Opinion ID: 1840531
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: mrs rosemary bender

Text: The trial court found that Mrs. Bender was the widow of Tom Bender, who had paid membership dues until his death, after which she continued to pay dues under a widow's membership privilege in the Club. Neither Mr. Bender nor Mrs. Bender had ever been required to purchase a certificate of membership. The trial court found this arrangement invalid because it was unauthorized under the by-laws. However, because Mr. and Mrs. Bender had relied upon the validity of the arrangement and had always paid their dues, the trial court concluded that equity would indicate that active membership status should be accorded to Mrs. Bender and the Court so rules. Mrs. Bender separately appealed and argues that the other active members should be estopped from denying her claim to active membership status. She asks that the trial court's judgment be reversed insofar as it holds that the Club's waiver was invalid and affirmed in its holding that she is entitled to share in the sale proceeds on the same basis as the other active members. We agree with the conclusion of the trial court for a somewhat different reason. It is undisputed that the board of directors originally waived the certificate requirement in recognition of the fact that Mr. Bender had spent his own funds for improvement of a marina facility he was leaving to the Club. Thus, Mr. Bender did in fact supply the consideration required by the 1960 resolution, and all that the board did in effect was to dispense with the paper work of issuing the certificate. This substantial compliance with the corporate requirements, in combination with the subsequent actions by both the Benders and the Club, estops the Club from now denying Mrs. Bender's membership. Draughon v. General Finance Credit Corp., 362 So.2d 880 (Ala.1978). Those subsequent actions included the payment of dues, participation in Club affairs by the Benders, and the Club's consistent treatment of them as members. For the above reasons the judgment is affirmed in part and reversed in part, and the case remanded for further proceedings in accord with this opinion. AFFIRMED IN PART; REVERSED IN PART; AND REMANDED. TORBERT, C.J., and MADDOX, JONES and SHORES, JJ., concur.