Education Resources Institute, Inc. v. Martin (In Re Martin)

119 B.R. 259, 24 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 332, 1990 Bankr. LEXIS 2010, 1990 WL 136373
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Oklahoma
DecidedSeptember 11, 1990
Docket19-80071
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 119 B.R. 259 (Education Resources Institute, Inc. v. Martin (In Re Martin)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Education Resources Institute, Inc. v. Martin (In Re Martin), 119 B.R. 259, 24 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 332, 1990 Bankr. LEXIS 2010, 1990 WL 136373 (Okla. 1990).

Opinion

*260 ORDER

JAMES E. RYAN, Chief Judge.

On this 11th day of September, 1990, the Motion for Summary Judgment filed by the Defendants herein (Docket Entry No. 9) and Brief in Support (Docket Entry No. 10) as well as Plaintiffs Response to Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment (Docket Entry No. 11) and Brief in Support (Docket Entry No. 12) and the Motion for Summary Judgment filed by the Plaintiff herein (Docket Entry No. 13) and Brief in Support (Docket Entry No. 14) with the Response Brief in Opposition to TERI’s Motion for Summary Judgment filed by the Defendants (Docket Entry No. 16) and the Brief of Education Resources Institute, Inc. (TERI) in Response to Debtors’ Opposition to TERI’s Motion for Summary Judgment (Docket Entry No. 17) came before this Court for consideration.

After review of the above-referenced pleadings and the applicable law, this Court does hereby enter the following Findings of Facts and Conclusions of Law in conformity with B.R. 7052 in this core proceeding:

STATEMENT OF ISSUE
The principal issue in dispute in this case is whether the loan obtained by the Defendants/Debtors for the education of their child is an “educational loan” as contemplated by the Bankruptcy Code and thus should be deemed nondischargeable in the Defendants/Debtors’ bankruptcy.

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. On July 15, 1988, the Defendants/Debtors herein entered into a Promissory Note with The Bank of New England, N.A. The loan proceeds in the amount of $10,770.00 were paid directly to The New School for Social Research for the education of the Defendants/Debtors’ son.

2. The loan was guaranteed by The Educational Resources Institute (“TERI”), the Plaintiff herein. Plaintiff alleges that it is a “private, non-profit corporation created pursuant to Chapter 180 of the Massachusetts General Laws to administer the TERI Supplemental Loan Program.” Although Defendants dispute the assertion that TERI is a non-profit organization in their Answer to the Complaint, this is not brought to issue in either Motion for Summary Judgment. However, the Guaranty Agreement between TERI and The Bank of New England (attached as Exhibit B to the Plaintiff’s Brief in Support of its Motion for Summary Judgment) indicates that TERI is in fact a non-profit corporation.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

A. Since both parties have filed Motions for Summary Judgment and alleged the same relevant facts, we find that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and thus this Court may resolve this matter based upon the law presented by the parties in their respective Briefs. B.R. 7056. The Defendants have alleged a hardship defense pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(8)(B), which this Court will preserve outside this Summary Judgment.

B. The dischargeability of education loans is addressed under the Bankruptcy Code by the provisions of 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(8). This Section provides:

(a) A discharge under section 727, 1141, 1228(a), 1228(b), or 1328(b) of this title does not discharge an individual debtor from any debt—
(8) for an educational loan made, insured, or guaranteed by a governmental unit, or made under any program funded in whole or in part by a governmental unit or a nonprofit institution ...

The exceptions to § 523(a)(8) found at subsection (A) have not been alleged; however, as stated herein, the hardship exception under subsection (B) will be preserved.

C. This Court finds itself being forced to substantially modify a position taken in a previous Order entered in the case of James Scott Williams v. Payco General American Credits, Inc., Adv. No. 89-7082, addressing the issues involving the interpretation of § 523(a)(8). After further and considerable reflection, we find that the Order entered in the Williams case no *261 longer represents the position of this Court on the interpretation of § 523(a)(8).

The Plaintiff cites numerous cases in which a loan guaranteed by TERI was found be an “educational loan” and thus nondischargeable. See, for example, The Educational Resources Institute, Inc. v. Selmonosky, 93 B.R. 785 (Bankr.N.D.Ga. 1988); The Educational Resources Institute, Inc. vs. Hammarstrom, No. 3-88 0273-TC (Bankr.N.D.Ca.1988). These cases rely upon the clear language of the statute in determining the types of loans intended to be deemed nondischargeable and reject suggestions that the legislative history limits this language in any way. Defendants rely upon this Court’s prior decision and the case of In re Bawden, 55 B.R. 459 (Bankr.N.D.Ala.1985), wherein a determination was made that when someone other than the student is obligated on a note intended for the education of the student, the loan is not an “educational loan” as to that borrower and thus does not fall within the provisions of § 523(a)(8).

Statutes promulgated by Congress should be given a literal interpretation in the actual, clear and plain meaning of the statutory language as written. Nevada Power Company v. Watt, 711 F.2d 913, 920 (10th Cir.1983). “Absent a clearly expressed intention to the contrary, that language must ordinarily be regarded as conclusive.” Consumer Product Safety Commission v. GTE Sylvania, Inc., 447 U.S. 102, 108, 100 S.Ct. 2051, 2056, 64 L.Ed.2d 766 (1980). The Congressional intent reflected in the legislative history only becomes relevant when the language employed in the statute is ambiguous on its face. In the literal reading of the statute as written, all loans which may be classified as “educational loans” which are made by the debtor are subject to the nondischargeability provisions of § 523(a)(8). One must examine the purpose for the loan only and not the benefit that the borrower may or may not derive or the fact that the borrower is not the student obtaining the education. Since the loan must be “made” between the debtor and the institution, some question may exist as to the applicability of this reasoning to instances where the non-student debtor merely guarantees an educational loan, but such is not the fact in this case.

In the instant case, the obligation incurred by the Defendants/Debtors was for educational purposes, albeit for their son, and was one in which they were the sole makers. Giving the statute its literal meaning, this is precisely the type of obligation intended to be deemed nondis-chargeable under § 523(a)(8).

D. Much ado is given in the various opinions to the legislative history surrounding Congress’ consideration in passage of § 523(a)(8). At best, the legislative history demonstrates the overall policy sought to be served by classifying these educational loans as nondischargeable under the Bankruptcy Code. Simply stated, the philosophy behind this section of the Bankruptcy Code is that “...

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
119 B.R. 259, 24 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 332, 1990 Bankr. LEXIS 2010, 1990 WL 136373, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/education-resources-institute-inc-v-martin-in-re-martin-okeb-1990.