Natl Un Fire Ins PA v. U S Bank Natl Assoc

597 F.3d 298, 2010 U.S. App. LEXIS 2762, 52 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 199, 2010 WL 447323
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
DecidedFebruary 10, 2010
Docket08-20401, 08-41128
StatusPublished
Cited by56 cases

This text of 597 F.3d 298 (Natl Un Fire Ins PA v. U S Bank Natl Assoc) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Natl Un Fire Ins PA v. U S Bank Natl Assoc, 597 F.3d 298, 2010 U.S. App. LEXIS 2762, 52 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 199, 2010 WL 447323 (5th Cir. 2010).

Opinion

LESLIE H. SOUTHWICK, Circuit Judge:

This opinion addresses the issues in two related cases. The appeals were not consolidated prior to argument, and we do not consolidate them now. A single opinion is used to explain our decision in each appeal.

In one of the two appeals, the former Chief Executive Officer of TransTexas Gas Corporation, John Stanley, argues that the district court erred by agreeing with the bankruptcy court that severance payments he received from the company were fraudulent transfers. We AFFIRM.

In the related appeal, the liquidating trustee for TransTexas, U.S. Bank National Association, argues that a different district court erred in denying coverage to *302 the estate under a policy issued by National Union Fire Insurance Company. The district court held that the just-described bankruptcy judgment against Stanley was not a “Loss” under the policy. We AFFIRM.

I. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

TransTexas Gas Corporation was engaged in exploration, production, and transmission of oil and natural gas. In April 1999, TransTexas filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The reorganization plan provided that the company would enter a three-year Employment Agreement with John Stanley, Sr., the company’s founder. Stanley would serve as Chief Executive Officer and be one of five directors. The Agreement was effective March 17, 2000.

The Employment Agreement provided that Stanley could be terminated beginning two years after its execution. (His departure was effective a few days before the Agreement’s second anniversary, but neither party presents that as an issue.) At termination, Stanley would be entitled to severance pay. If he were dismissed for reasons other than cause, he would receive three million dollars. If he were terminated for cause, his payment would be one and a half million dollars. If he voluntarily resigned, he would be paid no severance.

Despite its reorganization, TransTexas struggled financially. In February 2001, a law firm retained by the Board to investigate allegations of Stanley’s wrongdoing found that he could validly be dismissed for cause. However, if Stanley brought suit contesting his termination, the report also concluded that the result would be uncertain. No action was taken in 2001.

Throughout 2001, TransTexas’s financial condition was perilous. In late 2001, the Board used funds for current operations from a reserve account intended to make payments to Senior Secured Noteholders. That withdrawal left insufficient funds to make the note payments due in March 2002.

On January 30, 2002, all five members of the Board met. The minutes of that meeting state that the four directors other than Stanley agreed that “the severance option” under Stanley’s Employment Agreement should be invoked. Funding would need to be found for the severance payment; it was considered “acceptable” to divert money from the drilling program. There is no indication in the cursory minutes that the directors discussed whether Stanley would be terminated for cause or the effect that would have on the payment.

Between January and March 2002, Stanley remained CEO and a member of the Board as he negotiated the terms of his departure. In March, Stanley and TransTexas agreed that he would resign. On March 14, 2002, the Board executed a “Separation Agreement.” It explicitly superseded his Employment Agreement. He was to be paid three million dollars in installments. Stanley received $2,270,794.90 before the payments ceased.

In April 2002, TransTexas purchased an executive and organization liability insurance policy (“the Policy”) from National Union. Stanley was an insured for any covered claims that were made during the policy period, regardless of when the incidents giving rise to the claims occurred.

As a result of its financial deterioration, TransTexas in November 2002 filed a second Chapter 11 proceeding in the bankruptcy court for the Southern District of Texas. The bankruptcy court confirmed the creditors’ plan for reorganization in August 2003. Under the plan, a liquidat *303 ing trust was established with U.S. Bank as the liquidating trustee.

U.S. Bank filed an adversary proceeding against Stanley, seeking to avoid the severance payments. It alleged that the payments violated 11 U.S.C. §§ 547(b) and 548, and the Texas Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act (“TUFTA”). Tex. Bus. & Com.Code § 24.005 (West 2002). After a two-day trial, the bankruptcy court held that the severance payments constituted both unlawful preferences under Section 547(b) and fraudulent transfers pursuant to Section 548 and TUFTA. Stanley was ordered to repay the over two million dollars he had received, plus attorneys’ fees and costs.

On appeal, the district court agreed in most respects. There are two different district courts that entered rulings that are reviewed in our opinion. To keep them distinct, we will refer to this first decision as being that of Chief Judge Hayden Head. He held that Stanley’s severance payments were avoidable as fraudulent transfers pursuant to Section 548 and TUFTA, but not as preferential transfers under Section 547(b). Stanley’s repayment obligation was unaffected by the partial disagreement with the bankruptcy court.

On appeal now, both parties assert error. U.S. Bank seeks reversal of the district court’s holding that the transfers were not preferential under Section 547(b). Stanley argues for reversal of the holding that the severance payments were fraudulent transfers under Section 548 and TUF-TA.

Prior to the issuance of Chief Judge Head’s opinion, the insurer, National Union, filed for a declaratory judgment against Stanley and U.S. Bank in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The suit was assigned to Judge Nancy Atlas. National Union sought to have the court declare that it was not liable under the Policy for the judgment entered against Stanley.

The pivotal issue was whether the bankruptcy court’s judgment against Stanley constituted a “Loss” under the Policy. Cross-motions for summary judgment were filed. In granting National Union’s motion, Judge Atlas concluded that the bankruptcy judgment against Stanley was not a “Loss” under the Policy, and even if it were, it fell within the “profit or advantage” exclusion. On appeal, U.S. Bank seeks reversal.

II. DISCUSSION

We examine the issues raised in these two appeals in the following order. We first analyze whether the payments amounting to more than two million dollars were fraudulent transfers. U.S. Bank is actually the appellant in that case, as it seeks overturning of the decision that the payments to Stanley were not preferential transfers. Because we hold that the payments were fraudulent under the Bankruptcy Code, we need not consider other possible violations, including TUFTA or Section 547(b).

Once the fraudulent transfer question is answered, we will turn to whether coverage to U.S. Bank under the Policy was properly denied.

A.

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597 F.3d 298, 2010 U.S. App. LEXIS 2762, 52 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 199, 2010 WL 447323, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/natl-un-fire-ins-pa-v-u-s-bank-natl-assoc-ca5-2010.