Cowart v. Elias (In re Elias)

494 B.R. 595
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedJuly 3, 2013
DocketBankruptcy No. 12-10215-JNF; Adversary No. 12-1083
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 494 B.R. 595 (Cowart v. Elias (In re Elias)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cowart v. Elias (In re Elias), 494 B.R. 595 (Mass. 2013).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM

JOAN N. FEENEY, Bankruptcy Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

The matter before the Court is the “Complaint Objecting to Discharge of Debtor” filed against Mario Elias (“Elias”) by Delores Cowart (the “Plaintiff’) through which she alleges that Elias committed an assault and battery against her which was “willful and malicious” and caused her injury (the “Complaint”). Although the Complaint is denominated as an objection to discharge, the Plaintiff seeks to except a particular debt from discharge pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(6), as well as a jury trial. The Court conducted a trial on May 21, 2013 at [597]*597which Elias was the sole witness and four exhibits were introduced into evidence. Following the trial, both parties filed post-trial briefs.

At the outset of the trial, the Court ruled that there were no allegations in the Complaint stating a claim for denial of discharge pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 727, and the Court dismissed any claim for denial of discharge.1 The Court also ruled that there was no right to a jury trial in an exception to discharge proceeding and struck the Plaintiffs jury demand.2 In response, counsel to the Plaintiff stated that “[wje’ll accede to the Court’s ruling. ...”

The issues presented are whether Elias’s admission in a state court criminal proceeding to sufficient facts to support a conviction for an assault and battery on the Plaintiff has preclusive effect in this exception to discharge proceeding, and whether the elements of the crime of assault and battery under Massachusetts law are sufficient to establish the elements of willful and malicious injury under 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(6).

This Court has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1334(a) and (b) and the order of reference from the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. This is a core proceeding pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(I). The Court now makes the following findings of fact and conclusions of law pursuant to Fed. R. Bankr.P. 7052.

II. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Elias filed a voluntary petition under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code on January 11, 2012. On his Schedule A-Real Property, Elias listed real property located at 21 Oak Street, Milton, Massachusetts (the “property”) as his “former residence ... believed [sic] in foreclosure proceedings.” On his Schedule D-Creditors Holding Secured Claims, Elias listed the Plaintiff as the holder of an attachment on the property based on a “Claim for Negligence and Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress, 2008, contained in Suffolk County Civil Action No. 11-1396.” Elias received a discharge of dischargeable debts on April 10, 2012. He was represented by counsel in his bankruptcy case.

On April 6, 2012, the Plaintiff timely filed the Complaint. Elias filed an Answer, pro se, on May 11, 2012. Through the Complaint, which consisted of two pages, the Plaintiff alleges that on or about May 12, 2009, a criminal complaint was issued against Elias from the Trial Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston Municipal Court Department (the “Criminal Complaint”) containing two counts for assault and battery and two counts for indecent assault and battery arising from an incident which occurred on April 14, 2008 at Bunker Hill Community College in Charlestown, Massachusetts (the “College”) where the Plaintiff was a student and Elias was an employee. The Plaintiff further alleges that Elias admitted to sufficient facts for a finding of guilty on Count 1 of the Criminal Complaint, namely assault and battery pursuant to Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 265, § 13A.

The Plaintiff further alleges in the Complaint that on April 8, 2011 she commenced [598]*598a civil action against Elias in the Suffolk County Superior Court seeking monetary damages against Elias for personal injuries “arising from the incident” without any details or an explication of the nature of the incident. On July 20, 2011, that court (Holtz, J.) issued a Writ of Attachment in the sum of $500,000 in favor of the Plaintiff with respect to the property. Notably, the Plaintiff pleaded virtually no facts in the Complaint about the underlying assault and battery or the specific conduct involved. She merely attached copies of the “Tender of Plea or Admission to Sufficient Facts Waiver of Rights” (the “Admission”) signed by Elias on January 11, 2011, the Criminal Complaint, which contains virtually no factual allegations concerning the assault and battery, and a copy of the Writ of Attachment. The Complaint contains a reference to 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(6), and the prayer for relief is a request to “deny discharge of the debtor as to the Suffolk Superior Court complaint.”3

This Court issued a Pretrial Order on May 17, 2012 which required the parties to file a Joint Pretrial Memorandum setting forth, inter alia, a list of witnesses they expected to testify at trial as well as facts about which the parties agreed and which would require no proof. The parties filed their Joint Pretrial Memorandum on December 17, 2012. The Plaintiff listed eight witnesses, including herself, to be called as witnesses at trial. Elias listed four potential witnesses, including himself, and three individuals connected with the College.4 The parties also reported in the Joint Pretrial Memorandum that they were unable to stipulate to any facts and that all facts alleged in the Complaint were in dispute.

III. THE EVIDENCE ADDUCED AT TRIAL

At trial, the Plaintiff called only Elias as a witness and introduced only two exhibits, namely certified copies of the Criminal Complaint, dated May 12, 2009, and the Admission, dated January 11, 2011. The Plaintiff established no factual background concerning the Plaintiffs injury caused by Elias other than that an incident occurred between them at the College on April 14, 2008 which gave rise to criminal charges against Elias as set forth in the Criminal Complaint.

The Criminal Complaint contains two counts against Elias for assault and battery pursuant to Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 265, § 13A (Counts 1 and 2), and two counts for indecent assault and battery on a person over the age of 14 pursuant to Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 265, § 13H (Counts 3 and 4). It references an offense date of April 14, 2008 and the location of the offense as the College but contains no reference to the Plaintiff by name. Count 1 of the Criminal Complaint, entitled “A & B C265 S13A” provides as follows:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
494 B.R. 595, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cowart-v-elias-in-re-elias-mab-2013.