Market Square Associates, Ltd. v. Commonwealth Land Title Insurance (In re Market Square Associates, Ltd.)

56 B.R. 566, 1986 Bankr. LEXIS 6944
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedJanuary 8, 1986
DocketBankruptcy Nos. 80 B 11908 (PA), 80 B 11907 (PA); Adv. No. 81-5225-A
StatusPublished

This text of 56 B.R. 566 (Market Square Associates, Ltd. v. Commonwealth Land Title Insurance (In re Market Square Associates, Ltd.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Market Square Associates, Ltd. v. Commonwealth Land Title Insurance (In re Market Square Associates, Ltd.), 56 B.R. 566, 1986 Bankr. LEXIS 6944 (S.D.N.Y. 1986).

Opinion

PRUDENCE B. ABRAM, Bankruptcy Judge:

The debtors, Market Square Associates, Ltd. (“Market Square”) and Chestnut Grove Associates, Ltd. (“Chestnut Grove”) (Collectively the “Debtors”), both of which are Pennsylvania limited partnerships, each filed a petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code on November 12, 1980. Thereafter, and on May 4, 1981, the Debtors instituted this adversary proceeding against Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Co. (“Commonwealth”).

The complaint has five claims for relief. Count 1 alleges that

“18. As a result of defendant’s willful and intentional breach of its escrow agreement and the concomitant breach of its fiduciary obligations as escrowee, plaintiffs had no economic alternative other than to complete the settlement under the Market Square and Chestnut Grove Contracts of Sale, which settlement was finally consummated • on February 8, 1980.”

Count 2 alleges that Commonwealth knew or should have known that the Debtors would not have closed under the two contracts without first obtaining the release of the PNB second mortgage. The count alleges that the violation of the escrow agreement was done knowingly, willfully, intentionally, recklessly, negligently and with full recognition of the repercussions and damages to the Debtors. Compensatory damages of $5,000,000 are sought on the first count,1 and punitive damages of $5,000,000 on the second count. As discussed below, this decision concerns the motion of Commonwealth for summary judgment dismissing Counts 1 and 2.

Count 3 sought damages for breach of the title policy issued by Commonwealth because of a lien for 1979 real estate taxes. Count 3 has previously been resolved. [568]*568Counts 4 and 5 seek damages for Commonwealth’s alleged failure to record certain agreements prior to the recording of the assignment of a certain mortgage. These two counts are not involved in the motion for summary judgment and.remain for disposition in the future. Commonwealth duly answered and discovery went forth in this and a related adversary proceeding.2

By motion filed September 23, 1983, Commonwealth sought summary judgment in its favor dismissing the first and second counts. The thrust of the motion is that, assuming the truth of the allegation that Commonwealth did in fact release certain closing documents out of escrow,

“The indisputable and uncontrovertible facts show that the noncompliance with the directions in the escrow agreement could not, in any meaningful respect, have caused plaintiffs to be compelled to consummate the transactions and that the loss claimed by plaintiffs cannot be attributed to said act of noncompliance.” Affidavit of John M. Daly sworn to September 7, 1983 in Support of Motion for Summary Judgment (the “Daly Affidavit”).

The Debtors have opposed the motion for summary judgment on the grounds that an issue of fact exists as to whether the Debtors were required to proceed with the “disastrous purchase of the properties as a result of Commonwealth’s wrongful release.” See affidavit of Marvin E. Greenfield sworn to October 19, 1983 in Opposition to The Motion for Summary Judgment (the “Greenfield Affidavit”). The initial statement pursuant to Local Rule 3(g) submitted by the Debtors of genuine issues of material fact stated in its entirety:

“Plaintiffs contend that genuine issues of material fact exist as to (1) whether the temporary restraining order provided an adequate and immediate legal remedy; (2) whether Commonwealth’s release of the Escrow Documents in early January 1980 and its failure to inform plaintiffs of such release was a factual cause of the economic duress experienced by the plaintiffs; (3) whether plaintiffs were aware that the sellers were fraudfeasors on December 20, 1979; and (4) whether plaintiffs have in any way ratified Commonwealth’s breach.”

Shortly thereafter a supplemental statement of material facts as to which the Debtors contended a genuine issue to be tried was submitted and consists of seven pages and contained fifteen numbered paragraphs.

Commonwealth submitted a fifteen-page statement under Local Rule 3(g) containing 43 numbered paragraphs as to which it contended there was no genuine issue to be tried. In its reply memorandum of law, Commonwealth stated that it was not submitting any affidavits in reply to the Debtors’ opposing affidavits because the Debtors’ recitation of the material facts comported in all material respects with that presented by Commonwealth in its moving papers except as to Commonwealth’s alleged breach, which Commonwealth was conceding for the purpose of the summary judgment motion. Commonwealth’s position remains that the Debtors would have had no greater rights or remedies had the documents remained in escrow and the sellers had no greater rights or options by reason of the release from escrow.

For the reasons which follow, the Court has concluded that Commonwealth’s motion for summary judgment dismissing counts 1 and 2 of the complaint should be granted as the stipulated release from escrow was not the proximate cause of the Debtors’ closing of the two contracts of sale. There is no issue of material fact to be tried because even assuming the facts most favorable to the Debtors they cannot prevail.

THE FACTS

As the alleged escrow breach has been stipulated to by Commonwealth, no discussion of it is necessary. Recital of the bal-[569]*569anee of the facts is, of course, essential. In light of Commonwealth’s concessions that it will take the facts as the Debtors have stated them, the following factual recital draws heavily on the papers of the Debtors. The court has not adopted the Debtors’ statements wholesale only because a number of them are mixed statements of law and fact and this court is not bound to take the Debtor’s legal conclusions.

Turning then to the facts, it appears that in August 1979, Market Square, through a nominee, entered into a contract to purchase a shopping center and post office located in Pennsylvania (the “Market Square Properties”), and Chestnut Grove, also through a nominee, entered into a contract to purchase a 64-unit townhouse complex, but not the underlying land located in Pennsylvania (the “Chestnut Grove Property”). The sellers of the two properties were corporations owned by Howard Gar-finkle (“Garfinkle”), Cyrus West and Asher Fensterheim (“Fensterheim”). Ferster-heim, a New York attorney, also acted as counsel for the sellers.

The Debtors had been set up by Marvin Greenfield (“Greenfield”), who intended to, and did syndicate the limited partnership interests in the Debtors. Greenfield is a real estate entrepreneur who had previously syndicated a number of other transactions. Greenfield and Garfinkle had known each other from three prior real estate transactions. Greenfield retained L. Michael Rudolph (“Rudolph”), an attorney whom Greenfield had retained on prior occasions, to represent the Debtors in making the purchases.

The agreed purchase price for the Market Square Properties was $3,050,000 of which $50,000 was paid upon the signing of the contract. The balance of the purchase price was to be paid by executing a purchase money wrap-around mortgage in favor of the sellers in the amount of $3,000,-000. The wrap-around mortgage was to include, or wrap around, two first mortgages held by institutional lenders, one in the amount of $1,608,000 and the other in the amount of $455,000 for an aggregate of $2,063,000.

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Bluebook (online)
56 B.R. 566, 1986 Bankr. LEXIS 6944, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/market-square-associates-ltd-v-commonwealth-land-title-insurance-in-re-nysd-1986.