Securities & Exchange Commission v. Aberdeen Securities Co., Inc.

381 F. Supp. 614
CourtDistrict Court, D. Delaware
DecidedAugust 29, 1974
DocketCiv. A. No. 4224
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 381 F. Supp. 614 (Securities & Exchange Commission v. Aberdeen Securities Co., Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Delaware primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Securities & Exchange Commission v. Aberdeen Securities Co., Inc., 381 F. Supp. 614 (D. Del. 1974).

Opinion

OPINION

EDWIN D. STEEL, Jr., Senior District Judge.

Before the Court is an application by an attorney, Bogutz, for counsel fees and expenses incurred in connection with the liquidation of the debtor, Aberdeen Securities, Inc., under the Securities Investor Protection Act of 1970, 15 U.S.C. § 78aaa et seq. Bogutz represented Raizes in the proceeding and filed a claim on their behalf against Aberdeen for $500. This was on the theory that Raizes had paid $500 as the subscription price for shares of stock of Boatland, Inc. which had never been issued. Bogutz agreed to represent Raizes on a contingent basis under which Bogutz was to be paid by Raizes 50% of any sums recovered by Raizes. This Court disallowed the Raizes claim as [616]*616well as Bogutz’ application to prosecute the claim as a class action. Upon appeal the Court of Appeals affirmed the holding that a class action was not appropriate but remanded the Raizes claim “for appropriate findings in order to determine if there was, on the filing date, a legally sufficient claim by the Raizes against the debtor because of an obligation to return the money which had been made available to Aberdeen for purchase of a nonexistent stock.” Securities and Exchange Commission v. Aberdeen Securities Co., Inc., et al., 480 F.2d 1121, 1126-1128 (3rd Cir. 1973).

Before further action was taken on the remand, SIPC 15 USC § 78ccc reviewed the facts and the law and concluded that if the trustee should determine to allow the Raizes claim it would support his action. The trustee allowed the Raizes claim as well as the claims of twenty-eight other “Boatland” claimants involving facts identical to the claim of Raizes. The total Boatland claims allowed, including Raizes, amounted to $11,656. The allowance of the Boatland claims was consistent with the Court of Appeals statement in 480 F.2d at 1128:

“A ruling by the Court as to one category of creditors certainly would apply to all in that group.”

Bogutz seeks an allowance for services of $14,375 and for expenses of $1,064.59.

Bogutz argues that he is entitled to be recompensed for several reasons. First, that he and the other twenty-eight Boat-land claimants were directly benefited by his efforts in furthering the allowance of their claims. Second, claimants in other SIPC cases whose positions were like those of the Boatland claimants indirectly benefited by the decision as to which Bogutz contributed importantly. Third, his efforts served to effectuate the congressional policy reflected in the Securities Investor Protection Act, and fourth, his efforts secured proper notification to all customers of Aberdeen of the proceeding and the proposed distribution by the trustee.

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Bluebook (online)
381 F. Supp. 614, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/securities-exchange-commission-v-aberdeen-securities-co-inc-ded-1974.