09 B 49094, 11 A 2395
This matter involves the former principals of Brown’s Chicken & Pasta (“Debtor”), the franchisor of Brown’s Chicken restaurants in the Chicago area. Following the dissolution of the principals’ business relationship, litigation ensued and a judgment was entered against the Debtor in the amount of $882,000,which led to the Debtor’s bankruptcy filing in 2009.
At issue in this adversary proceeding is what property was sold in a section 363 sale of Debtor’s assets. In Count I, the Plaintiff accuses the Defendants of conversion of equipment purchased in the sale, valued at $25,582.25.  The Defendants claims that although the equipment was mistakenly included in Debtor’s schedules, it had previously been sold, and therefore, was not property of the bankruptcy estate. In Count II, Plaintiff requests declaratory relief, arguing that it properly assumed and accepted a 15-year franchise agreement between the Debtor and franchisee, Joli Inc. The Defendants counter that a subsequent 15-month franchise agreement is the operative document which was been terminated in accordance with its terms.
As to Count I, the Court ruled that Plaintiff justifiably relied on the representation in Schedule B that the equipment listed therein belonged to the Debtor. The Court noted that Schedule B was never amended to reflect the purported change in ownership, and concluded that the equipment was sold to Plaintiff in the section 363 sale.
As to Count II, the Court expressed doubts as to the authenticity of the shorter, 15-month franchise agreement, and concluded that the 15-year term franchise agreement had been properly assumed and assigned by the Plaintiff in accordance with the requirements of the Bankruptcy Code.