S3 Partners, LLC v. Fidessa Corp.

2024 NY Slip Op 31199(U)

• Court: New York Supreme Court, New York County
• Decided: April 8, 2024
• Status: Unpublished

Opinion

S3 Partners, LLC v Fidessa Corp. 2024 NY Slip Op 31199(U) April 8, 2024 Supreme Court, New York County Docket Number: Index No. 653132/2023 Judge: Andrew Borrok Cases posted with a "30000" identifier, i.e., 2013 NY Slip Op 30001(U), are republished from various New York State and local government sources, including the New York State Unified Court System's eCourts Service. This opinion is uncorrected and not selected for official publication. INDEX NO. 653132/2023 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 113 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/08/2024

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK: COMMERCIAL DIVISION PART 53 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- X

S3 PARTNERS, LLC INDEX NO. 653132/2023

Plaintiff, 07/27/2023, 09/21/2023, - V - MOTION DATE 12/20/2023 FIDESSA CORPORATION, MOTION SEQ. NO. 001 004 006 Defendant. DECISION+ ORDER ON MOTION ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- X

HON. ANDREW BORROK:

The following e-filed documents, listed by NYSCEF document number (Motion 001) 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,24,30,33,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,57,58, 64,65,66 were read on this motion to/for MISCELLANEOUS

The following e-filed documents, listed by NYSCEF document number (Motion 004) 35, 36, 37, 38, 56, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71 were read on this motion to/for DISMISSAL

The following e-filed documents, listed by NYSCEF document number (Motion 006) 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 97 were read on this motion to/for LEAVE TO FILE

Upon the foregoing documents, the motion (Mtn. Seq. No. 001) seeking to strike allegations in

the now superseded original complaint (the Original Complaint; NYSCEF Doc. No. 1) by the

amended complaint (the AC; NYSCEF Doc. No. 28) and for costs in having to bring the motion

is denied. The motion (Mtn. Seq. No. 004) seeking to dismiss the AC is denied. The motion

(Mtn. Seq. No. 006) seeking to amend the AC is granted.

THE RELEVANT FACTS

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Reference is made to an Investment Agreement, dated as of August 4, 2021 (the Agreement;

NYSCEF Doc. No. 7), by and between S3 Partners, LLC (S3) and Fidessa Corporation (Fidessa)

pursuant to which Fidessa agreed to provide approximately $40 million of funding to S3 in two

traunches. In this lawsuit, S3 claims that Fidessa failed to provide the second traunch of

financing in the amount of approximately $6,250,000 asserting causes of action sounding in

breach of contract, specific performance, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair

dealing, and a declaratory judgment to determine the parties' rights and obligations under the

Agreement. As relevant, in the Original Complaint, S3 alleged that Fidessa and ION Group

lacked the financial ability to provide $6.25 million in financing to S3. Fidessa claims that these

allegations were frivolous and that the attorney's representing S3 knew that they were false and

only asserted them to hurt Fidessa' s reputation. To wit, among other things, Fidessa had already

claimed that it had not provided the second traunch of funding to S3 because it had claimed that

S3 had breached the Agreement and as a showing of its ability to make the second traunch

funding, Fidessa offered to place the $6.25 million in escrow. In fact, Fidessa alleges that it was

only after S3 made a motion (Mtn. Seq. No. 001) to strike the offending allegations that S3 filed

the Amended Complaint (AC; NYSCEF Doc. No. 28) removing these allegations. As such, and

as discussed below, Fidessa has moved for costs and fees associated with having to bring the

motion pursuant to 22 NYCRR Section 130-1.1.

In the AC, and without the offending allegations that Fidessa has not funded the second traunch

contemplated by the Agreement because it lacks the financial wherewithal to do so, S3 asserts

the same four causes of action.

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Subsequently, Fidessa filed a motion (Mtn. Seq. No. 4) seeking dismissal of the AC pursuant to

CPLR 321 l(a)(7) for failure to state a cause of action (and without asserting that any allegations

in the AC must be struck as irrelevant or prejudicial) and S3 opposes that motion and otherwise

moved (Mtn. Seq. No. 006) seeking leave to file an amendment to its AC. Fidessa opposes that

motion.

Discussion

I. Fidessa's Motion (Mtn. Seq. No. 001) Seeking Sanctions is Denied

CPLR 3024(b) provides that "[a] party may move to strike any scandalous or prejudicial matter

unnecessarily inserted in a pleading." In applying this rule, the Appellate Division has stated

that "[a] motion to strike scandalous or prejudicial material from a pleading will be denied if the

allegations are relevant to a cause of action" (New York City Health and Hasps. Corp. v St.

