Borg Warner Acceptance Corp. International, Ltd. v. Pietri (In re Pietri)

22 B.R. 462, 1982 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14106
CourtDistrict Court, D. Puerto Rico
DecidedJune 28, 1982
DocketBankruptcy No. 78-253/254; Civ. No. 79-1732 (GG)
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 22 B.R. 462 (Borg Warner Acceptance Corp. International, Ltd. v. Pietri (In re Pietri)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Puerto Rico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Borg Warner Acceptance Corp. International, Ltd. v. Pietri (In re Pietri), 22 B.R. 462, 1982 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14106 (prd 1982).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

GIERBOLINI, District Judge.

This is an appeal arising out of an effort by appellants, Bolivar Barreto Pietri and Julia Emmanuelli d/b/a Mueblería Casa Paris to obtain reversal of an Order of the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Puerto Rico dated June 20, 1979, denying appellants’ motion questioning the validity of the interest and finance charges claimed by ap-pellee, Borg Wagner Acceptance Corporation International, Ltd. (BWAC) pursuant to a stipulation and agreement entered into by the parties. The aforementioned Order was appealed and on November 29,1979 the late Chief Judge José V. Toledo remanded for a clarification of the conclusions reached by the Bankruptcy Judge: that the Usury Act (10 L.P.R.A. 998) does not apply to a lien executed under the Factors’ Lien Act. Also remanded for clarification was whether or not a factor’s lien existed in the present case.

Pursuant to the above remand, the Bankruptcy Judge clarified his earlier order and determined that a valid factor’s lien existed. He also concluded that the local statute against usury does not apply to factors’ liens.

After reviewing the entire record of this case, including the legal memoranda submitted, we find and conclude as follows:

On September 13, 1978 plaintiff-appellee, BWAC filed a complaint against appellants alleging, in synthesis, that on December 29, 1977 co-debtor Bolivar Barreto Pietri had constituted a factors’ lien in BWAC’s favor over his entire inventory, whether then existing or thereafter acquired, and the proceeds thereof to secure the payment to BWAC of said debtor’s debts. It was further alleged that the filing of debtor’s petition in those proceedings constituted an act of default under the factors’ lien agreement. Relief was requested from the automatic stay of Rule 11-44 of Bankruptcy Procedure, in order to proceed with the foreclosure of its lien.

On October 11, 1978 debtors-appellants filed an answer to BWAC’s complaint denying the existence or validity of the factor’s lien. Debtors denied the averments of the complaint and specifically stated that the factors’ lien referred to in the complaint was entered into to guarantee loans that could have been made by BWAC to eo-debt- or Bolivar Barreto, and that in relation to said loans appellants did not owe appellee any amount at the time of the filing of the complaint, and, as such, none of defendants’ property was subject to the provisions of the factors’ lien.

Thereafter on October 26, 1978, the parties herein and Mr. Ramón H. Ortiz, the then Senior Co-Trustee previously appointed by the court, entered into a stipulation and agreement which, after a hearing on [464]*464November 14, 1978, was approved by the Court.

The stipulation included inter alia, the admission of debtors that BWAC’s pre-petition factors’ lien was valid; that it extended over debtors’ entire inventory (including new inventory acquired thereafter with proceeds thereof) and that it secured all of debtors’ liabilities and obligations to BWAC. Moreover, the stipulation provided that debtors were granting BWAC a new factors’ lien over all its merchandise thereafter acquired, to secure their obligation to BWAC thereafter acquired, and that they would execute all additional documents to record and/or perfect such factor lien.

The stipulation also stated that the parties were in agreement as to the amount of the existing indebtedness and provided for a payment plan. Finally, it provided for the accrual of interest charges on the existing indebtedness and on the new advances to be made by BWAC thereunder, at a rate which may at any time “be equal to four percent (4%) over and above the prime interest rate charged by the Citibank, N.A. at its New York office”.

On November 14, 1978 defendants and plaintiff-appellee BWAC executed a “Notice of Creation of Factor’s Lien” before a notary which was duly recorded in the Registry of Property.

Thereafter a motion was filed by BWAC alleging that the debtors had defaulted on the stipulation. A hearing was held on April 3, 1979, whereupon the court appointed Mr. Tomas Padilla as Operating Receiver. The hearing was continued several times.

At a hearing held on May 9, 1979, the debtors and the Operating Receiver questioned the validity of the interest rates and finance charges set forth in the stipulation, as being in violation of the laws of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, specifically, Law number 1 of October 15, 1973 (“Act No. 1”) and the regulations issued thereunder. They further alleged that the maximum interest rates that could be charged are those set forth in Regulation Number 15, which was effective on the date that the stipulation was executed, any excess thereof not being demandable. They did not raise the issue of existence of the factors’ lien.

The matter was taken under advisement by the Bankruptcy Judge and the parties were ordered to submit simultaneous briefs in support of their respective positions.

Upon consideration of all the above, the bankruptcy court denied appellants’ motion and this appeal followed.

The findings made by the bankruptcy judge should not be disturbed by us unless clearly erroneous, Re Baldwin, 578 F.2d 293 (10th Cir. 1978); or unless there is “most cogent evidence of mistake or miscarriage of justice.” Slodov v. United States, 552 F.2d 159 (6th Cir. 1977), rev’d. on other grounds, (436 U.S. 238, 98 S.Ct. 1778, 56 L.Ed. 251).

With these principles in mind, we shall now address the issue of whether a valid factors’ lien contract was indeed entered into by the parties in the present case.

The Factor’s Lien Act (10 LPRA 551 et seq.) provides what a document must contain in order to establish the existence of a factor’s lien:

“(a) The name of the factor, the name under which the factor does business if conducted under a name other than his own, the principal place of business of the factor in Puerto Rico, or if none, said place outside of Puerto Rico; and if the factor is a partnership or association, the name of the partners.. .
(b) The name and address of the debtor, and the nature or legal character of the interest of such person in the materials, goods in process, merchandise and accounts receivable.
(c) The general character of the property or credits subject to the lien and the period of time during which loans or advances may be made by the factor to the debtor under the terms of the factoring contract providing for such loans and advances for such lien.”

Considering the aforementioned requirements, we agree with the bankruptcy [465]*465judge that there is no doubt that the language of the stipulation is sufficient to constitute a post-petition factor’s lien.1 Clearly, subsection (a) of the stipulation incorporates by reference the validity and the terms of the pre-petition factor’s lien entered into by the parties on December 27, 1977. (See Exhibit C of debtors-appellants’s motion of June 1, 1979).

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
22 B.R. 462, 1982 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14106, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/borg-warner-acceptance-corp-international-ltd-v-pietri-in-re-pietri-prd-1982.