John Hatton, Inc. v. Hatton (In Re John Hatton, Inc.)

104 B.R. 705, 1989 Bankr. LEXIS 1635, 1989 WL 112277
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedJuly 6, 1989
Docket19-20397
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 104 B.R. 705 (John Hatton, Inc. v. Hatton (In Re John Hatton, Inc.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
John Hatton, Inc. v. Hatton (In Re John Hatton, Inc.), 104 B.R. 705, 1989 Bankr. LEXIS 1635, 1989 WL 112277 (Pa. 1989).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

JOSEPH L. COSETTI, Bankruptcy Judge.

The matter presently before this court is the debtor/plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment on the issue of fraudulent conveyance of an insurance policy. Also before us is the question of the value of the insurance policy.

The Motion for Summary Judgment as to the fraudulent conveyance is granted. The court finds that the value of the insurance policy is $100,506.00.

I. FACTS

In August of 1982, John Hatton and Robert Maruca entered into an oral buy-out agreement under which the debtor, John Hatton, Inc., would purchase life insurance policies on each with the corporation as the beneficiary. Upon the death of either of these principals, the survivor could either buy out the interest of the deceased or use the proceeds for corporate purposes.

Pursuant to the oral agreement, Robert Maruca and John Hatton contacted Frank Dileo of Frank Dileo Agency, Inc. (“Dileo”), an independent insurance broker, for the purpose of purchasing life insurance. On August 16, 1982, four applications were submitted to North American Company for Life and Health Insurance (“North American”). The first was on the life of John Hatton and was purchased and owned by the debtor. The primary beneficiary was to be the debtor, and as stated on the policy, the purpose was for business buy out. This purpose was in accordance with the oral agreement which allowed for the survivor to buy out the interests of the deceased or use the proceeds for corporate needs. The amount of the policy was $150,000.00.

The second policy applied for was on the life of Robert Maruca. This policy was also purchased and owned by the debtor. The purpose was to be for business buy out and the primary beneficiary was the debt- or. Both of these policies were issued in November of 1982.

The remaining two policies are not in question in this case. They were purchased individually by John Hatton and Robert Maruca with the primary beneficiary to be their respective spouses.

In May 1985, both policies owned by the debtor were converted from term life insurance policies to Universal Life Plans with new face amounts of $100,000.00. This was implemented because the new plan would allow the policy to earn money.

John Hatton was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1983. His cancer progressively worsened and by 1986 John Hatton was receiving chemotherapy. In May 1986, John Hatton changed the beneficiary of the *707 life insurance policy owned by the debtor corporation. The beneficiary was changed from the debtor to John Hatton’s spouse, Meryl Hatton. On July 31,1986, John Hat-ton died of lung cancer and thereafter Me-ryl Hatton received the proceeds of the insurance policy in question, which amount totaled $100,506.00.

In November 1987, Robert Maruca, on behalf of John Hatton, Inc., filed for bankruptcy under chapter 11. Maruca also instituted this adversary proceeding suing North American and Dileo for breach of contract. Meryl Hatton and the Estate of John Hatton were sued for unjust enrichment, fraudulent conveyance, and fraud.

On April 19, 1989, this court considered motions for summary judgments, which were submitted by all parties. This court, at that time, indicated that it intended to grant these motions as to Dileo and North American. This court also indicated that it intended to grant summary judgment on the issue of fraudulent conveyance as to John Hatton, Inc.’s motion.

The defendant still questions the applicability of both the Bankruptcy Code and Pennsylvania’s Fraudulent Conveyance Act to this matter. The defendant also questions the value of the insurance policy at the time of the change of beneficiary.

II. ANALYSIS

A. Pennsylvania’s Fraudulent Conveyance Act is Applicable

The plaintiff, John Hatton, Inc. (“debt- or”), brings this suit under 11 U.S.C. § 544(b) which states “[t]he trustee may avoid any transfer of an interest of the debtor in property or any obligation incurred by the debtor that is voidable under applicable law by a creditor holding an unsecured claim.”

The plaintiff asserts that the change of beneficiary to the insurance policy is voidable under the Pennsylvania Fraudulent Conveyance Act, 39 P.S. § 354. The defendant claims that neither 11 U.S.C. § 548, Fraudulent Transfers and Obligations, or 39 P.S. § 354 are applicable to this case. The defendant is correct in that the plaintiff is barred from using 11 U.S.C. § 548 due to the “one year” provision. Section 548 states that transfers can be voided if they were “made or incurred on or within one year before the date of the filing of the petition.” In the case at bar, the change of beneficiary occurred in May 1986 and the bankruptcy petition was filed in November 1987. This is approximately six months beyond the requirement of 11 U.S.C. § 548; therefore, plaintiff cannot use section 548 to void the transfer.

However, we do find that the plaintiff can use Pennsylvania’s Fraudulent Conveyance Act to void the transfer. The Act states “[ejvery conveyance made and every obligation incurred by a person who is or will be thereby rendered insolvent is fraudulent as to creditors, without regard to his actual intent, if the conveyance is made or the obligation is incurred without a fair consideration.” 39 P.S; § 354.

The first requirement is that there be a conveyance. Defendant asserts that the changing of a beneficiary is not a conveyance. We find that it is a conveyance under the Fraudulent Conveyance Act. A conveyance is defined as including “every payment of money, assignment, release, transfer, mortgage, or pledge of tangible or intangible property, and also the creation of any lien or encumbrance.” 39 P.S. § 351. In Fidelity Title Co. v. Union National Bank, 313 Pa. 467, 169 A. 209 (1933), the court found that where insured had the right to change beneficiary and did so in an attempt to defraud creditors, this change was a conveyance applicable under the Fraudulent Conveyance Act.

Defendant relies on Manhattan Life Ins. Co. of New York v. Evanek, 762 F.2d 319 (3d Cir.1985), for the argument that a change of a beneficiary is not a conveyance. In that case the court held that a change of beneficiary was not a conveyance within the meaning of 20 Pa.C.S.A. § 6101. Id. at 321. The definition of conveyance under 20 Pa.C.S.A. § 6101 is different from that of 39 P.S. § 351.

Defendant also relies on Lindsey v. Lindsey, 342 Pa.Super. 72, 492 A.2d 396 (1985), for their argument. Again, that *708 case did not deal with the Fraudulent Conveyance Act.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Martin Holmes v. David Karkau
Court of Appeals of Tennessee, 2022
Harden, Trustee v. Harrison
E.D. North Carolina, 2021
United Bank v. Buckingham
301 F. Supp. 3d 561 (D. Maryland, 2018)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
104 B.R. 705, 1989 Bankr. LEXIS 1635, 1989 WL 112277, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/john-hatton-inc-v-hatton-in-re-john-hatton-inc-pawb-1989.