Ratermann v. Ratermann

485 S.W.2d 80, 1972 Mo. LEXIS 869
CourtSupreme Court of Missouri
DecidedSeptember 11, 1972
DocketNo. 55281
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 485 S.W.2d 80 (Ratermann v. Ratermann) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ratermann v. Ratermann, 485 S.W.2d 80, 1972 Mo. LEXIS 869 (Mo. 1972).

Opinion

HENLEY, Judge.

This is an appeal from an order and judgment striking from the files appellant’s motion, filed September 8, 1969, which sought to set aside a consent decree entered June 11, 1965, in a suit in equity.

Appellant’s notice of appeal filed December 18, 1969, purports to effect an appeal from both the consent decree entered June 11, 1965, and the above referred to judgment striking appellant’s motion from the files. Respondents have moved to dismiss the appeal from the consent decree on the grounds (1) that the notice was not timely filed, and (2) appellant waived his right to appeal from the consent decree, as shown by that decree. The motion is sustained and the appeal from [82]*82the June, 1965 consent decree only is dismissed. Civil Rule 81.04, V.A.M.R.

Respondents, Alois J. Ratermann, Edward E. Ratermann, Marcella Ratermann Sheridan and Mary Ratermann Mollerus, and the appellant, Robert E. Ratermann, are brothers and sisters and children of Al and Theresa Ratermann who died in 1957 and 1958, respectively. For convenience and clarity we will refer to respondents as plaintiffs and the defendant-appellant, Robert E. Ratermann, as movant.

This protracted litigation, of which this appeal is the latest, began in 1959, and involved several classes of action,1 including nine suits in equity involving, primarily, the ownership of shares of the capital stock of Ratermann Realty & Investment Company, a corporation (hereinafter referred to as Ratermann Realty), the owner of valuable real estate. In July, 1963, these actions were consolidated into one suit in equity. On November 12, 1962, before consolidation, plaintiffs, movant, and another brother (Lambert) entered into an agreement, known as the “Family Settlement Agreement”, for the adjustment of differences between them. The substance of this agreement, insofar as pertinent here, is that in consideration of his agreement to dismiss certain will contests and other actions, movant was (1) given an option to purchase for $26,000 an apartment building (known as the Alamo property) belonging to the estates, and (2) to pay his brothers, Alois and Edward, in excess of $12,700 for which they agreed to transfer to him a one-fifth interest in certain shares of the stock of Ratermann Realty held in the name of others, but which they claimed to own and sought to recover in the pending litigation.

In the process of consolidation of the suits movant was, for the first time, made a party defendant in this litigation.2 He filed,3 pro se, an answer, a counterclaim and a cross-claim in which he alleged, inter alia: (1) that plaintiffs had breached the Family Settlement Agreement by refusing to complete the transaction for his purchase of the Alamo property; (2) that he was entitled to -a one-fifth interest in the stock of Ratermann Realty owned by his deceased parents or their estates as well as a one-fifth interest in the shares which Alois and Edward claimed to own and sought to recover from other defendants; and (3) that he was entitled to an accounting by plaintiffs for all assets in their hands, a liquidation of all assets of Rater-mann Realty, damages of $250,000 in lieu of accounting for breach of the Family Settlement Agreement, and a determination of the title to all shares of stock in Rater-mann Realty and its assets.

The consolidated suit was set for hearing and trial commenced January 26, 1965. Plaintiffs completed their evidence that day. Movant represented himself and began introduction of evidence in support of his answer, counterclaim and cross-claim. The proceedings at which this evidence was introduced, accompanied by frequent objections and bitter argument, continued through January 27 and 28, and February 10 and 11.

On February 12, 1965, the hearing was continued until March 29, 1965, when it was shown that movant was being treated by Dr. Murray Finn, a psychiatrist. On March 29, Ellis Gregory, a lawyer and office associate of movant, appeared in his behalf and moved for a continuance for six months. The motion was accompanied by an affidavit by Dr. Finn stating that [83]*83movant was not psychotic and not incompetent, but that further tension and pressure from the trial might result in severe damage to his general health. The case was continued and reset for April 20.

On April 20, 1965, Mrs. Helen Ratermann appeared and informed the court that her husband had entered a hospital the night before and was still under the care of Dr. Finn. Counsel for plaintiffs stated they would not resist a continuance, but would like to inquire into the question of whether a guardian ad litem should be appointed. Dr. Finn was examined on this question and testified that movant’s condition could be described as “obsessed, compulsive personality * * * This indicates a lifelong history of anxiety, tension, and a tendency towards obsessive thinking.” As to movant’s present health status, Dr. Finn further testified:

“Q Is it your opinion that his emotional health at this time is such that he could effectively consider settlement now ?

“A I feel it could be discussed at this point. I have all along said that he is mentally competent, as far as making decisions, I certainly think it could be discussed and see what happens.

“Q You think there could be such a discussion, without immediate danger to his emotional and physical health ?

“A I would say so.”

After this testimony, the court reset the case for September 13, for continuation of the trial, and set a hearing for August 2 to determine whether or not a guardian ad li-tem should be appointed.

Thereafter settlement negotiations were begun, all parties to the suit were able to reach a compromise of their differences, and the case was settled. The terms of the settlement were reduced to writing and put in the form of a consent decree to which was attached an “approval” bearing the signatures of movant, his counsel, and counsel for all other parties.

On June 11, 1965, counsel for plaintiffs, counsel for movant and counsel for all other parties appeared in open court and presented the decree to the trial judge for approval and entry. After the court inquired into the matter of movant’s satisfaction with and understanding of the decree, it was approved by the court and entered of record.

On September 8, 1969, the motion to set aside the consent decree was filed by mov-ant and his wife.4 The motion alleges, inter alia, that movant received electric shock therapy while hospitalized from April to July, 1965; that plaintiffs failed to tell movant they had been offered not less than $1,000,000 for real estate of Ra-termann Realty; and that “[t]hough Mov-ants greatly regret having to state it as their opinion, to them it appears quite evident, based upon the whole record herein that Plaintiffs aided and abeted [sic] by their Counsel have connived at purloining what long ago should have been their fair portion of participation in their parents estates * * *; that Plaintiffs aided and abeted [sic] by their Counsel took great and unfair advantage of a distress situation to profit for themselves without regard to consequence; that Plaintiffs aided and abeted [sic] by their Counsel perpetrated a fraud upon this Court.” This motion was served upon the individual plaintiffs and the corporate defendant by delivery by registered mail to their counsel.

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Bluebook (online)
485 S.W.2d 80, 1972 Mo. LEXIS 869, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ratermann-v-ratermann-mo-1972.