Carlucci & Legum v. Murray (In Re Murray)

249 B.R. 223, 44 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 742, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9200, 2000 WL 764199
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. New York
DecidedJune 12, 2000
Docket0:99-cv-05245
StatusPublished
Cited by71 cases

This text of 249 B.R. 223 (Carlucci & Legum v. Murray (In Re Murray)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District 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
Carlucci & Legum v. Murray (In Re Murray), 249 B.R. 223, 44 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 742, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9200, 2000 WL 764199 (E.D.N.Y. 2000).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM & ORDER

AMON, District Judge.

Introduction

This bankruptcy appeal arises out of an adversary proceeding instituted against *226 the debtor Thomas Murray by one of his creditors, Carlucci & Legum (“C & L”), the law firm that represented Murray in his divorce proceedings. C & L sought to prevent Murray’s discharge under several subsections of 11 U.S.C. § 727. After a trial, the bankruptcy court found for the debtor, and C & L appealed to this Court. For the reasons discussed below, the decision of the bankruptcy court is reversed.

Background

A. Factual Background

The debtor, Thomas Murray, filed a voluntary Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition on October 27, 1997. Murray listed two secured creditors and fourteen unsecured creditors who are owed approximately $83,000, including over $5,800 to his former counsel, the plaintiff in this adversary proceeding. “As to his assets, the debtor’s Schedule A shows that he holds title to his home under a tenancy by the entirety (sic), with a fair market value of $175,00 and a mortgage balance of $87,000. His Schedule B also shows a 401(k) plan with a value of zero which he sought to explain with an annotation that he ‘cannot access’ the funds (sic). As of the petition date, he has cash of $100 and owns a 1995 Ford Explorer, with a fair market value of $29,000, against which he owes $30,000 to his secured creditor. He also owns a 1985 Buick Regal worth $750. He scheduled his clothing at $2,500 and his furniture at $2,500. Under his Schedule C, he exempted all of the cash, the clothing, the furnishings, and $10,000 in the residence as homestead exemption. The Schedule C is silent with respect to any claim of exemption in his 401(k) plan.” In re Murray, 238 B.R. 523, 525-26 (Bankr.E.D.N.Y.1999).

Plaintiff filed a complaint objecting to the debtor’s discharge under various subsections of Title 11, section 727(a). Prior to trial the bankruptcy court dismissed all allegations except those arising under subsection (a)(4)(A) — that the debtor “knowingly and fraudulently, in or in connection with the case, made a false oath or account” — by filing false schedules of assets and liabilities and the statement of affairs. Plaintiff alleged the following entries or omissions on the schedules were knowingly false and fraudulent:

1. Assets:

a. An interest in the former marital residence as held by tenancy by the entireties when it should have been listed as held by tenants in common;

b. A 401(k) plan described as having zero value when the debtor’s vested interest was approximately $99,000; and

c. Failure to disclose $8,000 in cash or in a check representing the proceeds of a loan against the 401(k).

2. Liabilities:

a. Undisclosed insider claims held by the debtor’s brother for $1,000, and the debtor’s mother for $2,500;

b. An undisclosed $8,000 in liability owing to the plan administrator; and

c. An undisclosed contingent liability to the debtor’s former spouse as co-obligor on a mortgage loan.

Id.

It should be noted that another misrepresentation alleged by appellant was that debtor’s schedule said debtor “ ‘cannot access’ ” his 401(k) plan, even though plaintiff allegedly could and actually had recently taken out the $8,000 loan against the plan.

B. The Decision Below

Regarding the inaccurate listing of the legal status of the martial residence, the bankruptcy court found this inadvertent and nonmaterial. See Murray, 238 B.R. at 529. The court further found that C & L had made a prima facie case pursuant to § 727(a)(4)(A) that the 401(k) account and the $8,000 loan were not adequately disclosed. See id. at 530. Debtor’s schedule listed the amount in his 401(k) as “0” and said that debtor “cannot access” the plan. The bankruptcy court found that this was not true: the 401(k) actually contained approximately $99,000, and before signing his *227 petition debtor had applied for an $8,000 loan from the 401(k), undermining any claim that he could not access that money. See id. In addition, the loan check was issued, and most likely received by debtor, before his petition was filed. See id. This transaction should also have been accurately disclosed, but was not. See id. Although the court found that C & L had made a prima facie case that the 401(k) plan and the $8,000 loan were insufficiently disclosed on the schedules, see id.; nevertheless, the bankruptcy court held that the non-disclosures were immaterial and as a result would not prevent discharge. See id.

Turning from the schedules to debtor’s testimony at trial, the bankruptcy court also found that Murray lied under oath at trial regarding the loan from the 401(k) plan, see id., and regarding whether he repaid a $2,500 loan from his mother. See id. at 530-31; see also id. at 528 (“[T]he debtor did not testify truthfully and straightforwardly at trial.”). However, the court held that these intentional falsehoods during trial testimony were not relevant under § 727(a)(4)(A), which only concerns false statements in the schedules. See id. at 528-29.

Appellant C & L argues that the bankruptcy court erred in several respects. (1) The bankruptcy court applied an incorrect test for the “materiality” of the false statements. According to C & L, no prejudice need be shown to creditors for a false oath to be material; however, the bankruptcy court based its finding of immateriality on the lack of prejudice to the trustee and creditors. (2) The bankruptcy court should have denied discharge once it found that debtor testified falsely at the trial. Instead the court held that the only relevant false statements are those found in the schedules to the petition. (3) The misrepresentations in the schedules and at the 341 meeting were sufficient to deny discharge. (4) The bankruptcy court improperly suggested that the test for discharge under § 727(a)(4)(A) is more lenient for unsophisticated debtors. (5) The bankruptcy judge displayed bias against C & L.

Discussion

A. Jurisdiction and Standard of Review

The Court has jurisdiction to entertain this appeal pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 158(a). See In re First Jersey Securities, Inc., 180 F.3d 504, 508 (3d Cir.1999); In re Orange Boat Sales, 239 B.R. 471, 473 (S.D.N.Y.1999). Rule 8013 of the

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249 B.R. 223, 44 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 742, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9200, 2000 WL 764199, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/carlucci-legum-v-murray-in-re-murray-nyed-2000.