Kaspar v. Thorne

755 S.W.2d 151, 1988 WL 90446
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJuly 29, 1988
Docket05-87-00750-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by47 cases

This text of 755 S.W.2d 151 (Kaspar v. Thorne) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kaspar v. Thorne, 755 S.W.2d 151, 1988 WL 90446 (Tex. Ct. App. 1988).

Opinion

STEWART, Justice.

Lansing S. Thome sued Henry N. Ras-par, seeking: 1) declaratory judgment that Raspar was liable under a certain promissory note; 2) money damages for breach of fiduciary duty owned to Thome by Raspar; and 3) appointment of a receiver to liquidate F.F.P., Inc., the corporation in which Raspar and Thorne each own fifty percent of the capital stock. After a jury trial, the trial court granted the declaratory judgment, declaring that the promissory note was “enforceable and collectable against Henry N. Raspar,” and awarding Thome $18,000.00 in attorney’s fees. The judgment also awarded Thome $16,185.91 for Raspar’s breach of fiduciary duty and appointed Thorne as receiver to liquidate F.F. P. In addition, the court awarded Thome $11,919.05 as his share in F.F.P. after dissolution.

Raspar raises five points of error, contending that: 1) the trial court lacked statutory authority to appoint Thorne as receiver to liquidate F.F.P., Inc.; 2) the court erred in permitting recovery on the promissory note payable to F.F.P. when suit was not brought by or on behalf of F.F.P.; 3) the court erred in awarding Thome his share in F.F.P. after dissolution because the determination was based upon estimated expenses of the receivership; 4) the trial court erred in submitting jury instructions assuming that Raspar owed Thome a fiduciary duty; and 5) the court erred in awarding to Thome damages for breach of a fiduciary duty owed to F.F.P. and not to Thome.

We agree that the trial court lacked statutory authority to appoint a receiver to liquidate the corporation. We further conclude that the court erred in granting Thome a declaratory judgment of the rights under a note owed to F.F.P.. Finally, we hold that the court erred in awarding damages to Thome personally because there was no jury finding that Raspar owed a fiduciary duty to Thome. Consequently, we reverse the judgment of the trial court.

The Facts

Raspar and Thome first met thirty years ago and began doing business together in 1982. Their business association began as a partnership, and then they incorporated as F.F.P., Inc. The business of the corporation was real estate development. The corporation purchased twelve lots in Chandlers Landing, a housing development on *153 Lake Ray Hubbard in Rockwall County, Texas. The corporation constructed six houses on the lots. F.F.P., Inc. acquired the financing for the purchase of the lots and the construction of the houses from Mercantile Bank.

Raspar purchased one of the Chandlers Landing houses from F.F.P., Inc. The evidence is conflicting as to why Raspar bought the house. Raspar testified that Mercantile Bank wanted F.F.P. to decrease its indebtedness to the bank. Thus, Ras-par and Thome each agreed to purchase a house from F.F.P., Inc. so that F.F.P. could take the purchase money and pay off the bank. Thome testified that Raspar had always wanted the Chandlers Landing house; in fact, Raspar oversaw the construction and had it built to his specifications. In any event, Raspar purchased the house, giving F.F.P. $110,400.00 in cash. The balance of the purchase price, $32,-371.62, was in the form of a real estate lien note payable by Raspar to F.F.P.

The real estate lien note contained the following provision: “This note is to become null and void upon payment in full of all indebtedness owed to Mercantile National Bank at Dallas by F.F.P., Inc.” Thome testified that this language was added by Raspar without his knowledge after Thome reviewed the note. Raspar testified that the language was there as part of his and Thome’s understanding that his purchase of the house was to accommodate the bank’s request that F.F.P.’s indebtedness be decreased. Thus, the note would be inoperative once the indebtedness to the bank was paid. The jury apparently believed Thome, and found, in response to the first special issue, that Raspar had added the disputed clause without the authority or approval of Thome.

Liquidation and Receivership

Upon Thome’s motion, the trial court appointed him receiver with authority to dissolve F.F.P., Inc. In his initial point of error, Raspar argues that the Business Corporation Act does not authorize the appointment of a receiver to liquidate a corporation in these circumstances. We agree.

Article 7.06 of the Business Corporation Act authorizes the court to order the liquidation of the assets and business of a corporation and to appoint a receiver to effect the liquidation. The court may do so, however, only in the following instances:

(1) When an action has been filed by the Attorney General, as provided in this Act, to dissolve a corporation and it is established that liquidation of its business and affairs should precede the entry of a decree of dissolution.
(2) Upon application by a corporation to have its liquidation continued under the supervision of the court.
(3) If the corporation is in receivership and no plan for remedying the condition of the corporation requiring appointment of the receiver, which the court finds to be feasible, has been presented within twelve (12) months after the appointment of the receiver.
(4) Upon application of any creditor if it is established that irreparable damage will ensue to the unsecured creditors of the corporation, generally, as a class, unless there be an immediate liquidation of the assets of the corporation.

TEX.BUS.CORP.ACT ANN. art. 7.06(A) (Vernon 1980). There has been no action by the Attorney General, nor an application by a creditor. The record does not establish that F.F.P., Inc. has been in receivership for twelve months with no plan for remedying the condition of the corporation. Thus, the only remaining rationale for liquidation is that in section (A)(2): “Upon application by a corporation to have its liquidation continued under the supervision of the court.”

We need not decide whether Thome was acting for the corporation in requesting the appointment of a receiver to liquidate F.F. P. The statute speaks of continuing liquidation. When article 7.06 is read together with article 6.04(A)(4), it becomes clear that the corporation must decide to dissolve before the liquidation receivership of article 7.06 commences. The corporation, through the consent of shareholders or by an act of the corporation, may be dissolved. TEX. BUS.CORP.ACT ANN. arts. 6.02, 6.03 *154 (Vernon 1980). After such a decision to dissolve, and before filing articles of dissolution with the Secretary of State, the corporation takes steps to wind up, or liquidate, the corporation. TEX.BUS. CORP.ACT ANN. art. 6.04 (Vernon Supp. 1988). Thus, the decision to dissolve is made before liquidation commences. During the liquidation, “the corporation ... may make application to any district court of this State in the county in which the registered office of the corporation is situated to have the liquidation continued under the supervision of such court as provided in this Act.” Id. art. 6.04(A)(4).

Dissolution may be authorized by the written consent of all of the shareholders or by board resolution and a two-thirds vote of the stockholders. Id. arts. 6.02, 6.03.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
755 S.W.2d 151, 1988 WL 90446, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kaspar-v-thorne-texapp-1988.