Gerst v. Fry (In re Fry)

14 B.R. 864, 1981 Bankr. LEXIS 2830
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Arizona
DecidedOctober 6, 1981
DocketBankruptcy No. B-80-2761-PHX-RGM; Adv. No. 81-154-RGM
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 14 B.R. 864 (Gerst v. Fry (In re Fry)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gerst v. Fry (In re Fry), 14 B.R. 864, 1981 Bankr. LEXIS 2830 (Ark. 1981).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER ON COMPLAINT TO DETERMINE NONDISCHARGE-ABILITY OF A DEBT

ROBERT G. MOOREMAN, Bankruptcy Judge.

This adversary complaint, filed March 10, 1981, arises from the debtors’ voluntary petition filed under 11 U.S.C. Chapter 7, on December 10, 1980. Plaintiffs by their pleadings seek a determination of nondis-ehargeability of a debt pursuant to certain provisions of 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2)(A), and (a)(4) and (a)(6), the applicable provisions of which are set forth hereinafter.

(a) A discharge under section 727, 1141, or 1328(b) of this title does not discharge an individual debtor from any debt—
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[865]*865(2) for obtaining money, property, services, or an extension, renewal, or refinance of credit, by—
(A) false pretenses, a false representation, or actual fraud, other than a statement respecting the debtor’s or an insider’s financial condition;
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(4) for fraud or defalcation while acting in a fiduciary capacity, embezzlement, or larceny;
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(6) for willful and malicious injury by the debtor to another entity or to the property of another entity; .... (Emphasis supplied)

A trial was held on August 31, 1981, and the matter was submitted to the court on the evidence and subsequent legal memo-randa by the parties from which the court finds and concludes as follows:

The debtors dba Arts Management Associates, an unincorporated association, were engaged in the business of promoting concerts and shows featuring various well known performers and celebrities such as George Burns, Helen Reddy, Red Skelton and the popular Country Western singer, Loretta Lynn.

After some preliminary negotiations, the debtor, Brad L. Fry, entered into a first contract on April 16, 1980 with the plaintiffs, under which he agreed to procure the performance of Loretta Lynn on September 10, 1980, at Grady Gammage Auditorium for which the plaintiffs paid the sum of $15,000. Under the contract, the plaintiffs were to receive 50% of the net profits derived from the performance and the debtors the remaining 50% of said venture. (A copy of the contract (Ex. 1) is appended and made a part of this opinion.)

Approximately two weeks later, on April 30, 1980, the debtor entered into a second contract with the American Diabetes Association Arizona Chapter (ADA) in which it was promised the promotion of the same concert featuring the same performer, Loretta Lynn, at the same time, September 10, 1980 (a copy of which is also appended as Exhibit 2). Under this second contract, the debtor received a $7,500 cash promotional fee and a $2,500 retainer from the ADA who received the profits from the performance which ultimately took place at Rawhide, Arizona on the scheduled performance date.

On April 18, 1980, between the two contracts in question, the debtor negotiated an agreement with United Talent, Inc., agents of Loretta Lynn, to secure the September 10, 1980 performance. Under this agreement, the debtor promised to pay $25,000 for Loretta Lynn to perform with the sum of $12,500 to be paid at that time and the balance to be paid on the day of the performance. Facts presented at trial indicate that the debtor utilized the $15,000 procured from the plaintiffs towards the $12,-500 payment to United Talent.

Subsequent to the above described contracts, the plaintiffs learned of the ADA performance by hearing a radio announcement advertising the Rawhide concert, and on August 7,1980, the debtor sent notification to plaintiffs by mailgram of his desire to discontinue the venture, and offering to return the $15,000 investment plus interest. However, this was not accomplished. On August 13, 1980, the debtor, Brad L. Fry, met personally with the plaintiff, Stephen Gerst, and as a result of this meeting, an affidavit was prepared and signed by the debtor in which he stated that he contracted with the ADA without the knowledge or consent of the plaintiffs and that he used the funds provided by them to secure the performance of Loretta Lynn. In addition, the debtor stated that he would provide security for the obligation which security later proved to be upon the debtors’ homestead and heavily encumbered and subject to forfeiture.

At no time prior to the double contracts time frame were the plaintiffs told by the debtor of his dealings with the ADA or his use of the $15,000 for procuring the performance contemplated under the first contract with the plaintiffs. In the complaint, two separate grounds were asserted as a basis for nondischargeability and later a [866]*866third ground based on section 523(a)(6) was argued to the court upon the memoranda submitted and in conformance with the evidence of the trial. First, the plaintiffs have argued that the money was obtained by false pretenses, or actual fraud. This allegation was presumably based on 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2)(A). Second, the plaintiffs alternatively argue that the debtors committed fraud, or defalcation while acting in a fiduciary capacity, or alternatively, embezzlement or larceny. This allegation was presumably based on section 523(a)(4). The court finds that these first two grounds are inapplicable to this case and not supported by the evidence presented, and therefore, take up the third ground — that is, section 523(a)(6), supra.

The plaintiffs argue, based on the evidence, that the debtors’ acts constituted a “willful and malicious injury to property.” This allegation presumably follows from section 523(a)(6) of the Bankruptcy Code which prohibits a discharge for willful and malicious injury by the debtor to another entity or to the property of another entity. This section replaces section 17(a)(8) of the former Bankruptcy Act which also excepted from discharge debts of that nature. While willful and malicious conversion is not expressly specified under section 523(a)(6), it has been held that “willful and malicious injury” encompasses “willful and malicious conversion.” See 3 Collier on Bankruptcy, ¶ 523.16 (15th Ed. 1979), Davis v. Aetna Acceptance Co., 293 U.S. 328, 55 S.Ct. 151, 79 L.Ed. 393 (1934), In Re Meyer, 7 B.R. 932 (Bkrtcy.N.D.Ill.1981).

Therefore, the issue before the court is whether the specified acts of the debtors constitute a willful and malicious injury or conversion to the plaintiffs or to the property and are clearly proven by the evidence of the plaintiffs. This question must be answered in the affirmative upon the facts and law presented at the trial.

This conclusion is reached by an analysis of the following case law which presents factual patterns analogous to the instant case.

In the case of In Re Prenzi, 3 B.R. 165 (Bkrtcy.D.Ariz.1980) (Judge William A. Scanland), the debtors failed to comply with the terms of a written agreement which required them to execute a $3,000 promissory note and post it as a bond in the Superior Court as part of a settlement in a pending lis pendens action. The debtor failed to do this and later sought to have the debt discharged in bankruptcy.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
14 B.R. 864, 1981 Bankr. LEXIS 2830, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gerst-v-fry-in-re-fry-arb-1981.