Borock v. Bidlofsky (In Re Bidlofsky)

57 B.R. 883, 1985 Bankr. LEXIS 4726
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Michigan
DecidedDecember 20, 1985
Docket19-43017
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 57 B.R. 883 (Borock v. Bidlofsky (In Re Bidlofsky)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Borock v. Bidlofsky (In Re Bidlofsky), 57 B.R. 883, 1985 Bankr. LEXIS 4726 (Mich. 1985).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

STEVEN W. RHODES, Bankruptcy Judge.

I. Introduction

These two adversary proceedings were consolidated for trial. In Janis v. Bidlofsky, George and Mary Janis allege that the debt owed to them by the debtors, Herbert and Sharon Bidlofsky, is non-dischargeable pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2)(A). In Borock v. Bidlofsky, Paul Borock, the trustee, alleges practically every cause of action conceivable under the Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. § 101, et seq. As narrowed by the Court following the close of the trustee’s proofs, however, the trustee claims:

A. That the Court should not grant a discharge to the debtors because they transferred, removed, and concealed property within one year of filing their petition, (11 U.S.C. § 727(a)(2)(A));

B. That the Court should not grant a discharge to the debtors because they transferred, removed, and concealed property of the estate after the petition was filed, (11 U.S.C. § 727(a)(2)(B));

C. That the Court should not grant a discharge to the debtors because each made a false oath in their petition and in testimony at the meeting of creditors held pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 341, and because Herbert Bidlofsky made a false oath in his testimony during his deposition, 1 (11 U.S.C. § 727(a)(4)(A));

D. That transfers of the debtors’ property within one year of the filing of the petition should be avoided, (11 U.S.C. § 548(a));

E. That transfers of the debtors’ property should be avoided under state law, (11 U.S.C. § 544(b) and M.C.L.A. § 566.11 et seq., (The Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act));

F. That the debtors’ claim of exemption of the funds in their bank accounts be disallowed;

G. That the defendant Comerica Bank should be ordered to turn over funds that it held on deposit for the debtors on the date of filing, (11 U.S.C. § 542(a)); and,

H. That the debtors and their prior counsel, defendant Bernard Bockneck, who has not defended this action, should be held jointly and severally liable for certain acts of fraud.

Also in Borock v. Bidlofsky, the defendant Comerica Bank has a cross-claim against the debtors in which it claims that because it released the debtors’ deposits to them, it should have a judgment against them to the extent of any judgment entered against it in favor of the trustee.

The debtors deny any wrongdoing such as might except the Janises’ debt from discharge under Section 523 or bar their discharge under Section 727. They also deny any fraudulent conveyance under Sections 544(b) or 548, or under the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, and deny that their claim of exemption is improper.

*887 II. Findings of Facts

A. The Janis Mortgage

George Janis testified that he is retired from the tool and die manufacturing business and lives in Traverse City, Michigan. He had met the Bidlofskys through his daughter, with whom the Bidlofskys were close friends.

In early 1982, Herbert Bidlofsky went to Traverse City to visit George Janis to ask for a loan, which he proposed to be secured by a mortgage on his personal residence. Bidlofsky said he needed $20,000 and that he was losing his home in two or three days. After Janis’s daughter recommended the Bidlofskys, Janis agreed to make the loan.

On March 23, 1982, Bidlofsky sent a letter (Plaintiff’s Exhibit 6) to Janis enclosing a promissory note and a mortgage, asking Janis to approve them and return them to him. Bidlofsky indicated that he would file the mortgage in the Oakland County Register of Deeds Office.

On March 25, 1982, Janis returned the note and mortgage (Plaintiffs Exhibit 8) to Bidlofsky together with a $20,000 check (Plaintiffs Exhibit 44). In a handwritten note, (Plaintiffs Exhibit 7) included with these documents, Janis specifically requested Bidlofsky to have Sharon Bidlofsky sign the mortgage before filing. However, Sharon Bidlofsky never signed the mortgage and it was never recorded.

The note called for monthly payments of $500 to commence on May 1, 1982. Bidlofsky sent four checks in payment on this note, as reflected in Plaintiffs Exhibit 28, a record of payments. A $500 payment was made on May 1, 1982. A $500 check was sent on June 2, 1982, but was dishonored twice for insufficient funds (Plaintiffs Exhibit 29). A $1000 check was sent on July 16, 1982, but was also twice dishonored for insufficient funds (Plaintiffs Exhibit 30). Thereafter, $1000 was paid by a cashier’s check. No further payments were made on this obligation until the Bidlofskys sold their home in September of 1983, as discussed below.

Shortly after Bidlofsky defaulted on this note, Janis went to the Oakland County Register of Deeds Office and was told that there was no record of his mortgage. With the help of his daughter and son-in-law, to whom the Bidlofskys also owed money, Janis retained an attorney, John Foley.

Foley filed a suit for the Janises against the Bidlofskys in the Oakland County Circuit Court and also filed a notice of lis pendens (Plaintiff’s Exhibit 31). Shortly after that, Foley received a call from defendant Bernard Bockneck, an attorney who represented the Bidlofskys, in which Bockneck indicated that the suit made it impossible for the Bidlofskys to sell their home. Thus Bockneck proposed that settlement negotiations be undertaken. However, Janis rejected this, and Foley so informed Bockneck.

Herbert Bidlofsky then called Foley directly to discuss settlement. Foley testified that in that conversation Bidlofsky made clear the necessity of compromise since none of his creditors were going to be paid in full from the closing. Foley further quoted Bidlofsky to say, “I’m not getting a dime out of this.” Foley further testified that Bidlofsky’s offer included the entry of a consent judgment if there was a default in the monthly payments that were agreed upon.

In any event, Foley and Janis then decided to agree to accept $10,000 at the closing and the balance in the form of a note with a new payment schedule. Foley further testified that in reaching the decision to compromise this way, he relied on the fact that no other creditors would compromise; thus, he concluded his compromise was the “hingepin”.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
57 B.R. 883, 1985 Bankr. LEXIS 4726, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/borock-v-bidlofsky-in-re-bidlofsky-mieb-1985.