Crocker National Bank v. American Mariner Industries, Inc. (In Re American Mariner Industries, Inc.)

27 B.R. 1004, 8 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 308, 1983 Bankr. LEXIS 6610, 10 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 281
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the Ninth Circuit
DecidedMarch 15, 1983
DocketBAP No. CC-81-1114-VKH, Bankruptcy No. SA-80-03623, Adv. No. 80-0163
StatusPublished
Cited by28 cases

This text of 27 B.R. 1004 (Crocker National Bank v. American Mariner Industries, Inc. (In Re American Mariner Industries, Inc.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the Ninth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Crocker National Bank v. American Mariner Industries, Inc. (In Re American Mariner Industries, Inc.), 27 B.R. 1004, 8 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 308, 1983 Bankr. LEXIS 6610, 10 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 281 (bap9 1983).

Opinions

OPINION

VOLINN, Bankruptcy Judge:

I. FACTS

American Mariner filed a petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code on December 12, 1980. Crocker National Bank, a secured creditor, filed a complaint for relief from the automatic stay on February 23, 1981, alleging a debt in the principal sum of $277,500, with accrued and unpaid interest of approximately $90,000 for a total of $365,000. It further alleged that the collateral had an auction liquidation value of $130,500 and that it was entitled to adequate protection in the form of monthly cash payments equal to what it could obtain from reinvestment of the liquidated value of the collateral at a rate of prime interest plus 2 (21%) or the sum of $2,283.75. The debtor admitted the allegations of the complaint but contended that the collateral was worth substantially less than $130,000, and that if there was a liquidation, Crocker would receive considerably less than $2,200 monthly interest on the proceeds. It appears that at some point during the proceeding, the debtor offered to make monthly interest payments of $1,770 per month to Crocker. The matter was submitted to the court essentially on the foregoing basis.

II. ISSUES AND CONTENTIONS

Appellant states the issue on appeal as follows:

“There is but one issue on this appeal: Is an undercollateralized secured creditor entitled to post-petition interest upon the value of its collateral as a condition of denying relief from the automatic stay?” (Appellant’s Brief, p. 2)
Appellee, at p. 2 of its brief, states: “The appellant correctly states the issue on appeal. However, Judge Elliott, as he set forth in the first sentence of his Memorandum of Decision narrowed the issue as follows: ‘If the value of the collateral is not depreciating, whether an unsecured creditor is entitled to interest on the present value of the collateral as adequate protection.’ ”

Appellant argues that when the debtor relies on adequate protection, § 362(d)(1), [1006]*1006as the basis for denying relief from the automatic stay, § 362(a), the present value of a secured party’s interest in its collateral must be maintained. Apparently recognizing that § 362(d)(1) does not refer to present value, appellant argues by reference to the legislative history to a comparable provision of the Code (the cram down sections), § 1129(b)(2)(A)(i), (iii), that the section should be so interpreted. It adds that failure to interpret adequate protection as protecting the present value of the secured party’s interest in its collateral would violate the Fifth Amendment.

After thus contending that “protection of the present value” is “an essential must of ‘adequate protection’,” appellant argues that protection of this present value is achieved by the payment of interest. It concludes by asking this Panel to reverse the decision appealed and order the monthly payments to be “applied as interest on the value of Crocker’s collateral...”

The appellee debtor argues that adequate protection was provided because the “value of the collateral was not decreasing,” that an undersecured creditor is entitled only to protection of the value of t the collateral, that the trial court has broad discretion to consider variables such as appreciation and that the provisional nature of the automatic stay eliminates the requirement of interest. In short, appellee disputes appellant’s contentions as to the present value and therefore interest.

III. ACTION TAKEN BY THE TRIAL COURT

The court found the value of Crocker’s collateral to be $110,000. Taking judicial notice of the fact that at the time the current prime rate was 18%, the court found that the position urged by the Bank would result in the debtor paying monthly interest at $1,770 (18%) as adequate protection (18% of $110,000 should be $1,980).

The court had previously ordered that the debtor pay $7,300 to the Bank for the use of inventory and cash collateral as adequate protection which was done. The debtor was showing a small profit on current operations. The court found that machinery, equipment, tools and molds used by the debtor in the manufacture of barges, which were collateral for the bank loan, were necessary to an effective reorganization-, thereby rendering not relevant the issue of equity, or lack thereof, pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 362(d)(2). The court concluded, as a corollary to 11 U.S.C. § 506(b) which implicitly denies interest to an undersecured creditor as to the deficiency, or unsecured aspect, of the claim, that interest should not be provided in these circumstances. In supporting this conclusion, the trial court alluded to the cram down provisions of the Code, 11 U.S.C. § 1129(b)(2)(A)(i)(II) and § 1325(a)(5)(B)(ii), stating that where Congress intended a secured party to be compensated for delay in realization of its collateral or its value, Congress so provided. The court held that the right of an underse-cured creditor to receive interest on the value of its collateral is not constitutionally protected under 11 U.S.C. § 361. It further held that under the circumstances the debt- or should be permitted a reasonable period of time to reorganize, stating:

I submit that the debtor should be permitted a reasonable period of time (not two or three years) to reorganize. If the debtor is not able to effectuate a plan, or if delay becomes unduly burdensome, the bank can move to dismiss the Chapter 11 case or convert it to a Chapter 7 case under § 1112(b).

The court concluded:

The debtor has offered to pay interest on the value of the collateral, $1,770 per month. Although I hold that no interest is due and although no evidence of economic depreciation has been presented, I find that $1,770 per month is adequate protection for any depreciation or depletion of the collateral that may occur. To the extent that amount exceeds depreciation or depletion, it shall be applied on [1007]*1007the amount of the claim allowed as secured under § 506(a).

The court also discussed the creditor’s argument relative to its right to elect to prove its claim as fully secured under 11 U.S.C. § 1111(b), but this has not been pursued on appeal and therefore need not be considered.

The judgment provided that:

. .. this order is without prejudice to plaintiff reapplying for relief from the automatic stay or moving to dismiss the proceedings, or moving to convert the proceedings to Chapter 7 if the debtor does not make progress toward reorganization within a reasonable period of time.

IV. DISCUSSION OF 11 U.S.C. § 361

A. Adequate Protection — Background

Section 362 provides for the automatic stay.

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Bluebook (online)
27 B.R. 1004, 8 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 308, 1983 Bankr. LEXIS 6610, 10 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 281, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/crocker-national-bank-v-american-mariner-industries-inc-in-re-american-bap9-1983.