Bensenville Community Center Union v. Bailey (In Re Bailey)

147 B.R. 157, 28 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 173, 1992 Bankr. LEXIS 1761, 1992 WL 321324
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Illinois
DecidedNovember 2, 1992
Docket19-05512
StatusPublished
Cited by55 cases

This text of 147 B.R. 157 (Bensenville Community Center Union v. Bailey (In Re Bailey)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bensenville Community Center Union v. Bailey (In Re Bailey), 147 B.R. 157, 28 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 173, 1992 Bankr. LEXIS 1761, 1992 WL 321324 (Ill. 1992).

Opinion

JACK B. SCHMETTERER, Bankruptcy Judge.

FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

Introduction

The Complaint herein alleges two causes of action brought by the Bensenville Community Credit Union (the “Union”). Count I, brought under 11 U.S.C. § 727(a)(4), objects to discharge of the debtor Milton Bailey (“Bailey”), alleging that he knowingly and fraudulently made a false oath or account in regard to his bankruptcy schedules. Count II, brought pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2)(B), alleges that debtor made a false statement on a financial statement allegedly prepared by him for the purpose of refinancing a ear loan.

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. On July 23, 1991, the debtor-defendant Milton Bailey voluntarily signed his bankruptcy petition and schedules filed on his behalf in that related proceeding in this Court, No. 91 B 15505.

2. Bailey had the opportunity to review his schedules and statement of affairs prior to signing his name. In signing his name upon the petition and schedules, Bailey swore, under penalties of perjury, that all of the information contained in his bankruptcy schedules were true and correct to the best of his knowledge, information, and belief.

3. However, the debtor Bailey failed to list in his sworn bankruptcy statement of financial affairs and bankruptcy schedules all financial accounts which he owned prior to and at the time of his filing. These financial accounts which the debtor failed to disclose include the following:

A. At and prior to the time of filing his bankruptcy petition and schedules, Bailey deposited net pay received from his employment with the United States Post Office by way of direct deposit into account number 04804902 at the First Chicago Bank.
B. Defendant also had a savings account with the United States Postal Service Credit Union, located in Washington, D.C., under account number 52962. Defendant made deposits of $100.00 into this particular account every two weeks directly from income he received from the United States Post Office.
*160 C. Defendant also owned an account with the Chicago Post Office Employees Credit Union, account number 14391-0. He made a direct deposit of $200.00 every two weeks into this particular account.
D. Defendant also omitted in his bankruptcy schedules and statement of financial affairs the aggregate deposit of between $7,000.00 and $8,000.00 that he held with a U.S. Government “Thrift Plan” account through the National Finance Center.

4. In signing his name to his bankruptcy petition, statement of financial affairs, and schedules, plaintiff contends that Bailey made a false oath to this Bankruptcy Court concerning his financial affairs and assets, the same being the basis for seeking denial of his discharge under § 727(a)(4).

5. Plaintiff further contends that Bailey made another false statement and oath at his meeting of creditors, held pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 341, by again attesting under oath to the fact that the information contained in his petition and statement of financial affairs was true and accurate.

6. Count I of the Complaint raises the factual issue of whether the schedules and statements filed in bankruptcy by defendant are materially false and misleading, in that he failed to disclose therein the foregoing accounts.

7. Defendant countered that various omissions from his schedules were inadvertent errors, mistakenly omitted, without fraudulent intent, and therefore do not rise to the level of active, knowing omissions with fraudulent intent which would lead this Court to deny debtor his discharge. This argument rests on assertions concerning the debtor’s level of education and understanding of the schedules; the asserted minimal and trivial value of the property which debtor failed to list on his schedules; the asserted lack of any real harm that failure to list assets has had or could have had on creditors and their ability to receive a distribution; the argued lack of justification or motive for making false statements or oaths; and, finally, the credibility of the debtor.

8. While the debtor Bailey is not a sophisticated business or professional person, he was generally aware of the questions posed in the bankruptcy schedules, the reasons for such questions, and the importance of answering the questions properly or with full information.

9. Some of Bailey’s omissions were minor and inconsequential to the debtor’s estate. The two credit union accounts and one checking account omitted from the schedules had, as stipulated by the parties, an aggregate value of less than $450.00 on the date of filing. Furthermore, each of these accounts would be exempt and therefore of no value to the creditors.

10. Bailey contends that he thought he provided correct answers to all his attorney’s questions regarding his accounts. He was paid every two weeks. From each paycheck, Bailey deposited $100.00 into one credit union account, and another $200.00 into the second credit union account. The balance of his earnings was deposited into his checking account. Each of the accounts were used, either individually or in combinations, to pay Bailey’s personal debts each month. The funds were used for urgent needs, such as rent, utilities, food, gasoline, clothing, and medications. After payments for all of his living expenses, Bailey had no money left over. He lived from paycheck to paycheck, sometimes having to borrow between paychecks to pay his regular living expenses. Therefore, in response to his attorney’s questioning whether he had any money on deposit in any banks or credit unions, Bailey answered what he believed to be correct by saying “no”. Bailey had only small amounts in these accounts, and therefore he did not believe they had to be listed.

11. Debtor is employed by the United States Post Office. He opened a “Thrift Savings Plan” account, funded by withhold-ings from his salary. Deposits into and earnings on such accounts are tax deferred, much like IRA accounts. Such accounts may ultimately be used by owners to fund their retirement or any other non- *161 retirement purpose they choose. Debtor’s Thrift Plan account is substantially more valuable than the other assets he failed to list. Bailey failed to list or schedule that asset, and failed to list the value of that asset. The value on the date of filing was between $7,000.00 and $8,000.00.

12. Debtor argues that the Thrift Plan was a form of retirement benefit that is exempt from creditors and is likewise of no value to the creditors of Bailey. He did not, however, list this account on his schedule of claimed exemptions. He argues that he referred to it on his schedule by a vague reference to “Retirement Benefits” on Plaintiff's Ex. 3 (Schedule B-2, page 2) However, that reference did not even impliedly identify either the Thrift account or any amount deposited therein. Moreover, no claim of exemption was filed for it. Plaintiff’s Ex. 3 (Schedule B-4).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
147 B.R. 157, 28 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 173, 1992 Bankr. LEXIS 1761, 1992 WL 321324, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bensenville-community-center-union-v-bailey-in-re-bailey-ilnb-1992.