McCann v. Pierson

78 F.R.D. 347, 25 Fed. R. Serv. 2d 298, 1978 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19040
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedMarch 15, 1978
DocketCiv. A. No. 77-3593
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 78 F.R.D. 347 (McCann v. Pierson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McCann v. Pierson, 78 F.R.D. 347, 25 Fed. R. Serv. 2d 298, 1978 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19040 (E.D. Pa. 1978).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM

TROUTMAN, District Judge.

Plaintiff, Paul C. McCann (McCann) and defendant, Jeffrey R. Pierson (Pierson) were, at one time, business partners whose association and resulting business ventures have produced this litigation involving certain additional persons or entities.

Before the Court are the motions of defendants, Jeffrey R. Pierson, American Carbon Seals, Inc., and R & R Equity, Inc. (referred to as the “Pierson Defendants”) to dismiss the amended complaint pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) and Rule 12(b)(7), Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The 12(b)(6) motion is based on contentions that the amended complaint is, at least in part, derivative in nature, fails to comply with Rule 23.1, governing derivative suits, and that indispensable parties for a derivative suit are not named under Rule 19. The 12(b)(7) motion alleges failure to join a party under Rule 19, based on the contention that certain parties are indispensable to the adjudication of the claims against the Pierson defendants. For the purposes of these mo[349]*349tions well-pleaded factual allegations contained in the amended complaint are accepted as true.

Plaintiffs, Paul C. McCann and Washington International Materials Corporation (WIMCO) allege that McCann and Pierson entered into a partnership “for the purpose of importing' and selling Korean mined amorphous graphite in the United States”. It is further alleged that Intertec, a Panamanian corporation, was established to act on behalf of the partnership but was later liquidated and succeeded by another corporation, Interkoryo, and its shipping agent, Inveraiones Abadesh, both Panamanian corporations. Neither McCann nor Pierson were or are officers, directors, or shareholders of Interkoryo or Inveraiones Abadesh, but are described as beneficial owners thereof. Subsequently, McCann and Pier-son, as partners, entered into a contract with a Korean company to purchase graphite and distribute it in the United States. This contract became the principal asset of the partnership.

It is alleged that Interkoryo consummated five separate transactions involving Korean graphite. It purchased the graphite from Korea, held title to the graphite, resold the graphite to others, received funds, transported the graphite from Korea to the users, and generally held partnership assets. Thus, Interkoryo was a full functioning entity which received almost $1 million in proceeds from the sale of graphite and apparently holds or controls substantial sums of money, in that the amounts allegedly paid out by Interkoryo are substantially less than the amount Interkoryo is alleged to have received from graphite purchasers. Neither Interkoryo nor the officers, directors and shareholders are named as parties or otherwise. It appears from the complaint that the officers are Panamanians.

The amended complaint contains eight separate claims for relief, the first three of which are against the Pierson defendants and the five remaining are against another defendant, Gulf International Trading Company, a division of Gulf Oil Corporation. The three claims against the Pierson defendants may be summarized as follows: The first seeks an accounting from Pierson on all transactions under the contract with the Korean graphite producer, alleging a breach of the partnership agreement. The second claim seeks an accounting from American Carbon Seals Corp. and R & R Equity, alleged to be “alter egos” of Pier-son, which improperly received moneys from Pierson actually due to McCann. The third claim is against Pierson, and seeks reimbursement of WIMCO and McCann, for funds allegedly diverted from the partnership by Pierson.

The principal basis for the motion to dismiss is the allegation, under Rule 12(b)(7) of a failure to join parties under Rule 19, “Joinder of Persons Needed for Just Adjudication”. Rule 19 avoids formalistic considerations and uses pragmatic and practical considerations to determine whether a party is indispensable. Provident Tradesmens Bank v. Patterson, 390 U.S. 102, 88 S.Ct. 733, 19 L.Ed.2d 936 (1968). Rule 19(a) provides as follows:

“(a) Persons to be Joined if Feasible. A person who is subject to service of process and whose joinder will not deprive the court of jurisdiction over the subject matter of the action shall be joined as a party in the action if (1) in his absence complete relief cannot be accorded among those already parties, or (2) he claims an interest relating to the subject of the action and is so situated that the disposition of the action in his absence may (i) as a practical matter impair or impede his ability to protect that interest or (ii) leave any of the persons already parties subject to a substantial risk of incurring double, multiple, or otherwise inconsistent obligations by reason of his claimed interest. If he has not been so joined, the court shall order that he be made a party. If he should join as a plaintiff but refuses to do so, he may be made a defendant, or, in a proper case, an involuntary plaintiff. If the joined party objects to venue and his joinder would render the venue of the action improper, he shall be dismissed from the action.”

[350]*350We believe that Interkoryo, and its officers or directors, are necessary to the complete relief sought by plaintiffs. The amended complaint clearly states that Interkoryo is an independent entity, which functioned in various substantive matters, on behalf of the alleged partnership as an independent corporate agent of the partnership. This is evident from the fact that the defendants, American Carbon Seals and R & R Equity, are alleged to have been “alter egos” of defendant Pierson whereas there is no such allegation that Interkoryo was an alter ego of either plaintiff McCann or defendant Pierson. There is also no allegation that Pierson controlled the actions of Interkoryo. The amended complaint alleges only that defendant Pierson because of his superior knowledge would take the responsibility of managing the partnership’s operations in the United States. It is clear that Interkoryo’s functions would primarily concern activities and transactions outside the United States in that it would purchase the graphite from Korea, make all arrangements for its resale, and handle title and all of the actual sale functions.

This suit is not a simple demand for money judgment in a specified amount. Rather, the relief requested is for a full accounting of all transactions under the agreement between the partners and the Korean graphite company. Such an accounting would be meaningless without the presence and accountability of Interkoryo. Interkoryo handled all the transactions, and only Interkoryo would know necessary details such as the cost of graphite, the expenses incurred, and what amount represented the net profit — because it is only the net profit that is to be shared between McCann and Pierson, as partners. To proceed without Interkoryo would be tantamount to ignoring its existence, which would be directly contrary to the allegations treating Interkoryo as an active corporate agent for the partnership. The existence of a corporation established to conduct the partnership’s business cannot be disregarded. Assuming an accounting were to be awarded by the court, substantial disputes between McCann and Pierson over accounting practices, expenses, etc., may reasonably be anticipated.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
78 F.R.D. 347, 25 Fed. R. Serv. 2d 298, 1978 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19040, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mccann-v-pierson-paed-1978.