Furr v. Lordy (In Re Lordy)

214 B.R. 650, 11 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 75, 1997 Bankr. LEXIS 1740
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Florida.
DecidedJuly 28, 1997
Docket18-20754
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 214 B.R. 650 (Furr v. Lordy (In Re Lordy)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Florida. primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Furr v. Lordy (In Re Lordy), 214 B.R. 650, 11 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 75, 1997 Bankr. LEXIS 1740 (Fla. 1997).

Opinion

FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

PAUL G. HYMAN, Jr., Bankruptcy Judge.

THIS MATTER came before the Court upon the Complaints of the Chapter 7 Trustee, Robert C. Furr (the “Trustee”), and Employers Insurance of Wausau, a Mutual Company (“Wausau”) objecting to the Debtors’, Peter C. and Virginia M. Lordy (the “Debtors”), claimed exemptions based upon the Debtors’ failure to establish their domicile in Florida for the greater part of 180 days immediately preceding their voluntary petition pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 522(b)(2)(A). The Trustee and Wausau further object to the Debtors’ receiving a discharge pursuant to section 727(a)(2)(A) of the Bankruptcy Code. In addition, the Trustee objects to the Debtors’ receiving a discharge pursuant to sections 727(a)(3), (4), and (5) of the Bankruptcy Code. The adversary proceedings were consolidated for trial and a two day trial was held on February 27 & 28, 1997. The Court, having heard the testimony and observed the demeanor of the witnesses, observed and examined the evidence presented, having heard the arguments of counsel, and being otherwise fully advised in the premises, hereby enters the following Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law.

FINDINGS OF FACT

The Indemnity Action And Asset Transfers By The Debtors

The Debtors filed a voluntary petition under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code on May 9, 1996, and Robert C. Furr was appointed the Chapter 7 Trustee. The Debt *654 ors, Peter Lordy and Virginia Lordy, were the president and vice president, respectively, of Direct Environmental, Inc. (“Direct”). Virginia Lordy was also Direct’s sole shareholder. On December 7, 1992, the Debtors’, individually and on behalf of Direct, executed a General Indemnity Agreement in favor of Wausau (the “1992 GIA”). On February 17, 1995, the Debtors, individually and on behalf of Direct and Holly Construction executed a second General Indemnity Agreement (the “1995 GIA”) in favor of Wausau. (Peter Lordy, Virginia Lordy, Direct and Holly Construction will be collectively referred to as the “Indemnitors.”)

Under the terms of the 1992 GIA and 1995 GIA, the Indemnitors agreed, jointly and severally, to indemnify Wausau against any and all liability, loss, cost, damages, attorneys fees and other expenses which Wausau might sustain or incur by reason of, or in consequence of, having executed any bonds on behalf of any of the Indemnitors. The Indemnitors jointly and severally agreed that if Wausau set a reserve to cover any liability, claim asserted, suit or judgment on any bond, they would deposit with Wausau a sum equal to the reserve as collateral security. The Indemnitors also jointly and severally agreed to deposit sums equal to any subsequent increases in the reserve.

On March 2, 1994, Wausau, as surety, at the request of the Debtors and Direct, and on behalf of Direct, as principal, issued a performance bond and a labor and material payment bond pursuant to 40 U.S.C. § 270a in favor of the United States of America by and through the Department of Interior, National Park Service, as obligee, in connection with a contract (Contract No. 1443CX400094901) between Direct and the United States of America for improvements at the Steamtown National Historic Site, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania (the “Steamtown Bonds”). On December 1,1994, Wausau, as surety, at the request of the Debtors and Direct, and on behalf of Direct, issued another performance bond and a labor and material payment bond (the “Gateway Bonds”) in favor of the United States of America by and through the Department of Interior, National Park Service, as obligee, in connection with a contract (Contract No. 1443CX160095901) between Direct and the United States of America for improvements at the Gateway National Recreation Center Facilities and Utilities Package in Staten Island, New York (the “Gateway Contract”).

In June of 1994, as part of the inducement to have Wausau issue bonds, the Debtors and/or Direct provided Wausau with their Statement of Financial Condition dated March 31,1994. The Statement of Financial Condition listed the following real properties and their respective values:

ASSET . VALUE
337 East Avenue, Bay Head, NJ $ 1,400,000
440 Club Drive, Bay Head, NJ $ 365,000
127 Cypress Street, Millburn, NJ $ 345,000
240-290 Sanford Street, E. Orange, NJ $ 300,000

Seven months later, by a deed dated October 25, 1994, the Debtors transferred their interest in the real property located at 240-290 Sanford Street, East Orange, New Jersey (the “East Orange Property”) to Pellam Realty Limited Partnership (“Pellam”). Pellam paid the Debtors $50,000 and executed a promissory note in favor of the Debtors in the amount of $235,000 (the “Pellam Note”). The Pellam Note was secured by a mortgage on the East Orange Property and was for a term of five (5) years with monthly payments in the amount of $3,000 commencing on November 1, 1994, and ending on November 1, 1999.

Eleven months after the transfer of the East Orange Property, on September 2, 1995, the United States of America (the “United States”) declared Direct in default on the Gateway contract. Following the declaration of default, the United States made a demand of Wausau under the Gateway Bonds. Thereafter, on November 20, 1995, Wausau filed a lawsuit in the,United States District Court for the District of New Jersey against the Indemnitors (the “Indemnity Action”). Wausau alleged that Direct was in default on the Gateway Contract and that a demand had been made of Wausau under its performance bond by the United States. Wausau further alleged that subcontractors and labor and material suppliers on both the Gateway and Steamtown Contracts had placed Wausau on notice of claims against the payment bonds because Direct had not *655 paid these subcontractors and suppliers. Wausau demanded judgment against each of the Indemnitors for all damages incurred, and to be incurred, by Wausau. To date, Wausau has paid in excess of $5 million under the bonds and continues to face exposure and to accrue costs, attorneys’ fees and expenses.

On November 15, 1995, Direct filed a voluntary petition under Chapter 11 of Bankruptcy Code in New Jersey. On December 18, 1995, Direct commenced an adversary proceeding seeking injunctive relief against Wausau, the United States, and any claimants against the Wausau bonds. In its verified complaint Direct sought to (1) extend the automatic stay to the Debtors; (2) enjoin Wausau from commencing suit against Debtors under the GIAs; (3) enjoin the United States from enforcing any obligations of Wausau under the bonds; and (4) enjoin both Wausau and the United States from paying claimants under the bonds. In addition, paragraph 35 the verified complaint alleged:

35. The Lordys have not presently filed for personal bankruptcy.

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Bluebook (online)
214 B.R. 650, 11 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 75, 1997 Bankr. LEXIS 1740, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/furr-v-lordy-in-re-lordy-flsb-1997.