Barkley v. West (West)

474 B.R. 191
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Mississippi
DecidedJune 6, 2012
DocketBankruptcy No. 06-10482-DWH; Adversary No. 09-1080-DWH
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 474 B.R. 191 (Barkley v. West (West)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Mississippi primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Barkley v. West (West), 474 B.R. 191 (Miss. 2012).

Opinion

OPINION

DAVID W. HOUSTON, III, Bankruptcy Judge.

On consideration before the court is a motion to dismiss, which was filed by the defendants, Grace West and H & G Land Company, L.P., (“H & G”), regarding the Corrected Amended Complaint filed by the plaintiff, Harold J. Barkley, Jr., Trustee, (“trustee”); a response to said motion having been filed by the trustee; an evidentia-ry hearing having been conducted on the motion; the parties having submitted respective memoranda of law; and the court, having heard and considered same, hereby finds as follows, to-wit:

I.

The court has jurisdiction of the subject matter of and the parties to this proceeding pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1334 and 28 U.S.C. § 157.

The court finds that this is a core proceeding as defined in 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(A), (B), (E), (F), (H), and (0). Even if this court’s conclusion is incorrect, all of the parties have consented on the record to this court entering a final order with respect to the statute of limitations issues which are the primary matters addressed in this opinion.

II.

On March 8, 2012, this court entered an initial order resolving certain parts of the defendants’ motion to dismiss. The following issues were addressed in the order, to-wit:

A. A Chapter 12 trustee initially does not have inherent statutory standing to pursue avoidance actions because such causes of action belong to the Chapter 12 debtor-in-possession. No standing had been granted to the Chapter 12 trustee, pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 1202(b)(2), to pursue the subject adversary proceeding as of May 14, 2009. The court, nevertheless, concluded that standing to continue and maintain the subject adversary proceeding was granted to the Chapter 12 trustee pursuant to the terms of the order confirming the debtor’s Chapter 12 plan, entered on August 10, 2009. The Court further concluded that the defendants were judicially estopped from challenging the Chapter 12 trustee’s standing as a result of the confirmation order. [194]*194AJI of the parties agreed to the order which vested the trustee with all rights of the Chapter 12 debtor-in-possession to pursue causes of action under §§ 542, 543, 544, 545, 547, 548, and 549 of the Bankruptcy Code.1 See In re Teigen, 123 B.R. 887, 888-89 (Bankr.D.Mont.1991). The order also preserved all claims and defenses that had previously been plead by the parties. Whether the complaint was filed on May 14, 2009, or shortly after August 10, 2009, will have no bearing on the outcome of this proceeding.
B. The Court concluded that the statute of limitations, set forth in § 546(a), expired prior to the filing of this adversary proceeding with respect to the trustee’s claim seeking to avoid a prepetition preferential transfer to the defendant, Grace West, in the amount of $5,400.00 pursuant to § 547(b). This defense was not equitably tolled or waived by said defendant. (The possibility of ■ an insider payment to Grace West was disclosed on the debtor’s Statement of Financial Affairs as mentioned hereinbelow.)
C. The Court concluded that the assignment given by the debtor, Luther Allen West, Sr., to his mother, Grace West, of his partnership interest in H & G, was a collateral assignment, rather than an absolute assignment, because the assignment would become void when the underlying indebtedness was satisfied.

The court reaffirms the conclusions set forth in the aforesaid order.

HI.

In their motion to dismiss, the defendants contend that the trustee’s claims are effectively barred by the statutes of limitations set forth in § 546(a) and § 549(d) of the Bankruptcy Code. A chronology of the factual events underpinning this proceeding is set forth as follows, to-wit:

A. On March 17, 2006, the debtor, Luther Allen West, Sr., filed a voluntary petition for relief pursuant to Chapter 12 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. Included in his schedules were the following:
1. The debtor’s mother, Grace West, was scheduled as a creditor.
2. The Statement of Financial Affairs (“SOFA”) listed Grace West in paragraph 3.c. as an insider creditor who had received a pre-petition payment.
3. On Schedule B, the debtor listed his ownership of a 9% limited partnership interest in H & G, having an unknown value. He stated that, “Mother, Grace West, is [sic] and Attorneys control this partnership. Whatever interest debtor receives from this is contingent upon his mother letting him have it.”
4. On Schedule G, the debtor listed “HG Land Company, L.P., e/o Grace West” as an other party to an unexpired agricultural lease.
B. On June 14, 2006, Grace West filed a proof of claim reflecting an indebtedness owed to her by the debtor in the sum of $594,796.29. The following items were attached to the proof of claim form:
1. A deed of trust, dated December 31, 2002, which encumbered real property owned by the debtor.
[195]*1952. A security agreement on the debt- or’s equipment and his interest in H & G.
3. An assignment of the debtor’s interest in H & G, dated December 31, 2002.
4. A letter from First Security Bank, dated June 7, 2006, reflecting that the debtor’s promissory note was owed to a custodian account for the benefit of Grace F. West.
5. The promissory note executed by the debtor in favor of Grace West, dated December 31, 2002.
C. On June 19, 2006, the debtor filed his initial Chapter 12 plan.
D. On the dates set forth hereinbelow, H & G, by and through its general partner, transferred the funds designated to Grace West on account of her alleged security interest in the debt- or’s 9% partnership interest in H & G, to-wit:
12/19/06 $ 6,744.98
12/28/06 4,456.80
01/11/07 6,195.65
01/31/07 12,338.98
02/20/07 4,657.80
03/22/07 6,025.86
03/28/07 19,000.00
10/25/07 8.409.54
TOTAL $67,823.61
E. Pursuant to a motion filed on behalf of the debtor, certain real and personal properties owned by the debtor were sold. Pursuant to agreed orders, dated respectively May 11, 2007, and May 21, 2007, the proceeds of these sales were distributed to the creditors holding claims secured by the properties, including Grace West.

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474 B.R. 191, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/barkley-v-west-west-msnb-2012.