EX-5.2 6 c78302exv5w2.txt OPINION OF R. JEFFREY BIXLER EXHIBIT 5.2 MANOR CARE INC. 333 North Summit Street Toledo, Ohio 43604 July 30, 2003 Manor Care, Inc. 333 N. Summit Street Toledo, Ohio 43604-2617 Re: Registration Statement for $100,000,000 Aggregate Principal Amount of Convertible Senior Notes and Related Guarantees and 3,213,370 Shares of Common Stock Ladies and Gentlemen: In connection with the registration for resale by the holders thereof of $100,000,000 2.125% Convertible Senior Notes due 2023 (the "NOTES"), the guarantees of the Notes (the "GUARANTEES") by the guarantors listed on Schedule 1 attached hereto (the "GUARANTORS"), and 3,213,370 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "SHARES") issuable upon conversion of the Notes, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, by Manor Care, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "COMPANY"), on Form S-3 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 30, 2003 (the "REGISTRATION STATEMENT"), you have requested my opinion set forth below. The Notes and the Guarantees have been issued under an Indenture dated as of April 15, 2003 (the "INDENTURE") among the Company, the Guarantors and National City Bank, as trustee (the "TRUSTEE"). In my capacity as Vice President and General Counsel of the Company, I am familiar with the proceedings taken by the Company and the Guarantors in connection with the authorization of the Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees. In addition, I have examined such matters of fact and questions of law as I have considered appropriate for purposes of this letter. Various issues concerning the Notes and the Shares are addressed in the opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP of even date herewith, which has separately been provided to you, and I express no opinion with respect to those matters. Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is my opinion that, as of the date hereof, (1) The Indenture has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of each of the Guarantors, has been duly executed and delivered by each of the Guarantors, and is a legally valid and binding obligation of each of the Guarantors, enforceable against the Guarantors in accordance with its terms. (2) The notation of Guarantee of each of the Guarantors endorsed on the Notes has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of each of the Guarantors and constitutes the legally valid and binding obligation of the Guarantors, enforceable against the Guarantors in accordance with their terms. The opinion rendered in paragraphs 1 and 2 above relating to the enforceability of the Indenture and the Guarantees are subject to the following exceptions, limitations and qualifications: (i) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent transfer, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors; (ii) the effect of general principles of equity, whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law (including the possible unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief), concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought; and (iii) the unenforceability under certain circumstances under law or court decisions of provisions providing for the indemnification of or contribution to a party with respect to a liability where such indemnification or contribution is contrary to public policy. To the extent the obligations of the Guarantors under the Indenture and the Notes may be dependent upon such matters, I assume for purposes of this opinion that the Indenture constitutes a legally valid and binding agreement of the Trustee, enforceable against the Trustee in accordance with its terms. I consent to your filing this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to my name contained under the heading "Validity of Securities." Very truly yours, /s/ R. Jeffrey Bixler Vice President and General Counsel SCHEDULE 1 GUARANTORS AMERICAN HOSPITAL BUILDING CORPORATION AMERICANA HEALTHCARE CENTER OF PALOS TOWNSHIP, INC. AMERICANA HEALTHCARE CORPORATION OF GEORGIA AMERICANA HEALTHCARE CORPORATION OF NAPLES ANCILLARY SERVICES MANAGEMENT, INC. BAILY NURSING HOME, INC. BIRCHWOOD MANOR, INC. BLUE RIDGE REHABILITATION SERVICES, INC. CANTERBURY VILLAGE, INC. CHARLES MANOR, INC. CHESAPEAKE MANOR, INC. DEKALB HEALTHCARE CORPORATION DEVON MANOR CORPORATION DISTCO, INC. DIVERSIFIED REHABILITATION SERVICES, INC. DONAHOE MANOR, INC. EAST MICHIGAN CARE CORPORATION EXECUTIVE ADVERTISING, INC. EYE-Q NETWORK, INC. FOUR SEASONS NURSING CENTERS, INC. GEORGIAN