Union Camp Chemicals Ltd. v. State Street Bank

15 Mass. L. Rptr. 666
CourtMassachusetts Superior Court
DecidedFebruary 5, 2003
DocketNo. 003451F
StatusPublished

This text of 15 Mass. L. Rptr. 666 (Union Camp Chemicals Ltd. v. State Street Bank) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Massachusetts Superior Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Union Camp Chemicals Ltd. v. State Street Bank, 15 Mass. L. Rptr. 666 (Mass. Ct. App. 2003).

Opinion

King, J.

The plaintiff obtained ajudgment for damages and costs in the amount of £5,019,301, in a British case, Union Camp Chemicals Limited v. CRL TCL Limited, f/k/a Todd Combustion, Limited, in London, England. This judgment has been satisfied in part through insurance and assets, but £931,1072 remains outstanding. The plaintiff asserts that there are presently monies and credits of approximately $4.3 million available to satisfy the judgment in the possession of the defendant State Street Bank under the terms of a contract entitled First Amended Escrow Agreement, effective April 25, 2000. The other defendants all claim their own interests in the same funds. A writ of attachment on trustee process was most recently issued December 19, 2002. This matter is now before the court on the plaintiffs renewed motion for summary judgment and defendants Todd Credfield Acquisition Company, Inc. and Todd Combustion, Inc.’s cross motion for summary judgment. After hearing and consideration of the arguments of counsel, the court, for the reasons that follow, will grant plaintiffs motion for summary judgment and deny the cross motion for summary judgment.

BACKGROUND

The material facts are not in dispute. Union Camp Chemicals Limited (“UCC”) purchased a boiler from Todd Combustion, Ltd. (“Todd UK”3), a British company. The boiler was installed at UCC’s chemical processing facility in County Durham, England. On January 28, 1997, the boiler exploded, resulting in extensive damage. At the time of the explosion, Todd UK was a subsidiary of Todd US.4 In March of 1997, UCC gave written notice that a claim for damages arising out of the explosion was being asserted against Todd UK.

On April 12, 1999, Todd UK and Todd US each entered into separate agreements to sell certain assets to John Zink Company, Ltd (“Zink UK”) and John Zink Company, LLC (“Zink US”5), respectively. Both Zink companies are owned by Koch Industries, Inc. Both purchase agreements include a schedule of the legal proceedings known to be outstanding at the time of the closing. Todd UK lists two potential liabilities, one of which is, “Potential insurance claim related to Todd regarding boiler explosion on 28 January 1997 at Union Camp Chemicals.” Todd US lists one hundred and thirty potential liabilities, almost all of which relate to potential asbestos-related liability actions. Claim 128, however, is listed as, “Potential insurance claim related to Todd Combustion Limited regarding boiler explosion on January 28, 1997 at Union Camp Chemicals.” Both Todd UK and Todd US were therefore aware of the incident and the potential for legal claims against them arising out of the explosion at the time of their asset purchase by the Zink companies.

In addition to the separate asset, purchase agreements, on April 12, 1999 Todd UK, Todd US, Zink UK, Zink US, and Exeter Venture Lenders, L.P. entered into an escrow agreement with State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”) as escrow agent. The purpose of this agreement was to set aside certain funds from the purchase price for indemnification against potential third-party claims related to Todd, some of which had been assumed by Zink, for a period of four years. The parties further amended this agreement on April 25, 2000, resulting in the First Amended Escrow Agreement (“Escrow Agreement”) discussed herein.

Under the Escrow Agreement, either the sellers or the purchasers can make claims against the escrow funds during the term of the escrow. Claims by the sellers are governed in part by § 10.2(d) of both the US and UK purchase agreements. These nearly identical clauses provide, in relevant part, that,

With respect to liabilities retained by Sellers . . . Purchaser agrees that if any third party claims [or lawsuits] are brought against Sellers arising out of occurrences prior to, concurrent with, or subsequent to the Closing Date resulting from, arising out of or incident to the operations of the Business prior to the Closing, Sellers may make a claim against the Escrow Account to partially or fully satisfy any such claims or lawsuits to the extent not paid by any available insurance proceeds in accordance with the terms of the Escrow Agreement.

Section 3.1 (b) of the Escrow Agreement provides the procedure for the sellers, including Todd UK, to file such a claim against the escrow account. Written notice must be given to State Street, Exeter, and Zink which shall briefly set forth the basis of the claim and, [668]*668if possible, a reasonable estimate of the amount, which may include attorneys, accountants’ and other fees or expenses incurred to resolve the claim. Upon receiving such notice, State Street shall hold separately from the general escrow funds an amount equal to the claim. Any proceeds that Todd UK might obtain through an escrow claim such as this, “shall be utilized solely to pay liabilities to unaffiliated third parties.”

Section 3.2(b) of the Escrow Agreement addresses when State Street may distribute funds which have been claimed by a seller. Zink is allowed twenty days to respond to the claim in writing. If it authorizes the claim, the funds shall be disbursed to the extent available. If it makes no response, the funds shall be disbursed to the extent available at the end of the twenty days. If Zink objects to the claim, it must do so with specificity as to what amount, if any, it agrees the seller is entitled. State Street shall then disburse the agreed to amount to the extent available.

Section 3.3(b) addresses how a dispute amongst the parties regarding the validity of an escrow claim by a seller is to be resolved. Within fifteen days of when the seller receives a written obj ection from Zink, the sellers and the purchasers must, “attempt in good faith to agree upon the rights and obligations of the respective parties” with respect to the claim. If they fail to agree, as is the case in the matter before the court, the dispute shall be settled by:

(a) mutual agreement of Purchaser and Sellers, evidenced by single written instructions to the Escrow Agent, (b) a binding and final arbitration award, provided the Parties have agreed to arbitration with respect to the matters in dispute, or (c) a final judgment, order or decree of a court of competentjurisdiction in the United States of America (the time for appeal therefrom having expired and no appeal having been perfected), all costs and expenses of which (including reasonable attorneys fees) shall be borne as provided in the applicable Purchase Agreements or, failing any such agreement therein, by the party against whom the dispute is settled as aforesaid.

The Todd UK purchase agreement does not contain any provision regarding allocation of costs and expenses in the case of litigation between Todd UK and Zink to enforce an escrow claim, so costs of this action are to be borne by the party against whom the dispute is settled.

No provision is made anywhere in the Escrow Agreement for an objection by Todd US to be made regarding an escrow claim asserted by Todd UK. Both are “sellers” under the terms of the Escrow Agreement and the agreement only allows objection to seller claims to come from “purchasers,” in this case, Zink.

Under the terms of §4.4 of the Escrow Agreement, State Street is to deliver the funds due on a finalized escrow claim, “(p]romptly after ... a notice of the determination of such a Claim in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.3 hereof . .

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Bluebook (online)
15 Mass. L. Rptr. 666, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/union-camp-chemicals-ltd-v-state-street-bank-masssuperct-2003.