SEC Company Response from Bootie Beer CORP (CIK 0001204853) — Oct 13, 2005
Bootie Beer CORP (CIK 0001204853)
Date: Oct. 13, 2005 · CIK: 0001204853 · Accession: 0001231742-05-000659
AI Filing Summary & Sentiment
Referenced dates: September 23, 2005
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Trombly Business Law
1320 Centre St., Suite 202
Newton, MA 02459
617-243-0060 (telephone)
309-406-1426 (eFax)
October 13, 2005
Delivered by electronic submission via EDGAR
United States Securities and Exchange Commission
Division of Corporation Finance
100 F Street, N.E., Mail Stop 3561
Washington, DC 20549
Attn: Ms. Michele M. Anderson
Re: Jane Butel Corporation
Revised Preliminary Information Statement on Schedule 14C
Filed September 2, 2005
File No. 0-50104
Dear Ms. Anderson:
Enclosed for your review please find the opinion of Florida counsel, as
requested.
If you have further questions or comments, please feel free to contact us. We
are happy to cooperate in any way we can.
Regards,
/s/ Amy M. Trombly
Amy M. Trombly
Counsel for Jane Butel Corporation
Enclosure
cc: Jane Butel Corporation
KIEFNER & HUNT, P.A.
146 Second Street North, Suite 300
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 894-8000 (telephone)
(727) 894-8002 (facsimile)
www.kiefnerhuntlaw.com
Reply to:
Clifford J. Hunt
cjhunt@kiefnerhuntlaw.com
October 12, 2005
United States Securities and Exchange Commission
Division of Corporation Finance
100 F Street, N.E. Mail Stop 3561
Washington, D.C. 20549
Attn: Ms. Michele M. Anderson
Re: Jane Butel Corporation
Revised Preliminary Information Statement on Schedule 14C
Selected Florida corporation law issues
File No. 0-50104
Dear Ms. Anderson:
We are Florida legal counsel to the Jane Butel Corporation (the "Company")
and have been asked by our client to render an opinion regarding certain issues
arising under the Florida Business Corporation Act, Fla. Stat. 607.0101 et
seq. (2005) (the "Corporation Act"). We understand that our opinion is being
solicited in connection with the Company's filing of a preliminary information
statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act").
In rendering this opinion, we have conducted no investigation other than as
indicated herein; and we have assumed and relied upon the accuracy of the
information provided to us, and the statements made to us by securities counsel
for the Company. Reference is made to that specific letter from Amy M. Trombly,
Esquire to Ms. Michele M. Anderson of the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "Commission") dated September 30, 2005 (the "Trombly Letter"). A copy of
the Trombly letter is attached hereto for your ease of reference. We understand
that the Trombly Letter was provided in response to comments of the Commission's
staff (the "Staff") as set forth in a letter dated September 23, 2005. For
purposes of this opinion we have assumed as true and accurate and have relied
upon the recitation of facts and circumstances set forth in the Trombly Letter.
We have further considered such additional facts as we deemed relevant and
necessary to formulate the opinions set forth herein.
Subject to the foregoing, we understand that the Commission Staff is requesting
an opinion from Florida counsel regarding applicability of certain provisions of
the Corporations Act to the facts and circumstances set forth in the Trombly
Letter. Specifically, the Staff has asked for an opinion regarding (i) whether
the sale of assets by the Company to Jane Butel required shareholder approval;
and (ii) whether the issuance of common stock by the Company to Bootie Beer
Company ("Bootie Beer") required shareholder approval. Our response is set forth
below.
1. Did the sale of assets by the Company to Jane Butel require shareholder
approval?
Without reciting all of the facts set forth in the Trombly Letter relative
to this inquiry, we understand that the sale of assets occurred as a means of
satisfying indebtedness of the Company. A board of directors' allocation of a
company's assets for such purpose is specifically authorized by Section 607.1201
of the Corporations Act.
607.1201 SALE OF ASSETS IN REGULAR COURSE OF BUSINESS
AND MORTGAGE OF ASSETS.--
(1) A corporation may, on the terms and conditions and for the consideration
determined by the board of directors:
(a) Sell, lease, exchange, or otherwise dispose of all, or substantially all,
of its property in the usual and regular course of business;
(b) Mortgage, pledge, dedicate to the repayment of indebtedness (whether with
or without recourse), create a security interest in, or otherwise encumber any
or all of its property whether or not in the usual and regular course of
business; or
(c) Transfer any or all of its property to a corporation all the shares of
which are owned by the corporation.
(2) Unless the articles of incorporation require it, approval by the
shareholders of a transaction described in subsection (1) is not required.
It is well-established in Florida law that a corporation has both express
and implied powers to transfer its property or assets subject to limitations
imposed by the Florida Constitution, Florida statutory law, articles of
incorporation, or public policy. De La Rosa v. Tropical Sandwiches, Inc., 298
So.2d 471, 472 (Fla. 3d DCA 1974) reh'g denied.
Where a sale of corporate assets or other property occurs, there is a
presumption that the directors of the corporation acted honestly in the
transaction and in the best interests of the company's shareholders. Id., citing
Baron v. Pressed Metals of America, 35 Del.Ch. 325, 117 A.2d 357 (1955).See
Boettcher v. IMC Mortgage Company, 871 So.2d 1047, 1052 (Fla. 2d DCA 2004).
