Potucek v. Lourdes
Potucek v. Lourdes
Opinion of the Court
The question is whether, in voluntary bankruptcy proceedings, petitions in reclamation should be allowed on the ground that a mistake in the identity of the purchaser gave petitioners the right to rescind the transactions through which the Bankrupt gained possession of goods sought to be reclaimed. The Referee denied the petitions and the district court reversed.
Appellant is the Trustee of the bankrupt estates of Donald L. Y/ilson, Margie I. Wilson, and Wilson Sugar and Elevator Company, Inc., which, without objection, were consolidated and treated as one entity, herein referred to as Bankrupt The appellees, Cordelería Lourdes, S. A., (Lourdes) and Cordelería Santa Ines, S. A., (Santa Ines) are corporations organized under the laws of Mexico, have offices at Yucatan, Mexico, and fabricate sisal products including baling and binding twine. The law of Mexico vests control over twine exportation in the Secretary of Industry and Commerce (Secretary). An order of the Secretary requires permits for twine exportation and the approval of such permits by him and by Cordeleros de Mexico, S. de R. L. de I. P. Y. C. V.
Midcontinent Twine Company, Inc., (Midcontinent) a Nebraska corporation, was registered with the Association as an authorized purchaser of twine. In January, 1960, Midcontinent, acting by its president, Tritsch, contracted with Bankrupt for the sale by Midcontinent to Bankrupt of the registered trademark “Midcontinent” and of “all the rights of the corporation as importer of twine and twine products from Mexico.” During February and March, 1960, Lourdes and Santa Ines shipped to Bankrupt 19,300 bales of twine on which the unpaid balances are $34,500 and $20,150, respectively. The Wilsons and their company were adjudicated bankrupt on April 25, 1960. The Trustee took possession of 12,051 bales of twine. Lourdes and Santa Ines each filed a reclamation petition asserting that they believed that they were doing business with Midcon-tinent, that Bankrupt was not an authorized purchaser, and that Bankrupt’s possession of the twine was without title or right. By agreement the twine was sold with the liens, if established, to follow the proceeds.
The Trustee contends that the district court had no jurisdiction to review the Referee’s order denying the reclamation petitions because the petitions for review
The Referee’s order denying the petitions in reclamation was filed on September 12, 1960. On September 22 the court extended the time to October 12, and on October 12 the time was further extended to December 12. The reason assigned for the second request was the inability of the reporter to furnish a transcript of the hearing. The petitions for review were filed October 26, 1960. The timeliness of the review petitions depends on the validity of the second extension.
Section 2, sub. a(10) of the Bankruptcy Act
“Consider records, findings, and orders certified to the judges by referees, and confirm, modify, or reverse such findings and orders, or return such records with instructions for further proceedings.”
Section 39, sub. c prior to the 1960 amendment provided that persons aggrieved by referees’ orders might file a petition for review within 10 days after the entry of the order “or within such extended time as the court may for cause shown allow.”
In Pfister v. Northern Illinois Finance Corp., 317 U.S. 144, 151-153, 63 S.Ct. 133, 87 L.Ed. 146, the Supreme Court considered whether § 39, sub. c as it read before the 1960 amendment was “a limitation on the power of the District Court to act or on the right of a party to seek review.” In that case the district court held that it was without jurisdiction because the petition for review was not filed in time. The Supreme Court reversed, saying:
“The power in the bankruptcy court to review orders of the referee is unqualifiedly given in § 2(10). The language quoted from § 39(e) is rather a limitation on the ‘person aggrieved’ to file such a petition as a matter of right.”
The 1960 amendment was intended to eliminate confusion as to the finality of referees’ orders and was recommended to Congress by the Judicial Conference of the United States.
General Order 37
As we read the amendment it limits the absolute right of an aggrieved person to file a petition for review but does not deny the discretionary power of the district court to receive and determine such petitions when they are presented in compliance with Rule 6(b). So construed § 39, sub. c is consistent within itself, consistent with § 2, sub. a(10), and consistent with Rule 6(b). In the case at bar the second extension was obtained within the time granted by the first extension and that extension was granted within the 10-day period. The requirements of Rule 6(b) were met and the petitions were timely.
The Referee found as a fact that Lourdes and Santa Ines knew or should have known that they were dealing with Bankrupt rather than Midcontinent and on the basis of that finding concluded that title to the twine had passed to Bankrupt. The district court rejected this finding.
The district court must accept the fact findings of the referee unless they are clearly erroneous.
If, as the Trustee contends, Lourdes and Santa Ines knew that the transactions were with another entity than Mid-continent, Bankrupt and Tritseh could have come forward with contradicting testimony. The fact that Tritseh and Bankrupt were each present at the trial before the Referee is not denied. Neither of them testified.
In Nicholas v. Davis, 10 Cir., 204 F.2d 200, 202, the Tenth Circuit held that:
“When controlling, positive, and uncontradicted evidence is introduced, and when it is unimpeached by cross-examination or otherwise, is not inherently improper, and no circumstance reflected on the record casts doubt on its verity, then * * it may not be disregarded, even ' though adduced from interested witnesses, and no question of credibility or issue of fact is presented for determination by the jury.”
