Bank of New Hampshire v. Schreiber (In re Fred Madore Chevrolet-Pontiac-Oldsmobile, Inc.)

219 B.R. 938, 35 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 493, 1998 Bankr. LEXIS 494
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. New Hampshire
DecidedMarch 24, 1998
DocketBankruptcy No. 97-112019-MWV; Adversary No. 97-01118-MWV
StatusPublished

This text of 219 B.R. 938 (Bank of New Hampshire v. Schreiber (In re Fred Madore Chevrolet-Pontiac-Oldsmobile, Inc.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. New Hampshire primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bank of New Hampshire v. Schreiber (In re Fred Madore Chevrolet-Pontiac-Oldsmobile, Inc.), 219 B.R. 938, 35 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 493, 1998 Bankr. LEXIS 494 (N.H. 1998).

Opinion

Memorandum Opinión and Order

MARK W. VAUGHN, Bankruptcy Judge.

The Court has before it a motion for partial summary judgment under Rule 56(e) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, made applicable to these proceedings by Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 7056, filed by one of the Respondents, Winston P. Titus (“Titus”). Titus moves this Court to grant partial summary judgment that he owns title to a certain Chevrolet C1500 pick-up truck that he bought from Fred Madore Chevrolet-Pontiae-Oldsmobile, Inc. (“Madore”). However, Shaker Valley Auto & Tire, Inc. (“Shaker”) claims title also, contending that Madore never had the right to sell Titus the vehicle: Shaker first bought the pick-up at an auction and gave it to Madore to service, not sell. Shaker therefore contends that since it never transferred the truck’s title to Madore, Titus' cannot claim it. The truck, upon which many parties have claimed ownership and liens, is the subject of this adversary proceeding, the original complaint of which was brought by the Bank of New Hampshire pursuant to sections 541(a) and (d) to determine the property interest in the truck.

Titus moves that he succeeds to all rights of Shaker in and to the C1500 Chevrolet truck pursuant to section 382~A:2-403(2) of the New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated. Titus also requests that this Court order Shaker to execute any necessary documents effecting a title transfer from Shaker to Titus. For the reasons set out below, the Court grants Titus’ partial summary judgment motion.

[940]*940This Court has jurisdiction of the subject matter and the parties pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1334 and 157(a) and the “Standing Order of Referral of Title 11 Proceedings to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Hampshire,” dated January 18, 1994 (DiClerico, C.J.). This is a core proceeding in accordance with 28 U.S.C. §§ 157(b)(2)(B) and (0).

Discussion

Titus’ partial summary judgment motion seeks a determination that, there are no material facts in dispute, and, as a matter of law, he is entitled to judgment entered in his favor.

Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56(c), made applicable to these proceedings by Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 7056, the Court shall render summary judgment “if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c) (1997). The Court may not resolve issues of fact, but may only decide if they exist. United States v. Articles of Device, 527 F.2d 1008, 1011 (6th Cir.1976); Aetna Ins. Co. v. Cooper Wells & Co., 234 F.2d 342, 345 (6th Cir.1956). “Genuine,” in the context of Rule 56(c), means that “the evidence is such that a reasonable jury could resolve the point in favor of the nonmoving party....” Rodriguez-Pinto v. Tirado-Delgado, 982 F.2d 34, 36 (1st Cir.1993) (internal quotation marks and citations omitted). “Material,” in the context of Rule 56(c), means that the fact has “the potential to affect the outcome of the suit under applicable law.” Nereida-Gonzalez v. Tirado-Delgado, 990 F.2d 701, 703 (1st Cir.1993). Courts faced with a motion for summary judgment should read the record “in the light most flattering to the nonmovant and in-dulg[e] all reasonable inferences in that party’s. favor.” Maldonado-Denis v. Castillo-Rodriguez, 23 F.3d 576, 581 (1st Cir.1994). Thus, in order to grant the Defendant’s summary judgment motion, this Court “must examine all facts established by the record before it and conclude that, under the applicable substantive law, no reasonable fact-finder could possibly return a verdict in favor of the nonmoving party.” Boyd v. Dock’s Corner Assocs., 135 B.R. 46, 53 (Bankr.W.D.Mich.1991).

Certain facts are not in dispute. On March 10, 1997, Shaker purchased a Chevrolet C1500 pick-up truck (“Truck”) from North Shore Auto Auction in Ipswich, Massachusetts. LaCroix Aff. On or about March 10-12,1997, Shaker dropped off the Truck at Madore for servicing. LaCroix Aff. In fact, Shaker had a history of doing business with Madore: for a period of five or six years, Shaker purchased, sold, and serviced motor vehicles with the car dealership. LaCroix Aff. On March 28,1997, Madore sold the Truck to Titus. Titus Aff. Titus’ affidavit states that when he went to Madore to purchase a vehicle, the Truck was located in the sales area of the Madore dealership with eighteen to twenty other automobiles and trucks, all with sale and price signs. Titus Aff. In consideration for $11,475.00, Madore assigned a retail installment and security agreement between Madore and Titus to Bank of New Hampshire (“BNH”). Madore then prepared a title application, which it apparently failed to forward to the New Hampshire Department of Motor Vehicles.

Shaker now demands that the Truck be returned, insisting that it still retains title1 and that it never authorized Madore to sell the Truck to Titus, or anyone for that matter. According to Titus’ affidavit, in May 1997, a representative from Shaker visited Titus at a construction site where he was [941]*941working, seeking possession of the Truck. Titus Aff.

On April 7,1997, Madore filed a petition in bankruptcy under chapter 11. Madore’s chapter 11 ease was converted to chapter 7 on June 13, 1997. On June 19, 1997, the New Hampshire Bureau of Titles notified Titus that no certificate of title had been filed on his behalf, although he executed a title application and paid a fee to Madore on March 28, 1997, when he bought the Truck from the dealership.

On September 15, 1997, BNH filed the complaint to this adversary proceeding to determine the property interest in the Truck. Titus, who has continued making payments on the Truck to BNH, filed his motion for partial summary judgment on January 27, 1998, to which Shaker objected on February 26,1998.

Taking the most favorable view to the non-moving party, this issue may be characterized as two innocent parties who were wronged, allegedly, by a third. Shaker contends that it dropped off the vehicle only for servicing. Titus contends that he bought the vehicle unaware that it may not have been Madore’s to sell. As such, both Titus and Shaker claim title to the Truck.

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219 B.R. 938, 35 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 493, 1998 Bankr. LEXIS 494, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bank-of-new-hampshire-v-schreiber-in-re-fred-madore-nhb-1998.