Campbell v. Citibank, N.A. (In re Campbell)

547 B.R. 49
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. New York
DecidedMarch 24, 2016
DocketCase No. 14-45990-CEC; Adv. Pro. No. 15-01038-CEC
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 547 B.R. 49 (Campbell v. Citibank, N.A. (In re Campbell)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Campbell v. Citibank, N.A. (In re Campbell), 547 B.R. 49 (N.Y. 2016).

Opinion

DECISION

CARLA E. CRAIG, Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge

In this adversary proceeding, plaintiff Lesley Campbell (“Plaintiff’ or “Campbell”) seeks a determination that funds she borrowed under a CitiAssist Bar Exam Loan (“Bar Loan”) in April, 2009 is dis-chargeable. Citibank, N.A. and The Student Loan Corporation (collectively, “Defendants”), two of the five defendants in this action, seek dismissal pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6), made applicable to this adversary proceeding by Rule 7012(b).1

In the amended complaint (“Complaint”), Campbell asserts five claims for relief against Defendants. In counts one and two, Campbell seeks a determination of dischargeability and a declaratory judgment that the Bar Loan is dischargeable. Because the Bar Loan is not an “educational benefit” within the meaning of § 523(a)(8)(A)(ii), and is not encompassed in any other exception to discharge set forth in § 523(a)(8), the Bar Loan is dis-chargeable, and Defendants’ motion to dismiss these claims is denied.

Count four of the Complaint seeks damages, attorneys’ fees, and costs for violation of the Truth In Lending Act; count six seeks exemplary damages, attorneys’ fees and costs for fraudulent misrepresentation; and count seven seeks disgorgement of unjust enrichment. Because none of these counts states a claim under applicable law, Defendants’ motion to dismiss these claims is granted.

Background

The facts aré not in dispute. In April 2009, Plaintiff, then a student at Pace University Law School, applied for and received the Bar Loan in the amount of $15,000. (Mot. to Dismiss, Declaration of Robert Carson (“Carson Decl.”), p. 2-3, Adv. Pro. No. 15-01038, ECF 18-2; Carson Decl., Ex. A, Adv. Pro. No. 15-01038, ECF 18-3.)2 She made payments on the Bar Loan until June 2012, and in November 2014 she filed a petition for relief under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code. [53]*53(Compl., ¶ 17, p. 5, Adv. Pro. No. 15-01038, ECF 9; Case. No. 14-45990, ECF 1.) In March 2015, Plaintiff received a discharge (Order Discharging Debtor, Case. No. 1445990, ECF 10.) In December 2013, the Bar Loan was assigned to defendant Square Two Financial, Inc., and in March 2015 Campbell filed this adversary proceeding. (Carson Decl., ¶ 9, p. 3, Adv. Pro. No. 15-01038, ECF 18-2; Adv. Pro. No. 15-01038, ECF 1.)

Jurisdiction

This Court has jurisdiction over this proceeding pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1334(b), and the Eastern District of New York standing order of reference dated August 28, 1996, as amended by order dated December 5, 2012. This is a core proceeding under 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(I).

Legal Standard

To overcome a motion to dismiss under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6), a complaint must set forth “enough facts to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007). In evaluating the complaint, the Court “must accept as true all of the factual allegations set out in plaintiffs complaint, draw inferences from those allegations in the light most favorable to plaintiff, and construe the complaint liberally.” Gregory v. Daly, 243 F.3d 687, 691 (2d Cir.2001) (internal quotation marks omitted).

When deciding a motion under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6), the Court must limit its review to facts and allegations contained in the complaint, documents incorporated into the complaint by reference or attached as exhibits, any document on which the complaint heavily relies, and matters of which the Court may take judicial notice. In re Thelen LLP, 736 F.3d 213, 218-19 (2d Cir.2013); Chambers v. Time Warner, Inc., 282 F.3d 147, 152-53 (2d Cir.2002); In re Monahan Ford Corp. of Flushing, 340 B.R. 1, 20-21 (Bankr. E.D.N.Y.2006).

Discussion

Plaintiffs Complaint asserts five claims •for relief against the moving Defendants. Each will be analyzed in turn.

A. Count One: Determination of Dis-chargeability and Count Two: Declaratory Judgment

Counts one and two of the Complaint seek a determination of discharge-ability, pursuant to Rule 4007, and a declaratory judgment, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2201 and Rule 7001(9), stating that none of the exceptions to discharge set forth in § 523(a)(8) is applicable to the Bar Loan, and that the Bar Loan was therefore discharged by the discharge order in Plaintiffs bankruptcy case. (Compl., ¶¶ 24-32, p. 6-7, Adv. Pro. No. 15-01038, ECF 9.)

Section 523(a)(8) provides, in relevant part:

(a) A discharge under section 727 ... of this title does not discharge an individual debtor from any debt—
(8) unless excepting such debt from discharge under this paragraph would impose an undue hardship on the debtor and the debtor’s dependents, for—
(A)(i) an educational benefit overpayment or loan made, insured, or guaranteed by a governmental unit, or made under any program funded in whole or in part by a governmental unit or nonprofit institution; or
(ii) an obligation to repay funds received as an educational benefit, scholarship, or stipend; or
(B) any other educational loan that is a qualified education loan, as defined in section 221(d)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, incurred by a debtor who is an individual; ...

[54]*5411 U.S.C. § 523(a)(8). Defendants do not dispute that the Bar Loan is not excepted from discharge under § 523(a)(8)(A)(i) or § 523(a)(8)(B), and Plaintiff does not claim that the Bar Loan is dischargeable as an “undue hardship” under the standard set forth in Brunner v. New York State Higher Educ. Servs. Corp., 831 F.2d 395 (2d Cir.1987). (See Mot. to Dismiss, p.5-8, Adv. Pro. No. 15-01038, ECF 18-1; Compl. ¶¶ 24-29, p. 6-7, Adv. Pro. No. 15-01038, ECF 9.) Therefore, the sole question for determination with regard to Defendant’s motion to dismiss these two claims is whether the Bar Loan is excepted from discharge under § 523(a)(8)(A)(ii). Since there is no dispute that the Bar Loan constituted an “obligation to repay funds received,” only one question is presented: whether the Bar Loan is an “educational benefit” within the meaning of § 523(a)(8)(A)(ii).

“[W]hen [a] statute’s language is plain, the sole function of the courts — at least where the disposition required by the text is not absurd — is to enforce it according to its terms.” Hartford Underwriters Ins. Co. v. Union Planters Bank, N.A.,

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547 B.R. 49, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/campbell-v-citibank-na-in-re-campbell-nyeb-2016.