The rule so stated applies here. The’ confusion in the exhibits arising from, variations in the corporate name of Mid-continent and from the different capacities in which Tritseh signed communications from Midcontinent does not cast doubt on the positive testimony of the-representatives of Lourdes and Santa Ines. The methods in which the orders, were placed, the shipments billed, and the sight drafts presented do not, in and of themselves, impeach or contradict the-testimony. Further, all buyers had to.be registered with the Association. Mid-continent was so registered but Bankrupt was not. The purchase orders had. to be approved by the Association and an order to an unregistered buyer would, not be approved. The transactions in. question were approved by the Association. Such approval would not have been secured if it had been known that the-shipments were to an unregistered buyer. Viewing all the evidence we are left with, the definite and firm conviction that the-Referee was mistaken in finding that. Lourdes and Santa Ines knew or should, have known that they were doing business with Bankrupt rather than Mid-continent. Accordingly, the finding is. clearly erroneous
The Trustee took the twine possessed by Bankrupt on the date of bankruptcy “with all the rights, remedies, and
Lourdes and Santa Ines sold twine to Bankrupt when they believed they were selling to Midcontinent. A person has the right to contract with whom he will
A mistake justifying rescission need not be mutual.
Partial payment by Bankrupt does not defeat rescission. The return or offer to return of that which was received in the transaction is not necessary when the thing received is money which can be credited if restitution is granted.
Affirmed.
. The English translation of the words indicated by the initials is “Association of Limited Responsibility of Public Interest and Variable Capital.”
. 11 U.S.C. § 67, sub. c, Section 39, sub. c of the Bankruptcy Act, as amended in 1960, reads thus: “A person aggrieved by an order of a referee may, within ten days after the entry thereof or within such extended time as the court upon petition filed within such ten-day period may for cause shown allow, file with the referee a petition for review of such order by a judge and serve a copy of such petition upon the adverse parties who were represented at the hearing. Such petition shall set forth the order complained of and the alleged errors in re-speet thereto. Unless the person aggrieved shall petition for review of such order within such ten-day period, or any extension thereof, the order of the referee shall become final. Upon application of any party in interest, the execution or enforcement of the order complained of may be suspended by the court upon such terms as will protect the rights of all parties in interest.”
. 11 U.S.C. § 11, sub. a (10).
. 2 U.S.Cong. & Adm.News 1960, pp. 3194-3197.
. See In the Matter of Acme Furnace Fitting Company, 7 Cir., 302 F.2d 318; In re A. Edward Harnik, D.C.W.D.Ark., 207 F.Supp. 325; In the Matter of Raymond Earl Lawson, D.C.W.D.Va., 201 F. Supp. 710; In the Matter of Victor P. Danenza, D.C.E.D.N.Y., 200 F.Supp. 694; In the Matter of Sol Silver, D.C.S.D.N.Y., 199 F.Supp. 836; In the Matter of Middletown Packing Company, D.C.Conn., 199 F.Supp. 657; and In the Matter of George Lewis Watkins, D.C.W.D.Va., 197 F.Supp. 500.
. General Orders in Bankruptcy, 11 U.S. C.A. following § 53.
. General Order 47, General Orders in Bankruptcy, 11 U.S.C.A. following § 53, provides that the judge shall accept the referee’s findings of fact unless clearly erroneous. Nothing is gained by inquiry into the question of whether General Order 47 applies to general references or only to special references. Compare Mazer v. United States, 7 Cir., 298 F.2d 579, 581-582, and Simon v. Agar, 2 Cir., 299 F.2d 853, with Gross v. Fidelity & Deposit Company of Maryland, 8 Cir., 302 F.2d 338, 339, because by the operation of General Order 37, Rules 52(a) and 53(e) (II), F.R.Civ.P., apply. See En-gelbrecht v. Bowen, 9 Cir., 300 F.2d 891, 895.
. McAllister v. United States, 348 U.S. 19, 20-21.
. In the Matter of Herman Tabibian, 2 Cir., 289 F.2d 793, 795; Phillips v. ’ Baker, 5 Cir., 165 F.2d 578, 582; In re Newman, 6 Cir., 126 F.2d 336, 337; In re Skrentny, 7 Cir., 199 F.2d 488, 492; Gross v. Fidelity & Deposit Company
. United States v. United States Gypsum. Co., 333 U.S. 364, 395, 68 S.Ct. 525, 92; L.Ed. 746.
. 11 U.S.C. § 110, sub. c.
. Porter v. Searle, 10 Cir., 228 F.2d 748, 750.
. Arkansas Valley Smelting Company v. Belden Mining Company, 127 U.S. 379, 387, 8 S.Ct. 1308, 32 L.Ed. 246.
. School Sisters of Notre Dame v. Kusnitt, 125 Md. 323, 93 A. 928, 934, D.R.A. 1916D, 792; Jones v. Chicago B. & Q. R. Co., 102 Neb. 853, 170 N.W. 170.
. Corbin on Contracts, Vol. 3, § 608, p. 669.
. Restatement, Restitution, § 12, comment c, p. 51.
. Williston on Contracts, Rev.Ed., Vol. 5, § 1573, p. 4399.
. See Corbin, supra, § 601, p. 611.
. C. N. Monroe Manufacturing Company v. United States, D.C.E.D.Mick., 143 E. Supp. 449, 451, and cases there cited. See also United States v. Jones, 9 Cir., 176 E.2d 278. Cf. Grymes v. Sanders, 93 U.S. 55, 60, 23 L.Ed. 798.
. Restatement, Restitution, § 65(f), p. 255, and illustrations to clause (f), pp. 263-264. Cf. Shields v. Meyer, 183 Kan. 111, 325 P.2d 29, 34.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- John A. POTUCEK, Trustee of Wilson Sugar and Elevator Company, Inc., Bankrupt v. CORDELERIA LOURDES and Cordeleria Santa Ines, In the Matter of Donald L. WILSON and Margie I. Wilson and Wilson Sugar and Elevator Company, Inc., Bankrupt
- Cited By
- 7 cases
- Status
- Published