780 N.Y.S.2d 409 Page 29 A.D.3d 553, 780 N.Y.S.2d 409, 2004 N.Y. Slip Op. 05710(Cite as: 9 A.D.3d 553, 780 N.Y.S.2d 409)judgment in transferee's action seeking determinationthat funds it received from judgment debtor were notsubject to restraint by judgment creditors.**410 Tabner, Ryan & Keniry, Albany (Eric N.Dratler <strong>of</strong> counsel), for Mega Personal Lines, Inc.,appellant.McNamee, Lochner, Titus & Williams P.C., Albany(Scott C. Paton <strong>of</strong> counsel), for Mega Group, Inc.,appellant.Ianniello, Anderson & Reilly P.C., Clifton Park(Matthew I. Mazur <strong>of</strong> counsel), for Dianne Halton,respondent.Before: SPAIN, J.P., CARPINELLO, MUGGLIN,ROSE and LAHTINEN, JJ.*554 ROSE, J.Appeal from an order and judgment <strong>of</strong> the SupremeCourt (Nolan Jr., J.), entered June 26, 2003 in SaratogaCounty, which, in a proceeding pursuant toCPLR 5239, inter alia, granted a motion by respondentDianne Halton and Robert L. Halton for partialsummary judgment.Petitioner Mega Group, Inc. commenced an actionagainst Robert L. Halton [FN1] and respondent DianneHalton (hereinafter collectively referred to asrespondents) and respondents then interposed a counterclaimfor money damages. During the pendency <strong>of</strong>their counterclaim, Mega Group transferred substantiallyall <strong>of</strong> its assets to petitioner Mega PersonalLines, Inc. (hereinafter MPL). Respondents later obtaineda judgment against Mega Group and sought toenforce it by restraining certain funds held by thirdparties. MPL then commenced this proceeding seekinga determination that the restrained funds are, infact, the property <strong>of</strong> MPL and not Mega Group. Respondentsmoved to dismiss the petition on theground, among others, that the transfer <strong>of</strong> substantiallyall <strong>of</strong> Mega Group's assets to MPL, after respondentshad interposed their counterclaim againstMega Group, was fraudulent within the meaning <strong>of</strong>Debtor and Creditor <strong>Law</strong> § 273-a. Treating themotion as one for summary judgment and findingthat questions <strong>of</strong> fact existed as to whether there wasequivalent value given for the transfer <strong>of</strong> MegaGroup's assets, Supreme Court denied the motion andwe affirmed (297 A.D.2d 428, 746 N.Y.S.2d 204[2002] ).FN1. Robert L. Halton, a named respondentin this proceeding, died while this appealwas pending and his wife, respondent DianneHalton, has been substituted for him.Following discovery, respondents moved for partialsummary judgment, this time arguing Mega Group'slack <strong>of</strong> good faith. Finding the good faith component<strong>of</strong> fair consideration as defined by Debtor and Creditor<strong>Law</strong> § 272 to be lacking as a matter <strong>of</strong> law--regardless <strong>of</strong> whether Mega Group received equivalentvalue for its assets--because Steven Gregory,Mega Group's president and majority shareholder,also held an ownership interest in MPL at the time <strong>of</strong>the transfer, Supreme Court granted respondents'motion. Petitioners now appeal.[1] Initially, we reject petitioners' procedural contentionthat Supreme Court erred by entertaining a secondsummary judgment *555 motion. Because respondents'second motion was made after the completion<strong>of</strong> discovery and, significantly, it turns upon anissue not previously decided, Supreme Court actedwell within its broad discretion (see Baker v. VanderbiltCo., 260 A.D.2d 750, 751-752, 688 N.Y.S.2d 726[1999]; Robbins v. K-Mart Corp., 248 A.D.2d 867,868, 669 N.Y.S.2d 774 [1998] ).[2][3][4] We reach a different conclusion, however,as to Supreme Court's determination that summaryjudgment should be granted here. In order to prevailunder Debtor and Creditor <strong>Law</strong> § 273-a, respondentswere required to prove that the **411 transferorwas a defendant in an action for money damages atthe time <strong>of</strong> the transfer, the transferor has not satisfiedthe resulting judgment and the transfer was madewithout fair consideration (see Berner Trucking v.Brown, 281 A.D.2d 924, 925, 722 N.Y.S.2d 656[2001] ). There is no real dispute here as to the firsttwo elements. The third element, fair consideration,exists when, in exchange for property or an obligation,"as a fair equivalent therefor, and in good faith,property is conveyed or an antecedent debt is satisfied"(Debtor and Creditor <strong>Law</strong> § 272[a] [emphasisadded] ). The good faith <strong>of</strong> both the transferor andtransferee is an indispensable component <strong>of</strong> fair consideration(see Matter <strong>of</strong> Superior Leather Co. v.Lipman Split Co., 116 A.D.2d 796, 797, 496N.Y.S.2d 845 [1986]; Studley, Inc. v. Lefrak, 66© 2009 Thomson Reuters. No Claim to Orig. US Gov. Works.
