to take definite steps for the sale of the block of stock and to effectuate the plan of distribution, this special proceeding to vacate the order of dissolution has been instituted by the daughter. Vacatur is requested on the alleged ground that the daughter executed the petition for dissolution under duress and intimidation exerted by the office of the Attorney-General and that, in any event, dissolution is contrary to the intent and purposes of her father and the foundation should be permitted to continue.

A formal objection to the order has also been interposed. Sections 1001, 1002 and 1003 of the N-PCL refer to a plan of dissolution and distribution of assets ”. It is urged that, in the absence of a specific plan of distribution, the order granting dissolution was unauthorized. Here, in view of the special circumstances relating to the block of stock referred to, requiring protracted arrangements for its sale or disposition, the plan of distribution did set forth the categories of the proposed nonprofit distributees, with the names and amounts to be distributed to each to be provided when those arrangements, within a period of 12 months of approval of the plan of distribution, were consummated. Since the court retained jurisdiction and directed that distribution could not be made until court approval had been obtained, the entire proceedings before the court, encompassing both dissolution and distribution, will constitute an integrated plan of dissolution and distribution of assets ”. There is no reason to disapprove a plan of dissolution and distribution of assets merely because, in a special situation, liquidation requires a step-by-step process.

Turning to the issues, it is clear from the complete presentations made by the respective parties that there are no triable disputed issues of fact but merely a difference as to inferences, conclusions and legal remedies. The court therefore, 11 shall make a summary determination ’ ’ of this special proceeding. (CPLR 409, subd. [b].)

The foundation was formed in 1946 by Lester Martin, his wife, and his father, as incorporators. Lester Martin died in 1959. His will gave one half of the residuary estate to the widow and the remaining one half to the foundation. Acrimonious litiga[988]*988tion ensued. A settlement was reached in 1963, whereby the foundation was given the control stock and the widow agreed to resign as an officer and director of the foundation. The daughter and her husband were thereafter in control of the administration of the foundation and, through it, of the controlling block of stock.

In December, 1966, the Internal Revenue Service commenced an investigation affecting the tax-exempt status of the foundation. The investigation continued over the years. Finally, in September, 1971, the Service forwarded a “ technical advice memorandum ”, analyzing in detail a number of allegedly objectionable practices and acts, with the conclusion that the tax-exempt status of the foundation would not be disturbed.

The Attorney-General of this State had in the meantime been conducting his own investigation of the foundation. The widow states, and the Attorney-General confirms, that she repeatedly complained to the office of the Attorney-General of improprieties in the administration of the foundation. In March, 1970, attorneys retained by the widow submitted to the Attorney-General a 21-page report of an investigation conducted by them because she has become increasingly concerned that the intent of her late husband in establishing the Foundation and its charitable objects are, since his death, being defeated by those who control it.” This report furnished factual details of self-dealings by the daughter and her husband, particularly in their control of the public corporation, for their own personal benefit at the expense of the charitable purposes of the foundation. The Attorney-General was urged to intervene and exercise his powers of supervision with respect to New York charities.

The Attorney-General’s investigation revealed basic conflict of interest and self-dealing practices, such as the holding of valuable corporate positions by reason of the continued retention by the foundation of the controlling block of stock, resulting in limited benefits to charity because of the extremely low dividends paid by that corporation. In this connection, it may be noted that the daughter refers in her papers to the ouster, since the events here involved, of her husband as chairman of the board and president of the public corporation. The Attorney-General has set forth in detail the various acts and practices complained of.

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Related

§ 409
New York CVP § 409
§ 8-1.4
New York EPT § 8-1.4

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73 Misc. 2d 985, 343 N.Y.S.2d 518, 1972 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1265, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-the-dissolution-of-martin-foundation-inc-nysupct-1972.