Misty Management Corp. v. Lockwood

539 F.2d 1205
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
DecidedJune 23, 1976
DocketNos. 74-1920, 74-2667 and 74-2668
StatusPublished
Cited by25 cases

This text of 539 F.2d 1205 (Misty Management Corp. v. Lockwood) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Misty Management Corp. v. Lockwood, 539 F.2d 1205 (9th Cir. 1976).

Opinions

OPINION

Before WRIGHT and SNEED, Circuit Judges, and WILLIAMS,* District Judge.

SNEED, Circuit Judge:

This case comes to us on appeal from a district court judgment setting aside the conveyance of a piece of real property known as Carson Hot Springs, from Misty Management Corporation (hereinafter Misty) to Tri-Aviation Corporation (hereinafter Tri-Aviation). The district court found that the conveyance in issue was fraudulent within the meaning of section 67d of the Bankruptcy Act, 11 U.S.C. § 107(d), and under the Nevada Fraudulent Conveyances Act. The transfer was therefore set aside pursuant to sections 67d and 70e of the Bankruptcy Act. First American Title Insurance Company (hereinafter First American), which acquired the deed to Carson Hot Springs through a rather complicated series of transactions, was denied a lien on the Hot Springs property after surrendering the property to Misty. First American was, however, awarded an unsecured claim against Misty in the amount of $162,500, the amount which it had paid for the property.

Appellants Tri-Aviation, First American, and Norman G. Doyle (who formed Tri-Aviation for the purpose of receiving Carson Hot Springs from Misty) appeal from that portion of the judgment which set aside the transfer of Carson Hot Springs. They argue that this suit was barred by the statute of limitations, and that in any event a number of the district court’s findings of fact were clearly erroneous. First American also appeals from that portion of the judgment which denied it a lien on the Carson Hot Springs property. Cross-appellant Misty appeals from that portion of the judgment which awarded First American an unsecured claim against the Misty estate.

I.

Facts of the Case.

The events relevant to this case commenced in November 1963 when Winnifred, Walter, John and Betty Doyle obtained a $100,000 personal injury judgment against Don R. Langson. Very shortly thereafter, Langson formed Misty and transferred a number of assets to it. Norman G. Doyle was appointed the Doyles’ agent for collection of their judgment. Doyle instituted a number of California and Nevada lawsuits naming both Langson and Misty, inter alia, as defendants, predicating Misty’s liability on an alter ego theory.

On May 15, 1964, Dr. Thomas Wyatt deeded to Misty a piece of real property known locally as Carson Hot Springs. Wyatt was allowed to remain in actual possession of the property. The agreed purchase price of $375,000 remained largely unpaid, however, and Wyatt later began an action in the Nevada courts to cancel the sale to Misty. Although this action was ultimately unsuccessful, it remained pending in the Nevada Supreme Court in August, 1966 when Doyle met with representatives of Misty in an effort to settle the various suits against Langson and Misty.

Eileen Bates, a close friend of Langson, was president of Misty and record holder of all of its stock from the time of its incorporation until approximately May 5,1966. By that time, she had signed the stock over to Frank Stilwell, another friend of Langson, and she and her codirectors had resigned. Stilwell became the new president of Misty. Meanwhile, a dispute between Langson and [1209]*1209Bates arose concerning ownership of Misty. Bates claimed beneficial ownership of the stock and argued that her resignation and the stock transfer had been coerced.

In August 1966 a series of meetings took place, through which an attempt was made to settle both the Bates-Langson dispute and the Doyle claim against Misty. Stilwell has apparently agreed to execute a deed transferring Carson Hot Springs to Tri-Aviation, which had been formed by Doyle for receiving the property. After attempts to resolve the Bates-Langson dispute had failed on August 24, however, Bates (purportedly acting on behalf of Misty) executed a deed conveying Carson Hot Springs to Tri-Aviation on August 25, 1966.

In January 1967 Langson replaced Stilwell as Misty’s president. On March 10, 1967, Misty filed a petition for reorganization under Chapter X of the Bankruptcy Act. In December 1969 this was converted into a Chapter XI arrangement proceeding. The Chapter XI proceeding was deemed to have commenced as of the filing date of the original Chapter X petition.

Meanwhile, in June 1967, Tri-Aviation obtained a $150,000 loan from James Lockwood, secured by a deed of trust on Carson Hot Springs. Lockwood demanded, as a condition of the loan, a title insurance policy without exceptions. There were, however, at least two potential clouds on TriAviation’s title to the property: (1) a lis pendens stating that Misty had filed a Chapter X petition alleging equitable ownership of Carson Hot Springs due to the transfer of that property without consideration; and (2) a lis pendens filed by Wyatt in connection with his efforts to recover title to the property. Appellant First American nevertheless issued a title insurance policy without exceptions, in return for an agreement whereby the Doyles would indemnify First American against losses suffered by reason of the policy’s omissions.

Tri-Aviation subsequently defaulted on its loan payments. Lockwood foreclosed on Carson Hot Springs and purchased it at the trustee’s sale. Lockwood commenced an unlawful detainer action in an effort to evict Wyatt from the property, but this action proved to be unsuccessful. Lockwood then demanded and received payment from First American on the title insurance policy. First American then obtained from Lockwood a deed to the property.

The complaint by Misty seeking recovery of Carson Hot Springs was filed on March 4, 1970. After trial, the district court concluded, inter alia, that the August 25, 1966 conveyance of Carson Hot Springs was made with actual intent to defraud Misty’s creditors; that the transfer was without adequate consideration; that the Doyles and Tri-Aviation were not acting in good faith and were in pari delicto in the intention to hinder, delay, and defraud Misty’s creditors; that Misty was rendered insolvent by the transfer; and that First American’s actions constituted participation in a fraudulent scheme to place the property beyond the reach of Misty’s creditors. The district court then concluded that the August 1966 transfer of Carson Hot Springs was voidable and should be set aside. First American, as subsequent title holder, was not permitted to retain the property or obtain a lien thereon due to its fraudulent involvement in a scheme to launder title to the property. After surrender of the property, however, First American was allowed to prove a claim against Misty for the amount of money that First American had paid Lockwood on the title insurance policy. The district court also concluded that the Doyle interests (through retention of the proceeds of the Lockwood loan) and Lockwood (through the proceeds of the title insurance) had no further claims to the property or against Misty.

II.

The Statute of Limitations.

The transfer in question occurred on August 25, 1966. Misty’s Chapter X petition was filed on March 10, 1967 and was approved four days later. Pursuant to a district court order dated December 19, 1969, the proceeding was converted to one under Chapter XI, which was deemed to [1210]*1210have commenced as of the date of filing of the Chapter X petition.

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Bluebook (online)
539 F.2d 1205, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/misty-management-corp-v-lockwood-ca9-1976.