780 N.Y.S.2d 409 Page 39 A.D.3d 553, 780 N.Y.S.2d 409, 2004 N.Y. Slip Op. 05710(Cite as: 9 A.D.3d 553, 780 N.Y.S.2d 409)A.D.2d 208, 213, 412 N.Y.S.2d 901 [1979], affd. 48N.Y.2d 954, 425 N.Y.S.2d 65, 401 N.E.2d 187[1979] ). Supreme Court resolved this disputed componentby first finding that Gregory was a MegaGroup insider with an ownership interest in MPL atthe time <strong>of</strong> the transfer, and then inferring a lack <strong>of</strong>good faith as a matter <strong>of</strong> law. While we agree withSupreme Court's premise that the transfer <strong>of</strong> corporateassets to an insider establishes a lack <strong>of</strong> goodfaith as a matter <strong>of</strong> law, we note that the principlerequires the transfer <strong>of</strong> assets either directly to theinsider or to an entity controlled by the insider (seeMatter <strong>of</strong> P.A. Bldg. Co. v. Silverman, 298 A.D.2d327, 328, 750 N.Y.S.2d 13 [2002]; Berner Truckingv. Brown, supra; Manufacturers & Traders Trust Co.v. Lauer's Furniture Acquisition, 226 A.D.2d 1056,1057, 641 N.Y.S.2d 947 [1996], lv. dismissed 88N.Y.2d 962, 647 N.Y.S.2d 715, 670 N.E.2d 1347[1996]; Farm Stores v. School Feeding Corp., 102A.D.2d 249, 254, 477 N.Y.S.2d 374 [1984], affd. inpart 64 N.Y.2d 1065, 489 N.Y.S.2d 877, 479 N.E.2d222 [1985] ). Thus, a corporate insider's participationin both the transferor and the transferee is not sufficientto resolve the issue as a matter <strong>of</strong> law unless theinsider controls the transferee. When the insider is thetransferee or controls the transferee, there can be n<strong>of</strong>actual dispute that the purpose <strong>of</strong> the transfer was toconfer on the insider a preference over other creditors(see Matter <strong>of</strong> Superior Leather Co. v. Lipman SplitCo., supra at 797, 496 N.Y.S.2d 845).there<strong>of</strong> as granted the motion <strong>of</strong> respondent DianneHalton and Robert L. Halton for partial summaryjudgment; motion denied; and, as so modified, affirmed.SPAIN, J.P., CARPINELLO, MUGGLIN andLAHTINEN, JJ., concur.9 A.D.3d 553, 780 N.Y.S.2d 409, 2004 N.Y. SlipOp. 05710END OF DOCUMENT[5] While we agree with Supreme Court that Gregory'saffidavit *556 raises only feigned factual issuesdesigned to avoid the consequences <strong>of</strong> his earlierdeposition testimony admitting his interest in MPL atthe time <strong>of</strong> transfer (see Richter v. Collier, 5 A.D.3d1003, 1004, 773 N.Y.S.2d 645 [2004]; Martin v.Savage, 299 A.D.2d 903, 904, 750 N.Y.S.2d 684[2002] ), there is no evidence that his 40% interestwas a controlling one or that MPL was merely analter ego <strong>of</strong> either Gregory or Mega Group. Also,MPL <strong>of</strong>fered evidence that Gregory did not effectivelycontrol MPL. This question <strong>of</strong> control is sufficientto raise a triable issue <strong>of</strong> fact as to whether therewas a shuffling <strong>of</strong> corporate assets that gave a preferenceto Gregory's interests over respondents' claim(see Rebh v. Rotterdam Ventures, 252 A.D.2d 609,611, 675 N.Y.S.2d 234 [1998] ).ORDERED that the order and judgment is modified,on the law, without costs, by reversing so much© 2009 Thomson Reuters. No Claim to Orig. US Gov. Works.
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BAKER & HOSTETLER LLP45 Rockefeller
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usiness of defendant Bernard L. Mad
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BACKGROUND, THE TRUSTEE, AND STANDI
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TENTH CAUSE OF ACTIONDISALLOWANCE O
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- Page 144 and 145: FRAUDULENT TRANFERENCESRonald M. Te
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