It is clear that the provisions of Section 607.1201(1)(b) provide express
authorization for the sale of corporate assets to satisfy its debt obligations.
The facts and circumstances set forth in the Trombley letter provide no basis to
conclude that there is any dispute regarding the good-faith acts of the Board of
Directors in dedicating Company assets to the repayment of indebtedness and, we
otherwise have no reason to believe that any such dispute exists. Thus, we are
not aware of any facts or circumstances that could arguably overcome the
presumption that the Board of Directors acted honestly and in the best interests
of the shareholders. Finally, we are advised that the Company's articles of
incorporation do not require shareholder approval of the asset sale. Under such
circumstances, Section 607.1201(2) of the Corporation Act specifically
authorizes the sale without shareholder approval.
2. Did the issuance of common stock by the Company to Bootie Beer
require shareholder approval?
We understand from the facts and circumstances set forth in the Trombly
Letter that the Company issued shares of its common stock to Bootie Beer in
connection with a merger transaction. Section 607.0621 of the Corporation Act
authorizes a corporate board of directors to issue shares of corporate capital
stock for several types of consideration.
607.0621 ISSUANCE OF SHARES.--
(1) The powers granted in this section to the board of directors may be
reserved to the shareholders by the articles of incorporation.
(2) The board of directors may authorize shares to be issued for consideration
consisting of any tangible or intangible property or benefit to the corporation,
including cash, promissory notes, services performed, promises to perform
services evidenced by a written contract, or other securities of the
corporation.
(3) Before the corporation issues shares, the board of directors must determine
that the consideration received or to be received for shares to be issued is
adequate. That determination by the board of directors is conclusive insofar as
the adequacy of consideration for the issuance of shares relates to whether the
shares are validly issued, fully paid, and nonassessable. When it cannot be
determined that outstanding shares are fully paid and nonassessable, there shall
be a conclusive presumption that such shares are fully paid and nonassessable if
the board of directors makes a good faith determination that there is no
substantial evidence that the full consideration for such shares has not been
paid.
(4) When the corporation receives the consideration for which the board of
directors authorized the issuance of shares, the shares issued therefor are
fully paid and nonassessable. Consideration in the form of a promise to pay
money or a promise to perform services is received by the corporation at the
time of the making of the promise, unless the agreement specifically provides
otherwise.
(5) The corporation may place in escrow shares issued for a contract for future
services or benefits or a promissory note, or make other arrangements to
restrict the transfer of the shares, and may credit distributions in respect of
the shares against their purchase price, until the services are performed, the
note is paid, or the benefits received. If the services are not performed, the
shares escrowed or restricted and the distributions credited may be canceled in
whole or part.
We are informed that the Board of Directors adopted a resolution approving
the merger and the issuance of Company shares in connection therewith. Further,
we are informed that the Company's articles of incorporation do not vest any
rights, authority or power to the Company's shareholders to issue shares or
otherwise vote on the issuance of shares.
Based upon the facts we have assumed above, our examination of various
documents and the law, it is our opinion that (i) shareholder approval was not
required in connection with the Company's sale of its assets to Jane Butel; and
(ii) shareholder approval was not required for the Company's issuance of shares
of its capital stock to Bootie Beer in connection with the merger between the
two companies.
In our examination of the documents provided for our review, we have
assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of each signatory
to such documents, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as
originals, the conformity to original documents of documents submitted to us as
certified, facsimile, e-mail or photostatic copies, and the authenticity of the
originals of such latter documents. We have assumed that the Documents
accurately describe and contain the mutual understanding of the parties as to
all matters contained therein, and that no other agreements or understandings
exist between the parties with respect to the Documents.
Any reference herein to "our knowledge" or to any matter "known to us," "of
which we are aware" or "coming to our attention" or any variation of any of the
foregoing used herein (i) signify that, in the course of our representation of
the Company, no information has come to our attention that would give us actual
knowledge or actual notice that any facts underlying such opinions are not
accurate, and (ii) the words are intended to be limited to the knowledge of the
lawyers within our firm that have given substantive attention to matters on
behalf of the Company.
For purposes of this opinion, we have assumed that the merger agreement
identified herein has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
parties thereto, that the parties each had the legal capacity and all requisite
power and authority to effect the transactions contemplated by the merger
agreement and that the merger agreement is the valid, binding and enforceable
obligation of the parties enforceable against them in accordance with its terms.
We are expressing no opinion herein as to the application of, or compliance
with, any federal, state or local law or regulation relating to the power,
authority or competence of any party to the transactions described herein other
than the Company.
We express no opinion as to the laws of any state or jurisdiction other
than the Florida Business Corporation Act and the federal laws of the United
States. Accordingly, to the extent that any other laws govern any of the
matters as to which we express an opinion, we have assumed, without independent
investigation, that the laws of such jurisdiction are identical to the Florida
Business Corporation Act, and we express no opinion as to whether such
assumption is reasonable or correct.
The foregoing opinion is subject to the accuracy of the information
provided and statements made to us, and is based upon the facts assumed above.
It is intended only for your use, that of the Company and your respective
counsel and is not to be relied upon by any other person or entity, and further
distribution or dissemination of this letter is unauthorized.
Sincerely,
KIEFNER & HUNT, P.A.
/s/ Clifford J. Hunt
-----------------------------
Clifford J. Hunt, Esquire
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