Barnabas Community Health Plan, 22 AD3d 391, 391 [1st Dept 2005] [citations omitted], cited

by Patrick M. Connors, Prac Commentaries, McKinney's Cons Laws of NY, CPLR C3024:4

["[W]e may conclude that 'unnecessarily' means 'irrelevant' .... Generally speaking, if the item

would be admissible at the trial under the evidentiary rules of relevancy, its inclusion in the

pleading, whether or not it constitutes ideal pleading, should not ordinarily justify a motion to

strike under CPLR 3024[b ]"]).

22 NYCRR Section 130-1. l(a) authorizes the award of "costs in the form ofreimbursement for

actual expenses reasonably incurred and reasonable attorney's fees, resulting from frivolous

conduct." Under subsection (c) of that Rule, "conduct is frivolous if:

(1) it is completely without merit in law and cannot be supported by a reasonable argument for an extension, modification or reversal of existing law; (2) it is undertaken primarily to delay or prolong the resolution of the litigation, or to harass or maliciously injure another; or 653132/2023 S3 PARTNERS, LLC vs. FIDESSA CORPORATION Page 3 of 10 Motion No. 001 004 006

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(3) it asserts material factual statements that are false.

Frivolous conduct shall include the making of a frivolous motion for costs or sanctions under this section. In determining whether the conduct undertaken was frivolous, the court shall consider, among other issues the circumstances under which the conduct took place, including the time available for investigating the legal or factual basis of the conduct, and whether or not the conduct was continued when its lack of legal or factual basis was apparent, should have been apparent, or was brought to the attention of counsel or the party."

In its moving papers (NYSCEF Doc No. 14, at 13), Fidessa identifies four discrete allegations

that S3 made in the Original Complaint, in ,i,i 2, 6, and 11, which it asserts are false, unnecessary

to the Original Complaint, and damaging to its reputation. Assuming without deciding that such

"unnecessary" allegations would fall within the ambit of CPLR 3024(b), Fidessa's motion to

strike is nonetheless denied. S3 amended the Original Complaint as of right pursuant to CPLR

Section 3025(a) during the pendency of this motion and removed the offending allegations.

Inasmuch as "'the amendment cure[d] the defect, the motion should be deemed to abate"'

(Cassissi v Yee, 46 Misc3d 552,555 [Sup Ct, Westchester County 2014], quoting David D.

Siegel, Prac Commentaries, McKinney's Cons Laws of NY, CPLR 3024:7). To be clear, the

record before the Court with respect to the allegations in the Original Complaint to which

Fidessa objects does not w amount to the kind of frivolous conduct warranting sanction because S3 abandoned those allegations (22 NYCRR § 130-1.1 [c]) when it filed the AC which AC

"supersede[d] the original complaint and [become] the only complaint in the case" (id., quoting

Halmar Distribs. v Approved Mfg. Corp., 49 AD2d 841, 841 [1st Dept 1975]). Should however

S3 reassert those allegations or other allegedly baseless allegations, Fidessa may renew its

motion. Thus, the motion is denied without prejudice.

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II. Fidessa's Motion (Mtn. Seq. No. 004) is denied

"On a motion to dismiss a complaint pursuant to CPLR 3211, we must liberally construe the

pleading and 'accept the facts as alleged in the complaint as true, accord plaintiffs the benefit of

every possible favorable inference, and determine only whether the facts as alleged fit within any

cognizable legal theory"' (Himmelstein, McConnell, Gribben, Donoghue & Joseph, LLP v

Matthew Bender & Co. , Inc., 37 NY3d 169, 175, rearg denied,. 37 NY3d 1020 [2021], quoting

Leon v Martinez, 84 NY2d 83, 87-88 [1994]). "Modem pleading rules are designed to focus

attention on whether the pleader has a cause of action rather than on whether he has properly

stated one" (Rovella v Orofino Realty Co., Inc. , 40 NY2d 633, 636 [1976] [internal quotation

marks and citations omitted]).

