Penner v. Mueller
Penner v. Mueller
Opinion of the Court
The following opinion was filed February 6, 1934:
This case involves two questions, which are entirely distinct and must not be confused: First, was the assignment of the life insurance policy a transfer fraudulent as to creditors of the Paul E. Mueller Company? Second, assuming that it was not, does it fall within the class of transactions described in Federal Mortgage Co. v.
The sole question here is whether the company was paid the full cash surrender value in consideration of the assignment. There is a great deal of evidence addressed to the questions whether the Paul E. Mueller Company was insolvent at the time of this assignment, and whether Mueller, upon a proper accounting, owed the company money or was owed money by the company. The answer to neither question is material if the evidence supports the finding of the trial court that on or about the time of the assignment, and in consideration therefor, Mueller paid to the company the cash surrender value of the policy. The fact that Mueller, at or about the time of the assignment, paid into the company the sum of $8,000 is not denied. The bookkeeper was sick at that time, and a written memorandum was placed in the books by Mueller, addressed to the bookkeeper. This read, as follows:
“Chris: Since you were laid up you will notice on list of receipts that I paid $8,000 into the business. This pays for corp. Life Insurance Policy No. 587917 which I purchased at the cash surrender value of $4,843 as per resolution in the minute book. The difference of $3,157 credit me, Notes Payable account.
“Paul E. Mueller.”
It is next contended that, assuming this transaction to have been valid as to creditors, it was nevertheless voidable by'the corporation without regard to its fairness, and that the receiver may exercise the right of the company to dis-affirm the transaction. In Federal Mortgage Co. v. Simes, supra, this court stated:
“It is one thing for a stockholder or director to deal with a corporation in a transaction in which he does not represent the corporation. Even in such cases the transaction will be closely scrutinized to see that no advantage has been taken of the corporation. But quite a different principle applies where a director represents both himself and the corporation in such a transaction. In the latter situation it does not matter whether the transaction results in injury to the corporation or not. In all such cases the contract is*546 voidable on the part of the corporation simply because of the dual interest of the director.”
It is claimed that this assignment falls into the second class of transactions held by the Federal Mortgage Co. Case to be voidable by the corporation without regard to fairness. This contention is based upon the fact that Paul Mueller, the assignee, was president of the corporation; that the defendant Rose Mueller was vice-president; that the defendant Louis Mueller was secretary and treasurer, and that it is obvious that the officers and directors represented both themselves and the corporation in consummating the assignment. The difficulty with plaintiff’s position is that, assuming that this transaction falls within the class of cases held by the Federal Mortgage Co. Case to be voidable, it is clear from the opinion in that case that the unanimous affirmance of such a contract by the stockholders would render it valid. In the Mueller corporation, the directors and officers who participated and assented to this transaction constituted all of the stockholders. It is evident that the transaction, having been assented to by all of the stockholders, is not voidable by the corporation. This being true, the receiver cannot assert rights that the corporation itself does not have. He is limited to setting aside such transactions as are in fraud of creditors, and since we conclude that the evidence sustains the finding that this transaction was not a fraudulent conveyance, it follows that the judgment must be affirmed.
By the Court. — Judgment affirmed.
A motion for a rehearing was denied, with $25 costs, on April 3, 1934.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Penner, Receiver v. Mueller and another
- Status
- Published