TREATED TIMBER PRODUCTS, INC., APPELLANT,
v.
S & A ASSOCIATES, INC., PREMIUM COMPONENTS, INC., AND NORTH FLORIDA COMPONENTS, INC., APPELLEES

Fla. 1st DCA | 1986-05-14
No. BI-236
THOMPSON and WIGGINTON, JJ., concur.
488 So. 2d 159 Florida District Court of Appeal, First District (1986) Positive Treatment
Cited by 17 cases

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Holding

The court held that the trial court erred by applying the incorrect burden of proof when denying a petition for supplemental relief under Florida Statute § 56.29(6)(a).


Headnotes

[1] A corporation can be considered a "person" for the purpose of a statute shifting the burden of proof in cases of alleged fraudulent transfers to creditors.

[2] When a plaintiff establishes a prima facie case under Florida Statute § 56.29(6)(a), the burden shifts to the defendant to prove that a transfer of property was not made…

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Facts & Procedural History

Treated Timber obtained a judgment against S & A and Premium, but could not collect. Treated Timber filed for supplemental proceedings, alleging a fra…

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Opinion of the Court
SHIVERS, Judge.

SHIVERS, Judge.

Treated Timber Products, Inc. (Treated Timber) appeals from an order denying its petition for supplemental relief under § 56.29 Florida Statutes (1983). We conclude that the trial court applied an incorrect burden of proof and accordingly reverse and remand for further proceedings.

On June 28, 1984, appellant Treated Timber received an order from appellees S & A Associates, Inc. (S & A) and Premium Components, Inc. (Premium) for 18,432 board feet of board lumber to be used for the manufacturing of trusses. The president of Treated Timber approved the sale of this lumber on credit subject to a favorable financial statement from S & A and Premium. The financial statement was signed and sworn to by Charles Riley as president of S & A. The sole owner of S & A and Premium is Sheila Riley Etheridge, who is also the sister of Charles E. Riley.

After S & A and Premium purchased the lumber from Treated Timber, S & A and Premium went out of business. Charles Riley created a new corporation called North Florida Components, Inc. also engaged in the truss building business at the same address where S & A and Premium had been located. On September 29, 1984, North Florida had its first stockholder’s meeting wherein Charles Riley, and two former employees of S & A and Premium, Edward Armstrong, and Ronnie Chappell, were each issued one third ownership and were assigned positions of president, vice president and treasurer, and vice president and secretary, respectively.

Between August 23, 1984 and September 17, 1984, North Florida operated its new truss building business with equipment still titled to’S & A and Premium. On September 17, 1984, Charles Riley, as president of North Florida, entered into an agreement with his sister, as director and sole shareholder of S & A and Premium and her husband as vice president of S & A and Premium for the sale of all of S & A and Premium’s assets and equipment to North Florida.

On November 13, 1984, Treated Timber obtained a final judgment for $5,253.46 against S & A and Premium but Treated Timber’s attempts to collect failed. On February 19, 1985, a motion for proceedings supplementary to execution was filed by Treated Timber pursuant to Florida Statute § 56.29 (1983). Treated Timber also made a motion to implead third party, North Florida, as the holder of property alleged to have been fraudulently transferred from S & A and Premium, which was granted on February 21, 1985.

On June 28, 1985, hearing was held on proceedings supplementary to execution. On July 23, 1985, order was entered denying supplementary relief on the grounds that “the plaintiff (Treated Timber) had not carried its burden of establishing the right for supplementary relief by the greater weight of the evidence.” It is from this order that Treated Timber appeals.

The following applicable statute authorizes the shifting of the burden of proof from the plaintiff to the defendant when three elements have been proven by plaintiff.

When, within 1 year before the service of process on him, defendant has had title to, or paid the purchase price of, any personal property to which his wife, any relative,' or any person on confidential terms with defendant claims title and right of possession at the time of examination, the defendant has the burden of proof to establish that such transfer or gift from him was not made to delay, hinder, or defraud creditors. Section 56.-29(6)(a), Florida Statutes (1983).

The record indicates that Treated Timber made a prima facie showing of the following three elements of § 56.29(6)(a):

1. The transfer occurred within one year before the service of process on S & A and Premium. Service of process on all three defendants was October 18, 1984. The transfer of equipment was made September 17, 1984.

2. S & A and Premium owned personal property that was transferred in which North Florida now claims title. Bills of sale from each defaulted defendant who transferred equipment were introduced at the hearing and Charles Riley testified as to the transfer. 3. The transfer occurred between “persons” on confidential terms. We find that a corporation can be a “person” for the purpose of this statute. North Florida, S & A and Premium were on confidential terms because Charles Riley had held himself out as President of S & A and he was President and one third owner of North Florida. The other officers and owners of North Florida were former employees of S & A and Premium. Furthermore, the three companies engaged in similar activities at the same location.

Consequently, the burden shifted to S & A and Premium to prove that the transfer of equipment from S & A and Premium to North Florida “was not made to delay, hinder or defraud creditors.” Section 56.-29(6)(a), Florida Statutes (1983). The trial court failed to shift the burden of proof to the defendants and incorrectly held Treated Timber to the standard of “the greater weight of the evidence.” Accordingly, we reverse and remand for a ruling on whether supplementary relief is applicable reflecting the proper application of the burden of proof pursuant to § 56.29(6)(a), Florida Statutes (1983).

THOMPSON and WIGGINTON, JJ., concur.


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Citator

Cited By

  • Amjad Munim, M.D., P.A. v. George Azar, M.D., 648 So. 2d 145 (Fla. 4th DCA 1994)
    …the procedure set forth in section 56.29, Florida Statutes (1993) to implead Pulmonary Associates. Pursuant to section 56.29(6), the burden is on the transferee to prove the transfer was not fraudulent. Treated Timber Products, Inc. v. S & A Assoc., 488 So. 2d 159 (Fla. 1st DCA 1986). Section 56.29(6) is applicable to post-final judgment transfers. See Buchanan v. Sullivan, 620 So. 2d 1301 (Fla. 4th DCA 1993). While recognizing that summary judgments are rarely countenanced in fraud cases, the uneontradicted…
  • Biel REO, LLC v. Barefoot Cottages Dev. Co. LLC, 156 So. 3d 506 (Fla. 1st DCA 2014)
    …m execution, § 56.29(5);3 or seek to void and execute upon debtor assets transferred to a spouse or other third party for purposes of delaying, hindering, or defrauding a creditor, § 56.29(6). See, e.g., Treated Timber Prods., Inc. v. S & A Assocs., 488 So. 2d 159, 160 (Fla. 1st DCA 1986); see also State v. Viney, 120 Fla. 657, 163 So. 57, 60 (1935). “Most often, ... the procedure is used to challenge the fraudulent transfer of property that would otherwise be subject to execution.” Philip J. Padovano, Florid…
  • Clampitt v. Wick, 320 So. 3d 826 (Fla. 2d DCA 2021)
    …fer or gift was not made to delay, hinder, or defraud creditors. (Emphasis added.) The judgment creditor bears the initial burden of proving that the transfer at issue brings the case within its ambit. Treated Timber Prods., Inc. v. S & A Assocs., 488 So. 2d 159, 160 (Fla. 1st DCA 1986). When the judgment creditor meets this burden, then the burden shifts to the judgment debtor and the impleaded defendants to prove that the transfer "was not made to delay, hinder, or defraud creditors." Id. (quoting § 56.…

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