"Dismissal under CPLR 321 l(a)(7) is [only] warranted if the plaintiff fails to assert facts in

support of an element of the claim, or if the factual allegations and inferences to be drawn from

them do not allow for an enforceable right of recovery" (Himmelstein, 27 NY3d at 175 [internal

quotation marks and citation omitted]). "Statements in a pleading shall be sufficiently particular

to give the court and parties notice of the transactions, occurrences, or series of transactions or

occurrences, intended to be proved and the material elements of each cause of action or defense"

(CPLR 3013).

In its moving papers, and relying principally on Avalon Constr. Corp. v Kirch Holding Co. (256

NY 137, 141 [1931]) which affirmed the Second Department's affirmance of a judgment of

Special Term after trial, that "a breach of contract to make a loan, standing by itself, involves no

legal damage" (emphasis added), reasoning that the borrower, being denied the loan, is also

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relieved of its repayment obligation, Fidessa argues that the breach of contract cause of action

(first cause of action) must be dismissed because the $6.25 million second traunch funding is a

loan, not an investment, such that there are no direct or consequential damages. The argument

fails at this stage of the litigation. The plain language of the Agreement which must govern its

construction (see R/S Assocs. v New York Job Dev. Auth., 98 NY2d 29, 32 [2002] ["when parties

set down their agreement in a clear, complete document, their writing should as a rule be

enforced according to its terms"] [internal quotation marks and citations omitted]) appears to be

at odds with this interpretation such that dismissal at this stage is not appropriate. For clarity, the

fact that the Agreement provides that "[t]he ION Investor has agreed to subscribe for Shares and

the Company has agreed to issue Shares on the terms and subject to the conditions of the

Agreement" (Agreement, Recitals [affirmation of Alexander B. Lees, Esq., ex A [NYSCEF Doc

No. 37]) does not on its face mean that the $6.25 million second traunch funding was a loan

requiring dismissal. Indeed, the substance of the Agreement appears to provide for an up to $40

million investment from Fidessa in exchange for a substantial share in S3 's equity and control of

its business. More specifically, Fidessa paid the first tranche of $33.75 million, defined as the

"Subscription Amount," to S3 in exchange for S3's issuance of"(i) the Ordinary Shares ... of the

Company ... , (ii) the Redeemable Shares, and (iii) the Warrants" (id. ,J2.1.28 [emphasis added]).

Fidessa also received the right to appoint two "Investor Directors" to S3' s Board of Managers

(id. ,i 9.1 et seq.) and agreed to invest the second tranche of up to $6.25 million at any time in the

two years following "Completion" (i.e., closing of the Agreement) "upon written request by

[S3]," in exchange for the Redeemable Shares (id. ,i 3.3).

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For clarity, S3's assertion that it is due $6.25 million in direct damages for Fidessa's breach of

contract claim does not appear to be correct because had it received that amount, S3 would have

been required to issue the Redeemable Shares for Fidessa' s later redemption with interest (id.,

,i,i 3.3, 7.5-7.9). Consequential damages however are another matter. Paragraph 46 of the AC

asserts that Fidessa' s breach allegedly impaired operations and caused additional costs in

securing replacement funding which costs were the foreseeable consequences ofFidessa's

alleged breach and were allegedly within the parties' contemplation at the time they entered the

Agreement (D.K. Prop., Inc. v National Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburgh, PA, 168 AD3d 505,

506-07 [1st Dept 2019]). This may be correct. Dismissal at this time is premature.

Fidessa is also not entitled to dismissal of S3' s cause of action sounding in breach of the implied

covenant of good faith and fair dealing (second cause of action) at this stage of the litigation. As

alleged, it is not duplicative of its breach of contract claim (AEA Middle Mkt. Debt Funding LLC

v Marblegate Asset Mgt., LLC, 214 AD3d 111, 133 [1st Dept 2023]). Here, S3 alleges that

Fidessa breached the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing by demanding that S3 meet

extra-contractual reporting duties, interfering with S3 's auditors and delaying completion of their

audit, and then refusing to "accept" the audit (citing AC, ,i 62 [NYSCEF Doc No. 60]; cf id.,

,i,i 43-47). This is different and separate from the alleged breach by Fidessa in failing to fund the

$6.25 million second traunch.

Fidessa is also not entitled to dismissal of S3' s cause of action for specific performance (third

cause of action). S3 may not have an adequate remedy at law and it would be error to deprive S3

of its right to allege inconsistent or contradictory causes of action at the pleading stage

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particularly where Fidessa argues that S3 has not suffered consequential recoverable damages

(see Levy v Franklin Natl. Bank, 52 AD2d 769, 769 [1st Dept 1976]).

