Wilson v. HJ Wilson Co., Inc.

492 So. 2d 54
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 28, 1986
DocketCA 85 0187
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 492 So. 2d 54 (Wilson v. HJ Wilson Co., Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wilson v. HJ Wilson Co., Inc., 492 So. 2d 54 (La. Ct. App. 1986).

Opinion

492 So.2d 54 (1986)

Woodrow E. WILSON and Mary Catherine McLin Wilson
v.
H.J. WILSON CO., INC. and Huey J. Wilson.

No. CA 85 0187.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, First Circuit.

May 28, 1986.
Rehearing Denied August 20, 1986.
Writ Denied November 7, 1986.

*55 Thomas E. Balhoff, Baton Rouge, for plaintiff-appellant Woodrow E. Wilson, Mary Catherine McLin Wilson.

Robert E. Barkley, Jr., New Orleans, for defendant-appellee H.J. Wilson Co., Inc., Huey J. Wilson.

Before LOTTINGER, SAVOIE and CRAIN, JJ.

LOTTINGER, Judge.

This is a suit to recover a number of shares of stock in H.J. Wilson Co., Inc. Plaintiffs, Woodrow E. Wilson and his wife, Mary Catherine McLin Wilson, appeal the judgment of the trial court granting summary judgment in favor of defendants, and the dismissal of plaintiffs' claims.

The facts of this matter were reported by this court in Wilson v. H.J. Wilson Co., Inc., 430 So.2d 1227 (La.App. 1st Cir.1983), a previous appeal of this matter. We adopt those facts for purposes of this appeal, and supplement pertinent facts, where needed.

On remand, the trial court conducted a hearing to determine defendants' motion for summary judgment and peremptory exception raising the objection of res judicata. Summary judgment on behalf of the defendants was granted, and plaintiffs' claims were dismissed. The exception was denied.

From this judgment plaintiffs have appealed, asserting the following as errors by the trial court:

(1) in granting defendants' motion for summary judgment because of genuine issues of material fact regarding defendants' *56 breach of the 1965 stock for stock agreement; and
(2) in granting defendants' motion for summary judgment because of genuine issues of material fact regarding fraud and/or the breach of fiduciary duties owed by Huey Wilson.

In addition, defendants have answered the appeal, asserting the following as errors by the trial court:

(1) in holding that the 1965 stock for stock agreement imposed a continuing obligation on defendants to recognize Woodrow as owner of 202 shares;
(2) in the alternative, defendants contend that summary judgment was proper and should be maintained on behalf of H.J. Wilson Co., Inc., and
(3) in denying defendants' peremptory exception raising the objection of res judicata.

APPEAL OF WOODROW E. WILSON

I

In his appeal, Woodrow questions the granting of summary judgment in favor of Wilson.

A motion for summary judgment should be granted if, and only if, the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to material fact, and that the mover is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. La.Code Civ.P. art. 966. The mover has the burden of establishing the absence of material fact issues, and any doubt as to the existence of such fact issues is to be resolved against granting the motion. White v. Baker Manor Nursing Home, Inc., 400 So.2d 1168 (La.App. 1st Cir.1981).

To satisfy his burden, the party moving for the summary judgment must meet a strict standard by showing that it is quite clear as to what the truth is, and that there exists no real doubt as to the existence of any genuine issue of material fact. Vermilion Corporation v. Vaughn, 397 So.2d 490 (La.1981). The papers supporting the position of the party moving for summary judgment are to be closely scrutinized, while the opposing papers are to be indulgently treated, in determining whether mover has satisfied his burden. Vermilion Corporation v. Vaughn, supra.

Any inferences to be drawn from the underlying facts contained in the materials before the court are to be viewed in a light most favorable to the party opposing the motion. Vermilion Corporation v. Vaughn, supra; Watson v. Cook, 427 So.2d 1312 (La.App. 2d Cir.1983).

Summary judgment is not a substitute for trial, and it is not the function of the trial court to consider the merits of the issues raised, nor is the court to make credibility evaluations or weigh conflicting evidence. Watson v. Cook, supra; Dette v. Covington Motors, Inc., 426 So.2d 718 (La.App. 1st Cir.1983). Furthermore, summary judgment should be granted only where reasonable minds must inevitably conclude that the mover is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Big S Trucking Company, Inc. v. Gervais Favrot, Inc., 450 So.2d 369 (La.App. 1st Cir.1983).

In the present case, plaintiff made the following pertinent allegations in his petition and supplemental and amending petition:

5
On February 24, 1970, unbeknownst to plaintiff and for the purpose of defrauding him, defendants prepared stock certificate numbers 14 and 15 in the name of Woodrow E. Wilson for 123 shares and 79 shares respectively, said two certificates totaling 202 shares.
6
Defendants, without the knowledge and consent of plaintiff, thereafter purportedly cancelled stock certificate number 8 on the Company's stock transfer records, and this purported cancellation was done by defendants without securing or attempting *57 to secure endorsement and/or delivery of stock certificate number 8, which original certificate continued to remain in plaintiff's possession and safekeeping, where it remains at the present time.
7
Also, on February 24, 1970 as a further part of the scheme to defraud him and after defendants had prepared the aforementioned stock certificate numbers 14 and 15, defendant either forged or secured through fraudulent, manipulative or deceptive means, Woodrow's signature on the reverse side of stock certificate number 15, being for 79 shares, which purportedly transferred the 70 shares to Huey and reduced plaintiff's interest in the Company to 123 shares, all without benefit of consideration.
8
On February 15, 1971, as yet a further and additional part of the scheme to defraud him, defendants either forged or secured through fraudulent, manipulative or deceptive means, Woodrow's signature on the reverse side of stock certificate number 14 being for 123 shares, which purportedly transferred 35 of the 123 shares to Huey and reduced plaintiff's interest in the Company even further down to 88 shares and was once again without benefit of consideration.
* * * * * *
16
Because plaintiff's stock certificate number 8, for 202 shares was never transferred or cancelled in accordance with the endorsement and delivery requirements of the stock transfer laws of the State of Louisiana, La.R.S. 12:624, plaintiff was lawfully entitled to issuance in 1971 of reclassified stock based upon 202 shares;
....
17
Further, any purported cancellation of stock certificate number 8 and transfers of any of the 202 shares represented thereby to Huey was based upon the fraudulent actions and misrepresentations of defendants, and such cancellation and such transfers are rendered void and/or voidable because such fraudulent actions and misrepresentations constituted fraud in the execution and/or fraudulent inducement under State Contract law....

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