Opinion ID: 6260603
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Appellee’s 1963 Action for Specific Performance of the Settlement Agreement and the Final Decree of 1965

Text: By mid 1963, despite his undertakings in the comprehensive settlement agreement, appellant had not cooperated in terminating the English action nor had he cooperated in effecting the registration of the BataBest shares. Accordingly, on July 16, 1963, appellee filed a complaint in equity alleging that: “Defendant [appellant] Jan A. Bata has wrongfully refused to cooperate in obtaining an order of the High Court of Justice in London to conclude the litigation pending in that Court and to take the steps which are necessary to be taken by him to permit the registration of the bearer shares of the Dutch Bata Company.” Appellee prayed that Central-Penn be directed to deliver the stock certificates and the other documents which it held in escrow to appellee and requested “such other, further and different relief as to the Court may seem just and equitable, together with the costs and disbursements of this action.” Appellant filed an answer alleging in new matter that the settlement agreement was void because it was entered into without consideration and was the result of duress and the force of adverse judgments which were fraudulently obtained in other jurisdictions. After extensive pleadings, including a reply and a counter reply, appellee moved for judgment on the pleadings. On September 9, 1965, Judge Alessandkoni entered judgment on the pleadings in favor of appellee, completely rejecting appellant’s 3 claims of lack of consideration, duress, and fraud. The trial court’s final decree of October 18, 1965, [hereinafter referred to as the Final Decree] specified: “1. The settlement agreement concluded between the parties on March 27, 1962 is valid and binding. Defendant [appellant] Jan T. Bata, Executor, is ordered specifically a. To cooperate in terminating the action pending in England ... by consenting to the entry of an order in the form of the attached ‘Tomlin Order’ in accordance with his instructions heretofore given under date of March 27, 1962 to Ms English Solicitors . . .; and b. To cooperate in the registration of the outstanding bearer shares of the Dutch Bata [corporation]. ... in accordance with the agreements dated March 14, 1962 among Thomas J. Bata, Jan A. Bata and Leader, A. G.” In addition the Final Decree directed Central-Penn to deliver the stock certificates and the other documents which it held in escrow to appellee, and to retain the $500,000 which it held in escrow “pending the further order of this court, which hereby retains jurisdiction to supervise the carrying out of the provisions of this judgment.” Appellant perfected an appeal to this Court, and on November 15, 1966, we unanimously affirmed the Final Decree. Bata I. We noted: “Despite the 1962 settlement agreement, appellant has persisted in advancing his claim to control of the Bata Enterprises. Settlement agreements are designed to forestall not foster litigation, and while like any other contract, there are circumstances under which they may be avoided, these circumstances do not include thinly veiled averments of fraud and duress, whose purpose is to conceal disappointment with the settlement .... The orderly administration of justice requires that the protracted litigation which culminated in a total settlement by the parties now be deemed concluded.” 4 On April 17, 1967, the United States Supreme Court denied appellant’s request for certiorari to review this Court’s decision affirming the Final Decree. 5 Yet the “protracted litigation” was far from concluded.