First National Bank v. Elza

536 B.R. 415, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 110765, 2015 WL 5012890
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Kentucky
DecidedAugust 21, 2015
DocketCivil No. 14-184-GFVT
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 536 B.R. 415 (First National Bank v. Elza) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
First National Bank v. Elza, 536 B.R. 415, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 110765, 2015 WL 5012890 (E.D. Ky. 2015).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION & ORDER

Gregory F. Van Tatenhove, United State District Judge

This case comes before the Court on appeal from the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky. Creditor First National Bank of Manchester challenges the bankruptcy court’s Order of. May 22, 2014, which granted the Debtors’ motion to avoid two judicial liens held by First National, pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 522(f). For the reasons set forth below, the Court will AFFIRM the bankruptcy court’s Order.

I

Debtors Paul and Judith Elza filed a voluntary petition for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on May 10, 2012. [In re Elza, Bankr. Pet. No. 12-60612, Bankr. R. 1], Pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 522(f), they moved to avoid several judicial liens, including two held by First National. [Bankr. R. 41]. First National objected. [Bankr. R. 42], The nature of those liens is the subject of this appeal.

On June 12, 2009, Elza Construction, LLC, a Kentucky limited liability company solely owned by Paul Elza, obtained a second mortgage on commercial property located on the KY-192 Bypass in Laurel County from First National in the principal amount of $203,569.50. [Mortgage, Bankr. R., Claims Register 5-1, Pts. 4-5; Promissory Note, id., Pt. 1 at 3]. The terms of that loan included personal guaranties on the debt from Paul and Judith Elza. [Id. at 5-1, Pts. 2, 3]. The Elzas’ residential property, also located in Laurel County, was not given to secure this debt. [See Mortgage, Bankr. R., Claims Register 5-1, Pts. 4-5]. Some time later, Elza Construction defaulted, and First National joined the senior mortgagee in instituting a foreclosure action on the commercial property in Laurel Circuit Court. The state court entered a foreclosure judgment and order of sale. [Ex. State Court Judgment, R. 7-1]. It also ordered that Elza Construction, Paul Elza, and Judith Elza were jointly and severally liable for the balance owed to the senior mortgagee. [See id. at ¶¶ 14, 21, 25]. After the judicial sale of the property and distribution to the senior mortgage holder, a deficiency of $209,486.62 remained owing to First National. On April 25, 2011, First National filed two judgment liens on the Elzas’ residential property, claiming the full $209,486.62 deficiency, plus interest, against both Paul and Judith. [Ex. Judgment Liens, R. 7-2].

After a hearing on May 21, 2014, [Bankr. R. 47], the Bankruptcy Court granted the Debtor’s motion to avoid these liens. [Order, Bankr. R. 48 at ¶ 7]. First National filed a motion to alter, amend, or vacate that order, [Bankr. R. 49], which the Court denied, [Bankr. R. 54], This appeal followed.

II

“This Court reviews de novo questions of statutory interpretation, statutory application, and a bankruptcy court’s conclusions of law.” Deutsche Bank Nat. Trust Co. v. Tucker, 621 F.3d 460, 462 (6th Cir.2010) (citing In re Ruehle, 307 B.R. 28, 31 (6th Cir. BAP 2004)). “De novo review [417]*417requires [this court] to review questions of law independent of the bankruptcy court’s determination.” First Union Mort. Corp. v. Eubanks (In re Eubanks), 219 B.R. 468, 469 (6th Cir. BAP 1998).

This case presents a question of statutory interpretation that has not yet been addressed by the Sixth Circuit, the Sixth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel, or bankruptcy courts sitting in Kentucky: whether a mortgage foreclosure deficiency judgment lien is a “judgment arising' out of a mortgage foreclosure” that is excluded from avoidance under § 522(f)(2)(C). Section 522 of the Bankruptcy Code exempts certain property from the bankruptcy estate. 11 U.S.C. § 522 (2012). Section 522(f) addresses the avoidance of certain liens and provides, in relevant part:

(1) ... [T]he debtor may avoid the fixing of a lien on an interest of the debtor in property to the extent that such lien impairs an exemption to which the debt- or would have been entitled under subsection (b) of this section, if such lien is—
(A) a judicial hen, ...
(2) (A) For the purposes of this subsection, a lien shall be considered to impair an exemption to the extent that the sum of—
(i) the lien;
(Ü) all other liens on the property; and
(iii) the amount of the exemption that the debtor could claim if there were no liens on the property;
exceeds the value that the debtor’s interest in the property would have in the absence of any liens.
(B) In the case of a property subject to more than one lien, a lien that has been avoided shall not be considered in making the calculation under subpara-graph (A) with respect to other liens.
(C)This paragraph shall not apply with respect to a judgment arising out of a mortgage foreclosure.

Id. (emphasis added). Section 522(f)(1) sets- forth the general rule of avoidance. Section 522(f)(2) then provides some explanation on that rule: Sub-paragraph (A) provides a formula “to be utilized in determining whether a particular lien impairs an exemption.” In re Hart, 282 B.R. 70, 73 (1st Cir. BAP 2002), aff'd 328 F.3d 45 (1st Cir.2003). In essence, this Section permits a debtor to avoid certain judicial liens to the extent that the value of the lien, all other liens on the property, and the claimed exemption exceed the value of the debtor’s interest in the property. See § 522(f)(l)-(2)(A).

First National does not necessarily.dispute that its two deficiency judgment liens are “judicial liens” within the meaning of this section. See 11 U.S.C. § 101(36) (defining “judicial lien as a “lien obtained by judgment, levy, sequestration, or other legal or equitable process or proceeding”). Nor does it necessarily dispute that the application of § 522(f)(1) and (2)(A) would generally require avoidance of its two deficiency liens. Rather, First National’s argument is premised solely on § 522(f)(2)(C): It contends that the deficiency judgments obtained in connection with its foreclosure on the Elzas’ business property “aris[e] out of a mortgage foreclosure” under § 522(f)(2)(C) and are therefore unavoidable for the Elzas in their residential Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

A split in authority has emerged on this issue. The overwhelming majority of courts hold that mortgage deficiency liens are not “judgments [that] aris[e] out of a mortgage foreclosure” and are therefore avoidable under § 522(f). E.g., In re Hart, 328 F.3d 45 (1st Cir.2003); In re Maxwell, [418]*4182010 Bankr. LEXIS 4082, 2010 WL 4736206 (Bankr.E.D.Tenn. Nov. 16, 2010); In re Burns, 437 B.R. 246 (Bankr.N.D.Ohio 2010); In re Linane, 291 B.R. 457 (Bankr.N.D.Ill.2003); In re Carson,

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
536 B.R. 415, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 110765, 2015 WL 5012890, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/first-national-bank-v-elza-kyed-2015.