Carmichael v. Barrett
Carmichael v. Barrett
Opinion of the Court
In this ease the record discloses the following state of •facts: .The Carmichael-Mallet Company was adjudicated bankrupt September 22, 1927, in involuntary proceedings instituted September 1, 1927. In January, 1920, its capital stock had been increased from $25,000 t<¡
It is unnecessary to consider the improper joinder of the cause of action asserted against Mobley. It is dear the suit could not have been maintained by the bankrupt in a federal court for want of diversity of citizenship. As the transaction complained of occurred more than four months prior to bankruptcy, the plaintiff cannot depend for jurisdiction on either section 60b or section 67e of the Bankruptcy Act (11 USCA §§ 96, 107), and must rely on the theory that the cancellation and the return of the note was a transfer of property sufficient to support the suit under the provisions of section 70e. We think the theory is untenable. The reduction of the capital stock of the bankrupt was perhaps irregular, but that is immaterial. With the surrender of the consideration, the cancellation of the note, and its return to its maker, it ceased to exist, and was not property constructively vesting in the trustee with the adjudication or for which a creditor might have sued to recover. If the trustee has an action at all against the estate of Carmichael, it is merely to collect a debt arising from the stock subscription. This would not be a suit to recover property under the provisions of section 70e. Park v. Cameron, 237 U. S. 616, 35 S. Ct. 719, 59 L. Ed. 1147.
It follows that the District Court was without jurisdiction to entertain the suit.
Reversed and remanded, with instructions to dismiss the bill.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.