Finally, Fidessa is not entitled to dismissal at this stage of the declaratory judgment (fourth cause

of action) because S3 must be permitted to argue in the alternative and S3 is entitled to a

declaration from this Court as to whether there are reciprocal enforceable obligations under the

agreement under the circumstances of this case (Kevin Spence & Sons, Inc. v Boar's Head

Provisions Co., 5 AD3d 352, 353-54 [1st Dept 2004]; Hyde Park Landing, Ltd. v Town ofHyde

Park, 130 AD3d 730, 731 [2d Dept 2015], quoting Matter ofMorgenthau v Erlbaum, 59 NY2d

143, 148 [1983] ["declaratory relief 'is not an extraordinary remedy,' as it 'only provides a

declaration of rights between the parties' and 'cannot be executed upon so as to compel a party

to perform an act"']). Accordingly, the motion to dismiss the AC is denied.

III. S3's motion (Mtn. Seq. No. 006) seeking leave to amend the AC is granted

CPLR 3025(b) provides:

"[a] party may amend his or her pleading, or supplement it by setting forth additional or subsequent transactions or occurrences, at any time by leave of court or by stipulation of all parties. Leave shall be freely given upon such terms as may be just including the granting of costs and continuances. Any motion to amend or supplement pleadings shall be accompanied by the proposed amended or supplemental pleading clearly showing the changes or additions to be made to the pleading."

The Appellate Division has been clear"' [l]eave to amend pleadings should be freely granted in

the absence of prejudice or surprise so long as the proposed amendment is not palpably

insufficient as a matter of law"' ( Olam Corp. v Thayer, 202 I WL 408232, 2021 NY Slip Op 653132/2023 S3 PARTNERS, LLC vs. FIDESSA CORPORATION Page 8 of 10 Motion No. 001 004 006

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30345[U], *2 [Sup Ct, NY County 2021], quoting Mashinsky v Drescher, 188 AD3d 465,465

[1st Dept 2000] [emphasis in original]). In other words, "[a] proposed amended complaint that

would be subject to dismissal as a matter of law is, by definition, 'palpably insufficient or clearly

devoid of merit' and thus should not be permitted under CPLR 3025" (Olam Corp., 2021 NY

Slip Op 30345[U], *3-4 [emphasis in original]). Simply put, Fidessa is not correct that the

proposed Second Amended and Supplemental Complaint (the SAC) is palpably insufficient or

utterly devoid of merit as a matter oflaw. The additional allegations in the SAC, including the

December 30, 2022 e-mail from Kunal Gullapalli, are relevant and bolster S3' s allegations as to

nature of Fidessa's second tranche investment - i.e., that Fidessa viewed it as an investment and

not a loan (ex D [NYSCEF Doc No. 86] to affirmation of A.J. Monaco, Esq. in support

[NYSCEF Doc No. 82]). In addition, paragraphs 70 and 89 of the SAC include more detailed

allegations regarding the harm Fidessa' s alleged breach caused to S3 's operations and the

ensuing efforts and expenditures incurred obtain replacement financing in August 2023. Thus,

the motion must be granted.

The Court has considered Fidessa' s remaining arguments and finds them unavailing.

Accordingly, it is hereby

ORDERED that defendant Fidessa' s motion to strike, pursuant to CPLR 3024(b ), and for

reimbursement of costs and fees, pursuant to 22 NYCRR Section 130-1.1, is denied; and it is

further

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ORDERED that defendant Fidessa's motion to dismiss plaintiff S3's AC is denied; and it is

ORDERED that plaintiff S3's motion for leave to amend the amended complaint is granted, and

that the SAC shall be deemed served upon service of a copy of the decision and order with notice

of entry thereof; and it is further

ORDERED that defendant Fidessa shall serve an answer to the SAC or otherwise respond

thereto within 20 days from the date of said service; and it is further

ORDERED that counsel are directed to appear for a preliminary conference in Room 238 of this

Court, at 60 Centre Street, on April 15, 2024, at 11: 30am.

4/8/2024 DATE ANDREW BORROK, J.S.C.

~ CHECK ONE: CASE DISPOSED NON-FINAL DISPOSITION

GRANTED □ DENIED GRANTED IN PART □ OTHER APPLICATION: SETTLE ORDER SUBMIT ORDER

CHECK IF APPROPRIATE: INCLUDES TRANSFER/REASSIGN FIDUCIARY APPOINTMENT □ REFERENCE

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