Citizens & Southern National Bank of South Carolina v. Jones (In re Jones)

12 B.R. 199, 1981 Bankr. LEXIS 3813
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. South Carolina
DecidedMay 5, 1981
DocketBankruptcy No. 80-00157; Complaint No. 80-0067
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 12 B.R. 199 (Citizens & Southern National Bank of South Carolina v. Jones (In re Jones)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. South Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Citizens & Southern National Bank of South Carolina v. Jones (In re Jones), 12 B.R. 199, 1981 Bankr. LEXIS 3813 (southcarolinaed 1981).

Opinion

ORDER

J. BRATTON DAVIS, Bankruptcy Judge.

The plaintiff, Citizens and Southern National Bank of South Carolina (hereinafter “C&S”), commenced this adversary proceeding against the defendant-debtors, Eugene Jones and Peggy Jones, in order to except a debt from discharge under 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2)(A). The debt in issue is evidenced by a note executed on April 11, 1979 which the defendants personally guaranteed.

C&S asserts that the defendants are personally liable for obtaining credit from C&S by actual fraud. The defendants deny that they obtained credit from C&S through actual fraud within the meaning of 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2)(A). In addition, the defendants assert two affirmative defenses. First, the defendants assert that they entered into a novation with C&S. The defendants claim that this novation extinguished any tort claim for fraud that C&S had against the defendants and created a dischargeable contract debt evidenced by the defendants’ personal guarantees of the April 11, 1979 note. [201]*201Second, defendants assert that C&S acting through counsel entered into an enforceable agreement with Eugene Jones and the defendants’ attorneys not to oppose the defendants’ bankruptcy and that this agreement is a bar to the current action.

DISCUSSION

The court’s discussion will be divided into three sections. First, the court will set forth its determination of whether the defendants obtained money from C&S by actual fraud. Second, the court will set forth its findings relating to whether the defendants and C&S entered into a novation. Finally, the court will set forth its findings relating to whether an enforceable agreement was made that barred C&S from commencing this action.

I

Creation of debt for obtaining money by actual fraud

At the conclusion of the hearing held in this proceeding on September 26, 1980, the court found that the debt represented by the April 11, 1979 note was created by fraud. Herein, the court will set forth the specific facts upon which it relied in making this finding. Furthermore, the court will set forth facts that support its conclusion that the defendants became personally liable to C&S for this debt.

Draft Acceptance was a business entity created for Eugene Jones and Capital City Auto Auction of Lexington, Inc. Draft Acceptance maintained a checking account at the Lexington branch of C&S. As of April 11, 1979 Draft Acceptance had overdrawn its account by $350,000.

Capital City Auto Auction of Lexington, Inc. (hereinafter “Capital Auction”) was in the business of selling used automobiles. Eugene Jones was president of Capital Auction and a major shareholder in the corporation. As such, he controlled the business operations of Capital Auction. His wife, Peggy Jones, was employed by Capital Auction. She prepared drafts and certificates of title for sales of vehicles by Capital Auction.

Commencing in May of 1978 Capital Auction implemented a scheme whereby it purported to sell nonexistent automobiles. The buyers in the sham sales transactions were Hornsby’s Used Cars and Capital City Chevron. Hornsby’s Used Cars was a fictitious entity and Capital City Chevron was controlled by Eugene Jones and Capital Auction. To effect these sham sales, Peggy Jones and other employees of Capital Auction used certificates of title for the nonexistent automobiles. Peggy Jones and other employees also prepared sight drafts drawn on the purported buyers, Hornsby’s Used Cars and Capital City Chevron, in the amount of the purchase price. The certificates of title were attached to the sight drafts.

Capital Auction then endorsed the sight drafts with certificates of title attached over to Draft Acceptance. Richard Bon-nette, acting for Draft Acceptance, then deposited the sight drafts in Draft Acceptance’s account with C&S. Prior to late March 1979 C&S granted Draft Acceptance immediate credit for the sight drafts. Once these deposits had been made, Draft Acceptance would draw cashier’s checks upon its accounts payable to Capital Auction. Capital Auction would then funnel the funds to its agents to enable Hornsby’s Used Cars and Capital City Chevron to hon- or the sight drafts when presented.

This scheme collapsed in late March of 1979 when C&S refused to grant Draft Acceptance immediate credit for the sight drafts which it had deposited. The result was that Draft Acceptance’s account with C&S was overdrawn by approximately $350,000.

The court has no difficulty in concluding that C&S was the victim of a fraudulent scheme. Furthermore, in his capacity .as president of Capital Auction, Eugene Jones was one of the principal parties in implementing the scheme. Although Eugene Jones testified that he executed the scheme under the belief that it was legal and in effect a loan, the court finds this testimony incredible. Moreover, as a result of his [202]*202participation in the scheme, Eugene Jones was indicted under 18 U.S.C. § 1014 for knowingly and willingly overvaluing securities to obtain credit from C&S. Pursuant to a plea agreement, on May 2, 1980, Eugene Jones plead guilty to one count of the indictment. Hence, this court finds that Eugene Jones participated in a scheme to obtain credit from C&S by actual fraud. On the basis of this finding, the court holds that Eugene Jones became indebted to C&S for obtaining credit by actual fraud within the meaning of 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2)(A).

Although Peggy Jones may have been less culpable than Eugene Jones, she did participate actively and knowingly in the fraudulent scheme to obtain credit from C&S. Peggy Jones admitted that she prepared certificates of title for automobiles which she knew did not exist. Peggy Jones also admitted that she knew that the sight drafts which she had prepared were fraudulent. Finally, Peggy Jones admitted that she knew C&S would extend credit against these fraudulent drafts. The court holds that these findings are sufficient to render Peggy Jones liable to C&S for obtaining credit by actual fraud within the meaning of 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2)(A).

II

Novation

The defendants assert that they entered into a novation agreement with C&S which had the effect of extinguishing the fraudulent debt and substituting a contractual debt which would not be excepted from discharge.

The defendants bear the burden of proof on establishing the defense of a novation. Superior Automobile Insurance Co. v. Manera, 261 S.C. 257, 199 S.E.2d 719 (1973); Ophuls and Hill, Inc. v. Carolina Ice and Fuel Co., 160 S.C. 441, 158 S.E. 824 (1931). In order to meet their burden the defendants must establish that C&S agreed to release the fraud claims against them.

In an attempt to support their defense of novation, the defendants rely upon a note executed on April 11, 1979.

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Bluebook (online)
12 B.R. 199, 1981 Bankr. LEXIS 3813, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/citizens-southern-national-bank-of-south-carolina-v-jones-in-re-jones-southcarolinaed-1981.