DirecTV, Inc. v. Deerey (In Re Deerey)

371 B.R. 525, 20 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 471, 2007 Bankr. LEXIS 2300, 2007 WL 2043880
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedJanuary 25, 2007
DocketBankruptcy No. 9:05-bk-06995-ALP. Adversary No. 9:05-ap-00548-ALP
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 371 B.R. 525 (DirecTV, Inc. v. Deerey (In Re Deerey)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, M.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
DirecTV, Inc. v. Deerey (In Re Deerey), 371 B.R. 525, 20 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 471, 2007 Bankr. LEXIS 2300, 2007 WL 2043880 (Fla. 2007).

Opinion

FINDINGS OF FACT, CONCLUSION OF LAW AND MEMORANDUM OPINION

ALEXANDER L. PASKAY, Bankruptcy Judge.

THE MATTER under consideration in this Chapter 7 liquidation case of Arthur Joseph Deerey, Jr. (Debtor) in the above-captioned Adversary Proceeding is a multiple-count First Amended Complaint filed by DirecTV, Inc. (DIRECTV) against the Debtor.

In the Complaint, DIRECTV alleges in Counts IA and IB that a certain debt owed to DIRECTV, Inc. by the Debtor is non-dischargeable pursuant to Sections 523(a)(6) and 523(a)(4) of the Bankruptcy Code. The Claim in Count II is based on the contention that the Debtor committed a fraudulent transfer in violation of Florida Statutes § 726.105. DIRECTV further alleges in Count III of its Complaint that they have an equitable lien and/or constructive trust in the funds the Debtor used to purchase certain real property, and the stated equitable lien and/or constructive trust in favor of DIRECTV is to the exclusion of any and all other creditors. In Count IV, DIRECTV also alleges that the Debtor committed a fraudulent transfer in violation of Florida Statutes § 726.105. In Count V of the Complaint, *529 DIRECTV alleges that they have an equitable lien and/or constructive trust in the funds used by the Debtor to finance the Debtor’s IRAs and his company’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), and that the equitable lien and/or constructive trust is to the exclusion of any and all creditors.

In response to DIRECTV’s Complaint, the Debtor contends that DIRECTV cannot as a matter of Florida law obtain an equitable lien or constructive trust against the Debtor’s home located at 1401 King Sago Court, Naples, Florida, since DIRECTVs claim does not fall within any of the categories of the Florida Constitution which authorize a lien against homestead property. The Debtor also contends that DIRECTV’s -claim to establish an equitable lien or constructive trust upon the Debtor’s Home and ESOP are time barred pursuant to the applicable statutes of limitation set forth in Sections 95.11(3) and 95.031(1) of the Florida Statutes.

Furthermore, the Debtor contends that the present claim of nondischargeability is based on the Debtor’s consent to the entry of a Consent Judgment, which provided for an injunction and a monetary judgment in the amount of $500 million pursuant to 47 U.S.C. § 605(e). The Debtor, while he does not dispute his liability to DIRECTV under the Consent Judgment, contends that there were no findings made in the District Court that support DIRECTV’s claims of nondischargeability under Section 523(a)(4) or 523(a)(6) of the Code.

Judgment was granted in favor of the Debtor on Counts II and IV of the Complaint on March 2, 2006. (Doc. Nos. 56, 57). Prior to the conclusion of this matter, DIRECTV chose not to pursue its claims against the funds in Debtor’s IRA, and an Order granting Judgment in Part to the Debtor on Count V of the Complaint was entered December 11, 2006. (Doc. No. 120).

On July 19, 2006, at the duly scheduled and noticed final evidentiary hearing on the Complaint, this Court heard argument of counsel for DIRECTV and for the Debt- or. In addition, this Court has considered the record, including testimony of witnesses and all documentary evidence offered and admitted into evidence and now makes the following findings and conclusions based on the record.

BACKGROUND

Prior to the commencement of this Chapter 7 case of the Debtor, DIRECTV filed suit in the United States District Court, District of California against various defendants. On July 3, 2001, DIRECTV filed its Second Amended Complaint for Compensatory, Statutory and Other Damages, and for Injunctive Relief in the District Court of California, case number CV 01-370DOC(ANx), DirecTV, Inc. v. Derek E. Trone d/b/a Whiteviper Technologies; Art Deerey; TDBAM, Inc. et al. (California Litigation). The Second Amended Complaint added the Debtor as a defendant to an existing lawsuit against manufacturers and distributors of satellite signal’ theft devices. The case was transferred to the Central District of California, and the case number assigned to the transferred case changed to CV 02-5194PA(RCx).

DIRECTV’s Second Amended Complaint against the Debtor in the Central District of California included claims for Compensatory, Statutory and other Damages, and for Injunctive Relief for violations of: the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. § 605; the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. §§ 1201-1205; the Electronic Communication Privacy Act (Federal Wiretap Laws), 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2521; California Penal Code §§ 593d and 593e, California Civil Code §§ 3426-3426.11 (Trade Secret Act); *530 California Business and Professional Code §§ 17200 et seq.; and California common law. (Second Amended Complaint). 1

In the California litigation, the Central District of California Court granted DIRECTV’S Motion for Partial Summary Judgment against the Debtor and others based on the Civil Minutes in which the Central District of California Court made certain findings. 2 In addition to granting the Money Judgment to DIRECTV, the Central District of California Court also granted a Permanent Injunction against the Debtor.

On April 13, 2005, the Debtor filed his voluntary Petition for Relief under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code. DIRECTV filed its original Complaint in the above-captioned Adversary Proceeding on July 18, 2005, setting forth five (5) separate claims. On November 7, 2005, DIRECTV filed a Motion for Summary Judgment as to Count I of Adversary Complaint (Doc. No. 20). On the same date, the Debtor filed a Motion for Summary Judgment on all Counts of the Adversary Complaint (Doc. No. 23). On December 22, 2005, this Court entered its Order denying DIRECTV’S Motion for Summary Judgment as to Count I of the Adversary Complaint and also denied Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. No. 30). On March 2, 2006, this Court entered its Orders Granting Judgment in Favor of the Debtor as to Counts II and IV of the original Complaint on the grounds that the Plaintiff lacked standing to pursue those claims (Doc. Nos. 56 and 57).

On April 24, 2006, DIRECTV filed its Motion for Leave to File First Amended Complaint (Doc. No. 75). On June 6, 2006, this Court entered its Order Granting DIRECTV’S Motion to Amend Complaint and First Amended Complaint Attached to the Motion is Deemed Filed. (Doc. No. 84). The First Amended Compliant embellishes the original Complaint filed by DIRECTV, in that, it includes a new theory that the Debtor’s actions in violation of the Communication Act which resulted in the Judgment in the amount of $500 million against the Debtor constituted larceny of the Plaintiffs proprietary broadcast. Therefore, it is DIRECTV’s contention that the debt arising from the Debtor’s violation of the Communication Act is excepted from discharge pursuant to Section 523(a)(4) of the Bankruptcy Code.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
371 B.R. 525, 20 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 471, 2007 Bankr. LEXIS 2300, 2007 WL 2043880, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/directv-inc-v-deerey-in-re-deerey-flmb-2007.