Jourdan v. Missouri Valley Investment Co.

651 S.W.2d 169, 1983 Mo. App. LEXIS 3229
Missouri Court of Appeals·Decided March 22, 1983·No. No. WD 33501·Published·Cited by 2 cases

Opinion

MANFORD, Judge.

Appellants-plaintiffs originated this action upon alternative theories (i.e., the guarantee or promise to pay or the fraudu[170] lent representation of payment) for the manufacture, sale, and delivery of modular homes. This appeal follows the trial court’s dismissal of appellants’ amended petition. The judgment is affirmed.

Before addressing the errors charged, it is necessary to point out that this appeal does not present, nor is consideration given to, the original substantive claims or defenses of the parties. As observed infra, that aspect of the litigation is not reached because of the particular disposition herein. A brief listing of pertinent events will aid in the understanding of the determination of this appeal.

Appellants seek recovery in the sum of $104,153.80 for eleven modular homes manufactured and delivered to homesites between June, 1970 and February, 1971, and against respondent upon the alleged promise of respondent to pay for the homes on delivery.

The record reveals the following events: (a) Appellants filed for bankruptcy in the United States District Court (W.D.Mo.) (February 19, 1971); (b) Appellants are granted a discharge in bankruptcy. Although appellants’ claim against respondent is listed as an asset, the trustee exercised no right to the claim. Bankruptcy proceedings are closed. (September 2,1974); (c) Appellants, in their own corporate name (Space-maker Industries, Inc.) initiate an action against respondent for the claimed amount (May 30,1975); (d) Space-maker’s corporate charter was forfeited by the State of Missouri and never reinstated. (January 1, 1976); (e) Appellants voluntarily dismissed their initial action against respondent. (June 5, 1978); (f) Appellants refiled an action against respondent alleging Space-maker’s corporate capacity and seeking (1) actual and punitive damages for the conversion of proceeds of the sale of homes; (2) actual and punitive damages for the fraudulent representation that appellants would be paid upon the delivery of the homes; (3) recovery of the unpaid price of homes which respondent agreed to pay for upon delivery; and (4) recovery of the reasonable value of the homes delivered at respondent’s request. (July 10,1978); (g) Respondent filed its answer, which included a general denial of each count of appellants’ petition and a further denial that “plaintiff is ... the real or proper party in interest”, because any cause of action “passed to the trustee in bankruptcy.” (August 14, 1978); (h) Respondent filed objection to appellants’ request for production of documents with suggestions which included the argument that appellants were not the real party in interest. (July 17, 1979); (i) Appellants filed a motion to compel the production of documents. (October 17, 1979); (j) The trial court sustained appellants’ motion to compel production and in its order stated that the issue of the real parties in interest “should not be engrafted on the request for the production of documents.” (November 1, 1979); (k) Respondent filed a motion for summary judgment with suggestions on the ground that appellants did not have standing to prosecute their claim because they had forfeited their corporate charter. (May 8, 1980); (I) Appellants failed to oppose respondent’s motion for summary judgment and the court sustained respondent’s motion. (June 18, 1980); (m) Appellants filed a motion to set aside the summary judgment on the ground that appellants had mistakenly filed the lawsuit under its corporate name and that the trial court should allow the last board of directors, as statutory trustees, to proceed as substituted parties. (July 9, 1980); (n) The trial court entered its order setting aside the summary judgment for the purpose of allowing the real parties in interest, until and including August 4, 1980, within which to file and serve their amended petition. (July 16, 1980); (o) Appellants filed their first amended petition for damages denominated, “Space-maker Industries, Inc., by its statutory trustees, Ray M. Jourdan, Clifford C. Jourdan, Samuel L. Sayles, Carrol C. Moulder and J.C. Boggs, plaintiffs, vs. Missouri Valley Investment Co., defendant”, and alleging the named individuals to be “the statutory trustees of Space-maker Industries, Inc., by virtue of § 351.525, RSMo (1979) (sic), said corporation’s charter being forfeited in January of 1976.” (August 4, [171]*1711980); and (p) Respondent moved to dismiss appellants’ first amended petition on the ground that “plaintiff’s amended petition was filed more than one year after plaintiff voluntarily dismissed its petition and inasmuch as plaintiff had no standing to bring the revival on July 10, 1978, having forfeited its corporate charter on January 1, 1976, the pending action is barred by § 516.230 and § 516.120, RSMo 1969.” (September 4, 1980).

On September 23, 1981, the trial court sustained respondent’s motion to dismiss with the following order and judgment:

“ORDER AND JUDGMENT

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Jourdan v. Missouri Valley Investment Co., 651 S.W.2d 169, 1983 Mo. App. LEXIS 3229 (Mo. Ct. App. 1983).

651 S.W.2d 169 (Jourdan v. Missouri Valley Investment Co.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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