BLOOMFIELD, INC. GREENVIEW MANOR, INC. HCR HOME HEALTH CARE AND HOSPICE, INC. HCR HOSPITAL HOLDING COMPANY, INC. HCR INFORMATION CORPORATION HCR MANORCARE MEDICAL SERVICES OF FLORIDA, INC. HCR PHYSICIAN MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC. HCR REHABILITATION CORP. HCRA OF TEXAS, INC. HCRC INC. HEALTH CARE AND RETIREMENT CORPORATION OF AMERICA HEARTLAND CAREPARTNERS, INC. HEARTLAND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES, INC. HEARTLAND HOME CARE, INC. HEARTLAND HOME HEALTH CARE SERVICES, INC. HEARTLAND HOSPICE SERVICES, INC. HEARTLAND INFORMATION SERVICES, INC. (fka Heartland Medical Information Services) HEARTLAND MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC. HEARTLAND REHABILITATION SERVICES OF FLORIDA, INC. HEARTLAND REHABILITATION SERVICES, INC. HEARTLAND SERVICES CORP. HERBERT LASKIN, RPT - JOHN MCKENZIE, RPT PHYSICAL THERAPY PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATES, INC. HGCC OF ALLENTOWN, INC. IN HOME HEALTH, INC. INDUSTRIAL WASTES, INC. IONIA MANOR, INC. JACKSONVILLE HEALTHCARE CORPORATION KENSINGTON MANOR, INC. KNOLLVIEW MANOR, INC. LEADER NURSING AND REHABILITATION CENTER OF BETHEL PARK, INC. LEADER NURSING AND REHABILITATION CENTER OF GLOUCESTER, INC. LEADER NURSING AND REHABILITATION CENTER OF SCOTT TOWNSHIP, INC. LEADER NURSING AND REHABILITATION CENTER OF VIRGINIA INC. LINCOLN HEALTH CARE, INC. MANOR CARE AVIATION, INC. MANOR CARE OF AKRON, INC. MANOR CARE OF AMERICA, INC MANOR CARE OF ARIZONA, INC. MANOR CARE OF ARLINGTON, INC. MANOR CARE OF BOCA RATON, INC. MANOR CARE OF BOYNTON BEACH, INC. MANOR CARE OF CANTON, INC. MANOR CARE OF CENTERVILLE, INC MANOR CARE OF CHARLESTON, INC. MANOR CARE OF CINCINNATI, INC. MANOR CARE OF COLUMBIA, INC. MANOR CARE OF DARIEN, INC. MANOR CARE OF DELAWARE COUNTY, INC. MANOR CARE OF DUNEDIN, INC. MANOR CARE OF FLORIDA, INC. MANOR CARE OF HINSDALE, INC. MANOR CARE OF KANSAS, INC. MANOR CARE OF KINGSTON COURT, INC. MANOR CARE OF LARGO, INC. MANOR CARE OF LEXINGTON, INC. MANOR CARE OF MEADOW PARK, INC. MANOR CARE OF MIAMISBURG, INC MANOR CARE OF NORTH OLMSTEAD, INC. MANOR CARE OF PINEHURST, INC. MANOR CARE OF PLANTATION, INC. MANOR CARE OF ROLLING MEADOWS, INC. MANOR CARE OF ROSSVILLE, INC. MANOR CARE OF SARASOTA, INC. MANOR CARE OF WILLOUGHBY, INC. MANOR CARE OF WILMINGTON, INC. MANOR CARE OF YORK (NORTH), INC. MANOR CARE OF YORK (SOUTH), INC. MANOR CARE PROPERTIES, INC. MANORCARE HEALTH SERVICES OF BOYNTON BEACH, INC. MANORCARE HEALTH SERVICES OF NORTHHAMPTON COUNTY, INC. MANORCARE HEALTH SERVICES OF VIRGINIA, INC. MANORCARE HEALTH SERVICES, INC. MARINA VIEW MANOR, INC. MEDI-SPEECH SERVICE, INC. MID-SHORE PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSOCIATES, INC. MILESTONE HEALTH SYSTEMS, INC. MILESTONE HEALTHCARE, INC. MILESTONE REHABILITATION SERVICES, INC. MILESTONE STAFFING SERVICES, INC. MILESTONE THERAPY SERVICES, INC. MNR FINANCE CORP. MRC REHABILITATION, INC. NEW MANORCARE HEALTH SERVICES, INC. PEAK REHABILITATION, INC. PERRYSBURG PHYSICAL THERAPY, INC PHYSICAL OCCUPATIONAL AND SPEECH THERAPY, INC. PNEUMATIC CONCRETE, INC. PORTFOLIO ONE, INC. REHABILITATION ADMINISTRATION CORPORATION REHABILITATION ASSOCIATES, INC. REHABILITATION SERVICES OF ROANOKE, INC. REINBOLT & BURKAM, INC. RICHARDS HEALTHCARE, INC. RIDGEVIEW MANOR, INC. ROLAND PARK NURSING CENTER, INC. RVA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC. SILVER SPRING - WHEATON NURSING HOME, INC. SPRINGHILL MANOR, INC. STEWALL CORPORATION STRATFORD MANOR, INC. STUTEX CORP. SUN VALLEY MANOR, INC. THE NIGHTINGALE NURSING HOME, INC. THERAPY ASSOCIATES, INC. THERASPORT PHYSICAL THERAPY, INC. THREE RIVERS MANOR, INC. TOTALCARE CLINICAL LABORATORIES, INC. WASHTENAW HILLS MANOR, INC. WHITEHALL MANOR, INC. COLEWOOD LIMITED PARTNERSHIP HCR HOSPITAL, LLC ANCILLARY SERVICES, LLC BOOTH LIMITED PARTNERSHIP ANNANDALE ARDEN, LLC BAINBRIDGE ARDEN, LLC BINGHAM FARMS ARDEN, LLC COLONIE ARDEN, LLC CRESTVIEW HILLS, LLC FIRST LOUISVILLE ARDEN, LLC GENEVA ARDEN LLC HANOVER ARDEN, LLC JEFFERSON ARDEN, LLC KENWOOD ARDEN, LLC LIVONIA ARDEN, LLC MEMPHIS ARDEN, LLC NAPA ARDEN, LLC ROANOKE ARDEN, LLC SAN ANTONIO ARDEN, LLC SILVER SPRING ARDEN, LLC SUSQUEHANNA ARDEN LLC TAMPA ARDEN, LLC WALL ARDEN, LLC WARMINSTER ARDEN LLC WILLIAMS VILLE ARDEN, LLC BATH ARDEN, LLC CLAIRE BRIDGE OF ANDERSON, LLC CLAIRE BRIDGE OF AUSTIN, LLC CLAIRE BRIDGE OF KENWOOD, LLC CLAIRE BRIDGE OF SAN ANTONIO, LLC CLAIRE BRIDGE OF SUSQUEHANNA, LLC CLAIRE BRIDGE OF WARMINSTER, LLC FRESNO ARDEN, LLC MESQUITE HOSPITAL, LLC TUSCAWILLA ARDEN, LLC HCR MANORCARE MESQUITE, L.P.