Davis v. Lake Erie Interlock, Inc. (In re Compugard Services, Inc.)

331 B.R. 751, 55 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 36, 2005 Bankr. LEXIS 1964, 45 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 140
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Ohio
DecidedSeptember 2, 2005
DocketBankruptcy No. 03-22529; Adversary No. 05-1171
StatusPublished

This text of 331 B.R. 751 (Davis v. Lake Erie Interlock, Inc. (In re Compugard Services, Inc.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Davis v. Lake Erie Interlock, Inc. (In re Compugard Services, Inc.), 331 B.R. 751, 55 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 36, 2005 Bankr. LEXIS 1964, 45 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 140 (Ohio 2005).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF OPINION AND ORDER

RANDOLPH BAXTER, Chief Judge.

The matter before the Court is the State of Ohio’s Department of Youth Services’ (DYS) motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(1) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, made applicable to this proceeding under Bankruptcy Rule 7012(b)(1). In the alternative, DYS seeks dismissal under Rule 12(b)(6)(failure to state a claim). The Chapter 7 Trustee (Trustee) has timely objected. The Court acquires core matter jurisdiction over this proceeding under 28 U.S.C. 157(b)(2)(J) and General Order No. 84 of this District. Upon a hearing and an examination of the parties’ respective briefs and supporting documentation, the following findings and conclusions are made pursuant to Rule 7052 of the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure:

*

The complaint allegations provide, in part that: The Debtor was engaged in providing electronic monitoring equipment and services (“Monitoring”) for home detention programs operated by Lake County. On or about July 1, 2003 the Debtor entered into a contract with Lake County to provide Monitoring through June 30, 2004 (“Lake County Contract”). On or about July 1, 2003 the Debtor entered into a contract with DYS to provide Monitoring through June 30, 2005 (“DYS Contract” and collectively with the Lake County Contract the “Contracts”).

On or about September 15, 2003, Kenneth Wisniewski and Richard Friedman formed Lake Erie Interlock, Inc. (“LEI”). [753]*753Wisniewski is the President of the Debtor and an insider of the Debtor as defined in 11 U.S.C. § 101, and is also an officer of LEI. Friedman is the Vice-President of the Debtor and is an insider of the Debtor and an officer of LEI.

The Debtor filed the bankruptcy case on or about September 18, 2003. On the Debtor’s Schedule B it listed $6,794.00 as being due from Lake County, and $1,911.00 as due from DYS. Thereafter the Trustee received $2,812.00 from Lake County for invoices due the Debtor under the Lake County Contract. Thereafter the Trustee received $1,911.00 from DYS for invoices due the Debtor under the DYS Contract. On September 19, 2003, the Debtor filed for voluntary relief under Chapter 7 proceedings of the Bankruptcy Code. On April 6, 2005, the Trustee filed a complaint against the Debtor and other named defendants. The adversary complaint alleges, in part, that Debtor paid certain monies belonging to the Debtor’s estate to co-defendant Lake Erie Interlock (LEI) after receiving notice from the Trustee. The complaint further alleges that on or about July 1, 2003 the Debtor entered into a contract with DYS to provide Monitoring through June 30, 2005 (“DYS Contract” and collectively with the Lake County Contract the “Contracts”). Count VII provides that “after learning of thie (sic) filing of the bankruptcy case, Lake County and DYS paid monies due the Debtor to LEI and/or Mssrs. Friedman and Wis-niewski.” Trustee alleges that pursuant to 11 U.S.C. §§ 541, 549 and 550 he may recover the value of the monies due the Debtor that Lake County or DYS paid to LEI and/or Mssrs. Friedman and Wis-niewski after they learned of the filing of the bankruptcy case from Lake County or DYS.

* *

DYS now moves for dismissal under Rule 12(b)(1) on the alleged grounds that this Court lacks jurisdiction over it because of sovereign immunity. DYS and the Trustee, through his objection, to dismissal acknowledge that the Sixth Circuit’s Hood v. Term. Student Assis. Corp. (In re Hood), 319 F.3d 755 (6th Cir.2003), aff'd 541 U.S. 440, 124 S.Ct. 1905, 158 L.Ed.2d 764 (2004) primarily governs the determination of this matter. DYS also, in the alternative, seeks dismissal under Rule 12(b)(6) alleging that the Trustee’s complaint fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.

* * *

The dispositive issues are whether sovereign immunity prevents this Court from exercising jurisdiction over the Department of Youth Services, or whether under Rule 12(b)(6) should be dismissed as a party-defendant for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted.

The Eleventh Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the federal courts from hearing suits against unconsenting states in federal court which are based upon either diversity of citizenship, or those suits which are brought against an unconsenting state by one of its own citizens as well as by citizens of another state. Pennhurst State Sch. & Hosp. v. Halderman, 465 U.S. 89, 98, 104 S.Ct. 900, 79 L.Ed.2d 67 (1984); Hans v. Louisiana, 134 U.S. 1, 18-19, 10 S.Ct. 504, 33 L.Ed. 842 (1890). This immunity from suit also extends to any duly created agencies of the state, and thus the state entities involved in the present proceeding are entitled to the protections afforded by the Eleventh Amendment. Pennhurst State School, 465 U.S. at 100-01, 104 S.Ct. at 907-08; Hall v. Medical College of Ohio, 742 F.2d 299, 302 (6th Cir.1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 1113, 105 S.Ct. 796, 83 L.Ed.2d 789 (1985). Thus private suits against states may pro[754]*754ceed only if the state waives sovereign immunity or if Congress, acting pursuant to a valid constitutional authority, abrogates the state’s sovereign immunity. See In re Hood, 319 F.3d at 755.

In Seminole Tribe of Florida v. Florida, 517 U.S. 44, 116 S.Ct. 1114, 134 L.Ed.2d 252 (1996), the Supreme Court of the United States had the occasion to address the scope of the Eleventh Amendment as it relates to Congress’ authority to abrogate a state’s sovereign immunity and held that:

Even when the Constitution vests in Congress complete law-making authority over a particular area, the Eleventh Amendment prevents congressional authorization of suits by private parties against unconsenting States. The Eleventh Amendment restricts the judicial power under Article III, and Article I cannot be used to circumvent the constitutional limitations placed upon federal jurisdiction.

Id. at 72-73, 517 U.S. 44, 116 S.Ct. 1114, 134 L.Ed.2d 252 (footnote omitted). Hood established that the Seminole Tribe

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Bluebook (online)
331 B.R. 751, 55 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 36, 2005 Bankr. LEXIS 1964, 45 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 140, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/davis-v-lake-erie-interlock-inc-in-re-compugard-services-inc-ohnb-2005.