Smith v. Leonard

840 S.W.2d 167, 310 Ark. 782, 1992 Ark. LEXIS 644
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedNovember 2, 1992
Docket92-524
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 840 S.W.2d 167 (Smith v. Leonard) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Smith v. Leonard, 840 S.W.2d 167, 310 Ark. 782, 1992 Ark. LEXIS 644 (Ark. 1992).

Opinion

Donald L. Corbin, Justice.

This case has a complex and complicated procedural history. This case originally began as an action by Jeannette Smith, a shareholder of Leonard’s Hardware, Inc. and partner in Leonard-Parker-Smith against the corporation, the partnership and one of the other shareholders and partners, John Paul Leonard. The case quickly became more complicated with several interventions, cross-claims, counterclaims, and third party claims being filed. This case was appealed to us pursuant to Ark. Sup. Ct. R. 29(1 )(c) because it involves the interpretation and construction of certain provisions of the Arkansas Business Corporation Act of 1965, Ark. Code Ann. § 4-26-101 et seq. (1987). However, we do not address the substantive issues on appeal because we find the final decree does not address all the parties and all the claims and is therefore not a final and appealable judgment. ARCP Rule 54(b); Quality Ford, Inc. v. Faust, 307 Ark. 371, 820 S.W.2d 61 (1991). Therefore, we dismiss this appeal pursuant to ARCP Rule 54(b). We will set out the procedural history of this case only in as much detail as is necessary to explain our decision.

On August 23, 1990, Jeannette Smith filed suit against Leonard’s Hardware, Inc., an Arkansas Corporation, Leonard-Parker-Smith, an Arkansas general partnership and John Paul Leonard, individually, alleging fraudulent and intentional misconduct on the part of John Paul Leonard, oppressive conduct by Mr. Leonard, breach of fiduciary duty by Mr. Leonard, fraud by Mr. Leonard, and violation of the Arkansas Securities Act as codified at Ark. Code Ann § 23-42-106 (1987). Ms. Smith asked for rescission of certain stock transactions, an accounting and independent audit of the financial records of the corporation, appointment of a receiver for the corporation and a partnership, injunctive relief, and money damages. The complaint was properly served on each of the three defendants and each of the three defendants filed answers to the complaint within the permitted time period.

On September 7, 1990, Shirley Leonard filed a motion to intervene as a creditor and as joint owner of John Paul Leonard’s stock and to file a cross-complaint. Shirley Leonard also filed a cross-complaint against Jeannette Smith on September 7, 1990, for filing a false and slanderous lawsuit against John Paul Leonard and Leonard’s Hardware that will be detrimental to the business of Leonard’s Hardware and Shirley Leonard. Shirley Leonard’s motion to intervene was granted on September 7, 1990, and the order allowing intervention was filed on September 12, 1990.

On October 1, 1990, Jim and Paula Parker filed a motion to intervene. The October 1 motion to intervene was apparently not acted upon by the court as no order is contained in the record granting or denying the motion to intervene of Jim and Paula Parker. On January 23, 1991, Paula Parker filed a motion to intervene and to file a third party complaint. The order granting Paula Parker’s motion to intervene and file a third party action was filed on January 22, 1991.

John Paul Leonard filed a counterclaim against Jeannette Smith on January 18, 1991, adopting all the allegations of the cross-complaint filed by Shirley Leonard regarding filing of a wrongful action.

February 28, 1991, Leonard’s Hardware, Inc. filed a third party complaint against James Larry Smith for conversion, and fraud.

Jeannette Smith’s First Amended and Substituted Complaint was filed on March 8, 1991. The First Amended and Substituted Complaint added Shirley Leonard, James Larry Smith, James E. Parker, and Paula Parker as defendants along with Leonard’s Hardware, Inc., Leonard-Parker-Smith, and John Paul Leonard. Answers were filed on behalf of all the parties except Leonard-Parker-Smith.

March 26, 1991, John Paul Leonard filed a Motion to Join Mrs. W.O. Tibbels as a cross defendant to his cross-claim. On the same day, John Paul Leonard also filed a counterclaim against Jeannette Smith and cross-claim against James Larry Smith, Leonard’s Hardware, Inc., James Parker, Paula Parker, Leonard-Parker-Smith Partnership, and Mrs. W.O. Tibbels for a declaratory judgment that the partnership has been dissolved and requesting the court appoint a receiver to wind up the affairs of the partnership. It does not appear from the record the counterclaim against Jeannette Smith or the cross-claim against James Larry Smith, Leonard’s Hardware, Inc., James Parker, Paula Parker, Leonard-Parker-Smith Partnership, and Mrs. W.O. Tibbels was never resolved, although the motion to join Mrs. Tibbels was withdrawn. The following exchange occurred between Mrs. Tibbels’ attorney, Mr. Leonard’s attorney and the chancellor on the day of the trial:

THE COURT:
Mr. Streett, are you involved?
MR. STREETT:
I don’t think so, Judge. I represent Mrs. Tibbels, and I think the Court’s ruled in Chambers — I’d like it on the record that the motion to enjoin her as a party has either been withdrawn or denied.
THE COURT:
My understand, it was mute. There was no — I may be in error, but I thought I was advised in Chambers that they had settled and dissolved the property which she was a partner.
MR. DERRICK DAVIDSON (Counsel for John Paul Leonard):
The parties have settled the matters in regards to the claims against Mrs. Tibbels, and the motion is withdrawn.

On March 26, 1991, a motion for summary judgment was filed by John Paul Leonard on all claims of the plaintiff against John Paul Leonard.

April 10, 1991, James Larry Smith filed a third-party counterclaim against Leonard’s Hardware, Inc.

May 13, 1991, Paula Parker filed a counterclaim against Leonard’s Hardware, Inc. and John Paul Leonard for breach of fiduciary duty to the minority stockholders and asking that the alleged conveyance from Larry Smith to the Corporation be set aside as it was invalid and unauthorized and was only a pledge which was never consummated or approved by the Board of Directors.

On May 30, 1991, an order was filed granting John Paul Leonard’s Motion for Summary Judgment on Mrs. Smith’s claim of ownership to Mr. Smith’s stock, promissory note and interest in the property located at 1319 South Arkansas Avenue and denying summary judgment on all remaining issues pending before the court.

The case was tried on August 26, 1991. At the beginning of the trial, the motion to join Mrs. Tibbels as a party was withdrawn and the cross complaint of Shirley Leonard was transferred to circuit court. There is no indication in the record of the treatment of the counterclaim by John Paul Leonard encompassing the same claims as Shirley Leonard’s cross-complaint.

After the trial, the case was taken under advisement, a letter setting forth the chancellor’s findings of fact and conclusions of law was issued October 2, 1991, and the chancellor’s decree was entered on October 9, 1991. The decree stated:

1.

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Bluebook (online)
840 S.W.2d 167, 310 Ark. 782, 1992 Ark. LEXIS 644, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/smith-v-leonard-ark-1992.