ARTHUR STEELE, APPELLANT,
v.
ELIZABETH M. LANNON, APPELLEE
AI-generated. These summaries, headnotes, and key points are machine-generated and may contain errors or omissions. Always verify against the full opinion text below. Not legal advice.
Arthur Steele sought to impose a resulting or constructive trust on a condominium unit he purchased with his own funds but placed in the name of his companion, Elizabeth Lannon, after their relationship ended. The trial court granted summary judgment for Lannon based on Steele's original complaint allegations regarding fraudulent transfer to avoid creditors, but the appellate court reversed, holding that such allegations do not constitute a fraudulent conveyance absent proof of actual harm to creditors.
The court held that Steele was not barred from pursuing equitable relief by summary judgment. Although Steele may have possessed a motive to defraud creditors, allegations of intent to defraud do not constitute a fraudulent conveyance without proof of additional elements such as actual insolvency, indebtedness, or hindered creditors. Genuine issues of material fact existed regarding whether an actual fraudulent conveyance occurred, precluding summary judgment.
[1] Allegations in an original complaint, superseded by an amended complaint, may not be considered admissions for purposes of summary judgment.
[2] A defense not raised in a defendant's answer cannot properly be considered on the defendant's motion for summary judgment.
Previewing 2 of 6 headnotes on this case. FLexlaw’s editorially structured points of law — every proposition, pinpointed — are reserved for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“Even if the debtor intends to deceive the public, if his act in transferring his property does not hinder or delay his creditors, no legal fraud exists ... To constitute a fraudulent conveyance, there must be a creditor to be defrauded, a debtor intending fraud, and a conveyance of property which is applicable by law to the payment of the debt due.”
Establishes that fraudulent intent alone is insufficient; actual harm to creditors is required for a fraudulent conveyance
Previewing 1 of 3 key quotes on this case — the court’s exact language, pinpointed for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceSteele was separated from his wife and operating a financially troubled hotel business when he left Jacksonville in November 1973. While emotionally d…
The full statement of facts, procedural history, and disposition for this case are member content.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence© FLexlaw, Inc. — AI-generated enrichments are proprietary. All rights reserved.
Explore caselaw by topic → Browse Action To Impose Constructive Trust cases and more on FLexlaw
DANAHY, Judge.
After a falling-out with his companion, Elizabeth Lannon, Arthur Steele sued her to impose a resulting or constructive trust on a condominium unit which he bought with his funds and, at her suggestion, had placed in her name. Summary judgment was granted in favor of Elizabeth Lannon. We reverse.
Because the case is here on summary judgment, we must read the record in a light most favorable to Steele. In his original verified complaint, Steele made the following allegations:
“3. . . .
(a) . . .
(b) For some time plaintiff was aware that the business was in financial difficulty and became fearful that his personal assets would be in jeopardy with the creditors of said hotel business.
(c) Prior to January 20, 1976, the plaintiff decided to purchase a condominium in Lee County, Florida, and with the consent of his companion and trusted friend, namely, the defendant, to place title in the defendant’s name alone so as to place the asset out of the reach of his creditors.”
Lannon’s motion to dismiss was granted. Thereupon, Steele filed an amended complaint which omitted the above allegations and detailed his relationship with Lannon and the condominium purchase as we summarize here.
Steele was separated from his wife and was operating a hotel in Jacksonville when he left that business in November 1973 due to financial problems in the business. Two months later, he went to Ohio to reconcile with his wife, but he was unsuccessful and was hospitalized with a nervous breakdown, after which his wife divorced him there. While he was under great emotional stress during the separation from his wife, Lan-non encouraged him to divorce his wife, became his trusted confidante, and otherwise consoled, comforted and counseled him. After the divorce and while he continued in a depressed mental condition, she continued to apply pressure on him and urged him to buy a home and place title in her name. She promised that if he did so, she would thereafter live with him as a companion, provide a home for him and take care of him.
