Dixon v. World Finance Corp. (In Re Dixon)

435 B.R. 768, 2010 Bankr. LEXIS 2544, 2010 WL 3377699
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Georgia
DecidedJune 15, 2010
Docket17-71808
StatusPublished

This text of 435 B.R. 768 (Dixon v. World Finance Corp. (In Re Dixon)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dixon v. World Finance Corp. (In Re Dixon), 435 B.R. 768, 2010 Bankr. LEXIS 2544, 2010 WL 3377699 (Ga. 2010).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION TO AMEND COMPLAINT, GRANTING DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT, AND DENYING PLAINTIFF’S SECOND MOTION TO AMEND TO ADD A CLAIM

MARY GRACE DIEHL, Bankruptcy Judge.

The above-styled adversary proceeding is before the Court on Verna L. Dixon’s (“Plaintiff’) Motion to Amend to Substitute Party Name (“Motion to Amend”) (Docket Nos. 12 & 14), Plaintiffs Second Motion to Amend to Add Claim (“Second Motion to Amend”) (Docket Nos. 13 & 15), and World Finance Corporation of Georgia’s (“Defendant”) Motion for Summary Judgment (Docket Nos. 7, 8, 11 & 16). 1 Defendant consented to Plaintiffs Motion to Amend, allowing Plaintiff to amend and substitute the proper legal name for Defendant — World Finance Corporation of Georgia d/b/a/ Freeman Finance Company. This Order grants Plaintiffs Motion to Amend. Defendant contests Plaintiffs Second Motion to Amend, which requests that Plaintiff be granted leave to add a claim under Georgia’s Industrial Loan Act. O.C.G.A. § 7-3-1 et seq. Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment (“Motion”) predates the Plaintiffs Second Motion to Amend, and it will be addressed first. Defendant’s Motion was filed in response to Plaintiffs Complaint for damages under *771 the Truth in Lending Act (“TILA”), 15 U.S.C. § 1601 et seq., related to a 2009 car loan made by Defendant to Plaintiff.

The Court has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1334(b) and 157(a). The parties agree that this is a core matter under 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2).

In accordance with Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, applicable to this Court pursuant to Rule 7056 of the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure, summary judgment is appropriate only if “the pleadings, the discovery and disclosure materials on file, and any affidavits show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” FED. R. CIV. P. 56(c). “Material facts” are those which might affect the outcome of a proceeding under the governing substantive law. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). Further, a dispute of fact is genuine “if the evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the nonmoving party.” Id. Lastly, the moving party has the burden establishing the right of summary judgment. Clark v. Coats & Clark, Inc., 929 F.2d 604, 608 (11th Cir.1991); Clark v. Union Mut. Life Ins. Co., 692 F.2d 1370, 1372 (11th Cir.1982). Where the nonmov-ing party bears the burden of proof at trial, the burden can be satisfied if the moving party demonstrates the absence of evidence supporting the nonmoving party’s case. Hickson Corp. v. N. Crossarm Co., Inc., 357 F.3d 1256, 1259 (11th Cir.2004). In determining whether a genuine issue of material fact exists, the Court must view the evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party. Adickes v. S.H. Kress & Co., 398 U.S. 144, 157, 90 S.Ct. 1598, 26 L.Ed.2d 142 (1970); Rosen v. Biscayne Yacht & Country Club, Inc., 766 F.2d 482, 484 (11th Cir.1985). It remains the burden of the moving party to establish the absence of a genuine issue of material fact. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323-24, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). Here, the material facts are undisputed; therefore, summary judgment is appropriate.

I. FACTUAL BACKGROUND

Plaintiff entered into a loan contract with Defendant on March 19, 2009. The loan was secured by her 1993 Volvo. The loan required Defendant to maintain property insurance on the vehicle. Defendant disclosed in the Credit Insurance Disclosure Statement that Plaintiff could select the insurer and that insurance could be provided through an existing policy. Plaintiff selected to obtain automobile insurance with Defendant, as lender. Defendant disclosed that the cost of Single Interest Vehicle Insurance (‘VSI”) 2 would be $376.00. The loan agreement included an asterisk beside the insurance charge. Included in the top portion of the loan agreement was the following: “ * WE MAY RETAIN A PORTION OF THESE CHARGES.” (Defendant’s Exh. 1, p. 1). Defendant did not retain any portion of the VSI insurance premium but received a 50% commission on premiums remitted to the unaffiliated insurance company. (Docket No. 11-2; Defendant’s Interrogatory Response ¶ 1).

As part of the March 19, 2009 loan transaction, Plaintiff reviewed and signed the Credit Insurance Disclosure Statement, which included an acknowledgment *772 that the lender had a financial interest in the sale of the VSI by way of commission or other income. The Credit Insurance Disclosure Statement also stated that “[t]he [l]ender may retain a portion of the premium.” The Credit Insurance Disclosure Statement also noted that the “Premium/Cost to You” for VSI was $376.00. Plaintiff purchased the VSI 3 through Defendant. Defendant included the VSI premium as part of the amount financed in this transaction, and the $376.00 VSI premium was itemized in the amount financed.

At the time of making the loan, Plaintiff was given an Insured’s Copy of the terms and conditional applicable to the insurance policy she purchased. Paragraph D under the “Single Interest Coverage” section of the policy reads:

Waiver of Subrogation: Except in the case of fraudulent actions of the Insured Creditor or Insured Debtor, the Company waives any right to subrogation against the Insured Creditor or the Insured Debtor.

(Defendant’s Exhibit II, p. 1).

II.

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Related

Hickson Corp. v. Northern Crossarm Co.
357 F.3d 1256 (Eleventh Circuit, 2004)
Foman v. Davis
371 U.S. 178 (Supreme Court, 1962)
Adickes v. S. H. Kress & Co.
398 U.S. 144 (Supreme Court, 1970)
Ford Motor Credit Co. v. Milhollin
444 U.S. 555 (Supreme Court, 1980)
Anderson Bros. Ford v. Valencia
452 U.S. 205 (Supreme Court, 1981)
Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc.
477 U.S. 242 (Supreme Court, 1986)
Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly
550 U.S. 544 (Supreme Court, 2007)
Glassman v. Computervision Corp.
90 F.3d 617 (First Circuit, 1996)
Robert Clark, Jr. v. Union Mutual Life Insurance Company
692 F.2d 1370 (Eleventh Circuit, 1982)
Halliburton & Associates, Inc. v. Henderson, Few & Co.
774 F.2d 441 (Eleventh Circuit, 1985)
Georgia Investment Co. v. Norman
204 S.E.2d 740 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1974)
Buford v. American Finance Company
333 F. Supp. 1243 (N.D. Georgia, 1971)
Dixon v. S & S Loan Service of Way-Cross, Inc.
754 F. Supp. 1567 (S.D. Georgia, 1990)
Gibson v. Bob Watson Chevrolet-Geo, Inc.
112 F.3d 283 (Seventh Circuit, 1997)

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Bluebook (online)
435 B.R. 768, 2010 Bankr. LEXIS 2544, 2010 WL 3377699, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dixon-v-world-finance-corp-in-re-dixon-ganb-2010.