Paco Financial, Inc. v. Miguel (In re Miguel)

30 B.R. 889, 1983 Bankr. LEXIS 6111
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. California
DecidedJune 1, 1983
DocketBankruptcy No. 281-03688-D-11; Adv. No. 281-1083
StatusPublished

This text of 30 B.R. 889 (Paco Financial, Inc. v. Miguel (In re Miguel)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Paco Financial, Inc. v. Miguel (In re Miguel), 30 B.R. 889, 1983 Bankr. LEXIS 6111 (Cal. 1983).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND DECISION

LOREN S. DAHL, Bankruptcy Judge.

October 2, 1981, Placida S. Miguel and Leon R. Miguel filed a joint voluntary petition for relief pursuant to Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code of 1978. On November 4, 1981, Paco Financial, Inc., and Linden Financial, Inc. [plaintiffs hereinafter], filed an adversary “Complaint for Reclamation” against Placida Miguel and Leon Miguel and against Leonidas, Inc., a corporation owned solely by Leon and Placida Miguel.

The primary allegation of plaintiffs’ complaint is that Leonidas, Inc.-, transferred title to real property in Yolo County designated in these proceedings as the Aldersen Convalescent Hospital and sometimes Countryside Nursing Home [hereinafter The Hospital] from Leonidas, Inc., to the Migu-els in their individual capacities. The Plaintiffs allege that this transfer of title took place for the sole purpose of hindering and delaying plaintiffs in their efforts to foreclose on The Hospital on which they held a second deed of trust. Plaintiffs seek relief from this Court in the form of an order directing all defendants to deliver the real property to the court or the court’s agent to be held for a Trustee’s Sale together with an award of attorney’s fees, costs, interest, late charges, all rents received from the property, and exemplary and punitive damages.

Prior to the date of trial, Leon Miguel died. Since that time Placida Miguel has been before the court in her capacity as an individual and as the executrix of the will of Leon Miguel. Trial of the matter was had on March 2, 1982, and the matter was taken under submission by the court on that date. The pleadings of the parties as well as the testimony and documentary evidence presented at trial disclosed the following facts.

STATEMENT OF FACTS

Leon and Placida Miguel formed Leonidas, Inc., in 1962 as a viable corporate entity whose primary business purpose was to own and operate convalescent hospitals. Since the inception of Leonidas, Inc., to the time of Leon Miguel’s death, October 24, 1981, Leon and Placida Miguel were the sole shareholders, directors, and officers of the corporation. Since Leon Miguel’s death, Placida Miguel has continued in her corporate capacity and has functioned as the [891]*891executrix of Leon Miguels will. Title to The Hospital, which is the subject of the present controversy, was held by Leonidas, Inc., until October 2, 1981, when Leonidas, Inc., transferred title to The Hospital to Leon and Placida Miguel in their individual capacities.

Leon and Placida Miguel also owned two ranches whereon they conducted farming operations in their individual capacities. These two properties are known as the Lower Honcott Road Ranch and the Central House Road Ranch.

The present controversy between the plaintiffs and Placida Miguel arises from the following scenario of events.

During the year of 1979, the Miguels approached Mr. Frank Galli, Sr., to procure the necessary financing for that year’s prune crop. Mr. Galli received a security interest in the crop and was fully paid at the year end from the crop proceeds. In 1980, Placida Miguel again approached Mr. Galli, Sr., to request a loan for the family farming operations. The 1980 loan was consummated on March 12, 1980 by Paco Financial, Inc., Frank Galli, Sr., the president and sole shareholder, for one-half the loan amount, and Linden Financial, Inc., the sole shareholder being Frank C. Galli, Jr., son of Frank Galli, Sr., for the other one-half. After initially agreeing to loan the money to the Miguels and taking back a security interest in the 1980 prune crop, as was successfully done in 1979, Mr. Galli, Sr., demanded additional security in the form of a deed of trust on The Hospital. The 1980 loan was made to Leonidas, Inc., as owners of The Hospital, with the hospital and the prune crop as security. This transaction, as structured by Mr. Galli, Sr., is of great interest to the court in light of his very direct testimony that since November of 1979 the usury limitations were not applicable to his loan since it was secured by real property. The only reason given for the subsequent demand for additional security was a vague assertion of an inability to fund the loan without it, but no change in circumstances from the prior year, when such a loan had been made, were shown to the court.

Thus the loan was made by the plaintiffs to Leonidas, Inc., who executed a promissory note for $82,500.00 at 16 percent interest, secured by a deed of trust on The Hospital. However, Placida Miguel testified that the loan was always treated as a loan to her and her husband as individuals; that Leonidas, Inc., never received the loan proceeds; and with the crop assignment given by them in their individual capacities, as the primary security for the loan. On cross-examination, Frank Galli, Sr., testified that it was his expectations that the loan would be repaid from the assignment of payments on the prune crop, as had occurred in 1979.

The actual loan transaction between the plaintiffs and Leonidas, Inc.., is indicative of the unequal bargaining positions of the parties. In March of 1980, plaintiffs loaned $82,500.00 to the Miguels. The transaction was negotiated solely by Mr. Frank Galli on behalf of the plaintiffs. Paco Financial, Inc., loaned one-half of the loan amount and Linden Financial, Inc., loaned the remaining one-half of the loan amount. The plaintiffs charged a “loan brokerage fee” of 20 percent for making the loan which came to an amount of $16,500.00. This amount was taken one-half by PACO and one-half by Linden before the loan proceeds were transmitted. Thus, the Miguels actually received only $66,000.00.

As evidence of this obligation, Leonidas, Inc., became the payor on a straight note in the amount of $82,500.00. This note accrued interest at the rate of 16 percent per annum. It was payable to “Paco Financial, Inc., as to an undivided lh interest; and Linden Financial, Inc., as to an undivided lk interest”.

When the prune crop of the Lower Hon-cott Ranch was sold, the plaintiffs received $58,389.00. Of this amount, $48,470.55 was credited to principal on the loan. (Plaintiffs’ Exhibit 8 — Plaintiffs’ Loan Payment Ledger.) This left a balance due and owing on the note of $34,510.55. When the Migu-els were unable to repay this amount, the plaintiffs filed notice of default and elec[892]*892tion to sell under their deed of trust on The Hospital. The notice of default was recorded on June 11,1981, by the plaintiffs and on September 17, 1981, a notice of trustee’s sale was recorded.

On October 1, 1981, Leonidas, Inc., conveyed title of The Hospital to Leon and Placida Miguel by corporation grant deed which was recorded October 2,1981. Placi-da Miguel stated in her testimony that there was no consideration given for this transfer. However, her testimony indicated that the reason for the transfer was to strengthen their ability to repay the plaintiffs, as well as to protect the corporation.

ISSUE

The primary issue is whether the transfer of title to The Hospital from Leonidas, Inc., to the Miguels in their capacities as individuals, was made for the purpose of hindering, delaying and defrauding their creditors, in particular, the plaintiffs.

DISCUSSION

In his deposition, Prank Galli, Sr., testified that in February 1980 Mrs. Miguel called him, advising that she was in need of funds and “I said, no way could I interest anybody in a loan to them as individuals or on that property”. (Page 11, line 5.) Mr.

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30 B.R. 889, 1983 Bankr. LEXIS 6111, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/paco-financial-inc-v-miguel-in-re-miguel-caeb-1983.