Matter of Medical Equities, Inc.

39 B.R. 795, 1984 Bankr. LEXIS 5776
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Ohio
DecidedApril 30, 1984
DocketBankruptcy 3-82-01498
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 39 B.R. 795 (Matter of Medical Equities, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Matter of Medical Equities, Inc., 39 B.R. 795, 1984 Bankr. LEXIS 5776 (Ohio 1984).

Opinion

DECISION AND ORDER

CHARLES A. ANDERSON, Bankruptcy Judge.

FACTS

Presently before the Court are Objections to the Confirmation of the Second Amended Plan of Reorganization of Medical Equities, Inc. These objections were filed on March 6, 1984 and were heard on April 4, 1984.

Also pending is an “Application for an Order of Dismissal” filed in behalf of Robert S. Peebles, Jr. on 17 August 1982 alleging that debtor “has no assets other than the assignment of option to purchase which debtor forfeited under the terms of the agreement with this creditor_” This application has been held under advisement pending submission to the Court of a proposed Plan, thereby treating the vying contestants for the subject real estate in equipoise. (Previous proposed Plans were not prosecuted to hearing upon objections being filed thereto.)

Medical Equities was organized under the laws of Ohio in 1972 and has been involved in the commercial development of a 48-acre tract of land located in Beaver-creek Township, Greene County, Ohio, on which it holds as assignee an option to purchase. On May 21, 1982, Medical Equities filed a voluntary Chapter 11 petition in this Court. In its schedules, it listed $1,511,868.04 in property, of which $1,500,-000 was attributable to the assignee’s interest in the option to purchase the Beaver-creek tract of land. It has no secured creditors, but scheduled unsecured claims in the amount of $690,233.64, to which $96,-500 was later added.

The evidence adduced as to the valuation of the option is nebulous, other than testimony concerning the proposed sales price in the Plan.

The corporate officers of Medical Equities, as listed in the Statement of Affairs, *797 are J. Robert Bishop, President, and William R. Coen, Secretary. The Statement of Affairs filed on 16 June 1982 is deficient in not listing the name, title and address of each “director, insider, and managing executive, and of each stockholder holding 20 per cent or more of the issued and outstanding stock, of the corporation,” as specified in the particular official Form [No. 8] filed in the case. Even though this information is mandated by Rule 909 of the Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure (then in effect), no explanation for sueh omissions has been provided by the Debtor.

“Schedule A-3 — Creditors having Unsecured Claims Without Priority”, as filed by the Debtor on 16 June 1982, lists creditors, as follows:

1. Robert J. Bishop $ 56,966.00 2137 Cedar Point Roadway Sandusky, Ohio 44870
2. Coen, Breidenbach, Johnson & 95,000.00 Hansen 345 W. Second Street, Suite 201 Dayton, Ohio 45402
3. William R. Coen 191,131.41 345 W. Second Street, Suite 201 Dayton, Ohio 45402
4. Norman A. Dohner 2801 Par Hills Avenue Dayton, Ohio 45419 4,915.00
5. Jane K. Hopkins 430 Grants Trail Dayton, Ohio 45459 20,000.00
6. Robert J. Peebles, Jr. 932 Brittany Hills Drive Dayton, Ohio 45459 155,497.73
7. Richard K. Skinner 2418 Lynn Avenue Dayton, Ohio 45406 84,500.00
8. Third National Bank 34 N. Main Street Dayton, Ohio 45402 80,000.00
9. Ralph L. Woolpert Company 2324 Stanley Avenue Dayton, Ohio 45404 2,223.50

Schedule A-3 was amended on 7 March 1984, as follows:

D. Robert Keeler 48,260.00 837 George Wythe Commons Centerville, Ohio, 45459
Mr. Keeler and Mr. Shear invested in May, 1981, in a partnership, Wright Towne Properties, to become partial owner of a real estate option when acquired from Debtor. These individuals now have requested payment in lieu of a participation in the partnership.
Harry Shear 48,250.00 417 Grants Trail Dayton, Ohio 45459

It is important to focus upon the nature of several claims as presented. Claim No. 2 filed by Robert J. Peebles, Jr. in the amount of $155,497.13 with interest from May 14, 1982, recites merely that the claim arises from “assignment of option Contract.” Claim No. 1 filed by the Third National Bank and Trust Company in the amount of $84,830.25 recites a co-made promissory note on a loan on January 29, 1982, to Medical Equities and William R. Coen and J. Robert Bishop, individually and as corporate officers. Claim No. 4 by Richard K. Skinner in the amount of $178,-101.00 is evidenced by five one-year promissory notes made at various times in 1976 payable at 14% per annum “on maturity or by conversion and issuance of Common Stock of Medical Equities, Inc. at $2.50 per share.” These notes are endorsed “Payment guaranteed” by William R. Coen. Claims No. 5 by Jane K. Hopkins in the amount of $74,770.09, No. 8 by William R. Coen in the amount of $453,542.06 and No. 11 by J. Robert Bishop in the amount of $323,033.82 recite only “money loaned” on an unsecured basis. The attached accounts recite “loan/withdrawal” with dates ranging between July 22, 1973 and July, 1982.

On 3 April 1984, William R. Coen, Attorney for Debtor, William R. Coen Co., L.P.A., Coen, Breidenbach, Johnson & Hansen, filed an application for allowance of attorneys fees and expenses from the Debt- or’s estate as administrative expenses in the amounts of $17,190.25 fees and $1175.77 expenses. Mr. Coen is also an officer of the Corporation, a general creditor, an investor, and a stockholder.

On 3 April 1984, James L. Finefrock, James L. Finefrock and Associates Co., L.P.A. filed an application for allowance of attorneys fees and expenses from the Debt- or’s estate as priority Class I administrative expenses in the amount of $12,160.00 *798 fees and $3,212.25 expenses. Mr. Fine-frock is also the Secretary and the attorney of record for Wright Towne Properties Co., the proposed purchaser of the option to purchase under the Second Amended Plan of Reorganization now under consideration by the Court.

Debtor’s only real asset, therefore, is the option to purchase the land, the record title to which is owned by Max J. Zink. Debtor has been able to extend the option by regular payments to Zink, the money for which was obtained from its major creditors, most of whom are principals of debtor. These creditor-principals have also made payments on a promissory note to the Third National Bank of Dayton on behalf of debt- or and themselves as comakers.

Debtor acquired the option on February 23,1973, from Peebles Builders, Inc., which had acquired it from Zink on July 20, 1982. While there was some litigation between Peebles and debtor, it was resolved by settlement in 1980.

In the Spring of 1981, debtor agreed to sell its interest in the option to a new partnership to be formed under the name of Wright Towne Properties, Limited Partnership. On January 31, 1984, Wright Towne Properties by its general partner, Wright Towne Properties Co. [hereinafter both collectively referred to as Wright Towne] and debtor entered into an Offer of Purchase and Escrow Instructions. This offer remains open until May 20, 1984. Wright Towne retained the right to extend the closing date for four months thereafter as its sole discretion.

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Bluebook (online)
39 B.R. 795, 1984 Bankr. LEXIS 5776, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/matter-of-medical-equities-inc-ohsb-1984.