On January 20,1976, intending no gift to Lannon, he purchased the condominium unit with his own funds and had title placed in her name. They moved in and shortly thereafter their friendship ended and she ordered him to leave. She then refused to reconvey the property even though, prior to the purchase, she promised to do so at any time upon his request.
In her answer to the amended complaint, Lannon denied all and raised the single affirmative defense of gift. Steele replied, denying he gave her the condominium. Lannon moved for summary judgment and argued at the hearing that, because the original complaint alleged the transfer to her was in fraud of creditors, Steele was barred from the equitable relief he sought here. Because this is so, argued Lannon, there could be no genuine issue of any material fact in the case. Although fraudulent conveyance was not raised as an affirmative defense in Lannon’s answer, the trial judge agreed.
Two questions immediately come to mind; whether allegations of an original complaint superseded by an amended complaint can properly be considered as admissions for purposes of summary judgment,1 and whether a defense not raised in a defendant’s answer can -properly be considered on defendant’s motion for summary judgment.2 We need not reach these questions, however, because even if they were to be answered affirmatively, the allegations in Steele’s original complaint do not rise to the level of admitting a fraudulent conveyance foreclosing him from relief in equity.
It is well settled that when one purchases property and causes the title to be taken by another for the purpose of thwarting his creditors, a court of equity will not aid him in extricating himself from the situation he has created. In such circumstances he becomes a victim of his own fraudulent devices and cannot enter a chancery court with clean hands. Scott v. Sites, 41 So. 2d 444 (Fla.1949). It is, therefore, necessary to consider the elements of a fraudulent conveyance.
In Cleveland Trust Company v. Foster, 93 So. 2d 112 (Fla.1957), our Supreme Court noted the commonly recognized indicia of fraud as follows: “The facts which are recognized indicia of fraud are numerous, the most important being the insolvency or indebtedness of the transferor, lack of consideration for the conveyance, retention by the debtor of possession of the property, the relationship between the transferor and transferee, the reservation of benefit to the transferor, the pendency or threat of litigation, secrecy or concealment, and the transfer of the debtor’s entire estate.”
In the case at bar, assuming the truth of the allegations of Steele’s first complaint (and that the trial judge properly had the complaint before him at the summary judgment hearing), the fact that Steele was in “financial difficulty” and “fearful that his personal assets would be in jeopardy” does not indicate the “insolvency or indebtedness” of Steele. Green v. Casper, 346 So. 2d 1204 (Fla. 3d DCA 1977).
There is left, then, the bare assertion by Steele that his purpose in making the conveyance to Lannon was “so as to place the asset out of the reach of his creditors.” Should Steele, under the circumstances of this case, be bound by that allegation to the extent of being barred from his day in court by summary judgment? We think not.
In Sponholtz v. Sponholtz, 190 So. 2d 572 (Fla.1966), the Supreme Court said that “even if plaintiff’s allegations standing alone might have estopped and barred him from denying intent to defraud his creditors, the denial thereof by defendant and the proofs negate the view plaintiff is bound by his admissions in this case.” In Sponholtz, plaintiff alleged that the transfer in question had been made to “protect the assets of the business” against a judgment creditor. The Supreme Court pointed out that “there was no showing in the evidence the judgment creditor was in anywise delayed or frustrated in the settlement of his judgment.” The court further explained that the proofs revealed the transaction by plaintiff was one normal in business operations rather than one having an intent to defraud the creditor. As the Supreme Court noted in Sponholtz, the decision of Bay View Estates Corporation v. Southerland, 114 Fla. 635, 154 So. 894 (1934) succinctly states the point:
“Even if the debtor intends to deceive the public, if his act in transferring his property does not hinder or delay his creditors, no legal fraud exists ... To constitute a fraudulent conveyance, there must be a creditor to be defrauded, a debtor intending fraud, and a conveyance of property which is applicable by law to the payment of the debt due.”
Steele may have been a debtor intending fraud, but there is nothing in this record which admits to a fraudulent transfer. His bad motive may not be in doubt, but whether there were any hindered creditors or indebtedness or other indicia of actual fraud, facts which Lannon might be able to prove at trial, a motive to defraud is not the equivalent of fraud.
We hold, therefore, that there were genuine issues of material fact which precluded the entry of summary judgment in favor of Lannon. At trial the defense of fraudulent conveyance (when properly framed) will be at issue, as is the defense that the conveyance was a gift.
Reversed and remanded for further proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion.
SCHEB, Acting C. J., and RYDER, J., concur. . It is generally true that where an amended complaint (as opposed to an amendment to the complaint) is filed and does not refer to or in any way adopt the original complaint, the latter supersedes the former and the former ceases to be a part of the record. E. g., Dee v. Southern Brewing Co., 146 Fla. 588, 1 So. 2d 562 (1941).
. Fla.R.Civ.P. 1.110(d) requires that any matter constituting an avoidance or affirmative defense must be affirmatively set forth in pleading to a preceding pleading.
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
Cited By
-
Turturro v. Joseph Schmier ad litem of the Ests. of Morris Siegel & Nina Siegel, 374 So. 2d 71 (Fla. 3d DCA 1979)…terest to go to the Unity School of Christianity, upon Ms. Turturro’s death. . See also 33 Fla.Jur. Trusts § 52 et seq.; Martin v. Wilson, 115 So. 2d 573 (Fla. 1st DCA 1959); Roberts v. Roberts, 133 So. 2d 421 (Fla. 1st DCA 1961); Steele v, Lannon, 355 So. 2d 190 (Fla. 2d DCA 1978). . See certain of its progeny, Kramer v. Freedman, 272 So. 2d 195 (Fla. 3d DCA 1973); L & N Grove, Inc. v. Chapman, 291 So. 2d 217 (Fla. 2d DCA 1974); Reaves v. Hembree, 330 So. 2d 747 (Fla. 1st DCA 1976). . See 58 A.L.R.2d 305.…
-
Eurovest, Ltd. v. Segall, 528 So. 2d 482 (Fla. 3d DCA 1988)…and a conveyance of property which is applicable by law to the payment of the debt due.” Bay View Estates Corp. v. Southerland, 114 Fla. 635, 154 So. 894, 900 (1934); Bank of Montreal v. Malinski, 498 So. 2d 440 (Fla. 3d DCA 1986); Steele v. Lannon, 355 So. 2d 190 (Fla. 2d DCA 1978). It is immaterial whether the actual fraudulent intent related to existing creditors or was directed exclusively against subsequent creditors. Beasley v. Coggins, 48 Fla. 215, 37 So. 213 (1904); Malinski; 13 Fla.Jur.2d Creditors’…
-
Della-Giustina v. Della-Giustina, 546 So. 2d 1146 (Fla. 4th DCA 1989)…more, even if these properties were transferred to the wife to avoid creditors, there was no proof before the trial judge that any creditor was in fact hindered by the conveyance. Sponholtz v. Sponholtz, 190 So. 2d 572 (Fla. 1966); Steele v. Lannon, 355 So. 2d 190 (Fla. 2d DCA 1978). Thus, there was no basis on this ground to exclude their consideration as marital assets, subject to claims of special equity.…
Previewing 3 of 6 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Bay View Ests. Corp. v. Southerland, 114 Fla. 635 (Fla. 1934)
- The Cleveland Tr. Co. v. Athene S. Foster and Jack Wentz, 93 So. 2d 112 (Fla. 1957)
- Dee v. S. Brewing Co., 146 Fla. 588 (Fla. 1941)
- Sponholtz v. Sponholtz, 190 So. 2d 572 (Fla. 1966)
- Green v. Casper, 346 So. 2d 1204 (Fla. 3d DCA 1977)