Gil de la Madrid v. Popular Auto (In re Gil de la Madrid)

524 B.R. 7
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Puerto Rico
DecidedDecember 4, 2014
DocketBankruptcy No. 12-02042 (MCF); Adversary No. 13-199 (MCF)
StatusPublished

This text of 524 B.R. 7 (Gil de la Madrid v. Popular Auto (In re Gil de la Madrid)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Puerto Rico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gil de la Madrid v. Popular Auto (In re Gil de la Madrid), 524 B.R. 7 (prb 2014).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

MILDRED CABAN FLORES, Bankruptcy Judge.

The Plaintiff Julio E. Gil de la Madrid (“Debtor”) filed an action against the Defendants Popular Auto, Inc. (“Popular Auto”) and Veronica Durán Castillo (hereinafter collectively, “the Defendants”), for unlawfully repossessing a vehicle in willful violation of the automatic stay provision, pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 362(a).1 Pending before the Court is the Debtor’s motion for summary judgment and the Defendants’ opposition and cross-motion for summary judgment. For the reasons stated below, the Debtor’s motion for summary judgment is denied and the Defendants’ cross motion for summary judgment is granted.

I. UNCONTESTED FACTUAL BACKGROUND

The Debtors, Julio E. Gil de la Madrid and Matilde de Jesus Rivera, filed a joint bankruptcy petition under Chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code on March 20, 2012.2 The Debtors listed their interest as lessees [10]*10on a motor vehicle in schedule G.3 On April 11, 2010, Popular Auto filed a secured proof of claim for $35,358.56.4 The claim described the make, model, year and vehicle identification number (“VIN”) of the motor vehicle that served as collateral for Popular Auto’s secured claim. The claim contained: (1) a lease contract for the purchase of the vehicle and (2) a copy of the certificate of title for the vehicle issued by the Puerto Rico Department of Motor Vehicles (“PRDMV”).

On July 5, 2013, Popular Auto, the lessor, filed a motion for relief from the automatic stay, pursuant to § 362(d)(l)-(2) (the “362 Motion”).5 Popular Auto used a Form 16D caption for adversary proceedings (hereafter, “double caption”) in its 362 Motion. The top portion of the caption contained the names of the Debtors. The bottom caption contained the name of Matilde de Jesus Rivera, the titleholder of the vehicle, as respondent in the motion for relief.6 However, the bottom caption did not have the name of Debtor Julio E. Gil de la Madrid. Nevertheless, the Notice of the 362 Motion contained the names of joint Debtors in the top and bottom portions of the caption. In addition, the contents of the Notice named the joint Debtors and the Chapter 13 Trustee.7 According to the Certificate of Service, Popular Auto notified each joint Debtor by certified mail with return receipts requested, as evinced with the green and white return receipts.8 Popular Auto also notified joint Debtors’ counsel of record.9

The 362 Motion contained as exhibits (1) the contract for the lease of the vehicle and (2) a copy of the certificate of title for the vehicle issued by the PRDMV. Both documents describe the make of the vehicle as a Mercedes Benz, 2010 year, and VIN # 4JGBF2FE1AA563295. However, the vehicle’s description as to model did not match in both documents. The copy of the certificate of title of the vehicle identified the Mercedes Benz as a Q3 model while the lease contract identified it as a GL350BTC model. Furthermore, the 362 Motion pleadings described the Mercedes Benz as a GL320 model and 2009 year. All the documents in the 362 Motion reported the same VIN # 4 JGBF2FE1AA563295.

The 362 Motion stood unopposed by the Debtors. On July 26, 2013, this Court granted Popular Auto’s 362 Motion by default and issued the order to lift the automatic stay.10 On August 15, 2013, Popular Auto repossessed a Mercedes Benz make, GL350 BTC 'model, and year 2010 vehicle.11 The VIN # 4JGBF2FE1AA563295 [11]*11of the repossessed vehicle corresponded with the VIN in the 362 Motion.12 On August 30, 2013, this Court granted Ma-tilde de Jesus Rivera’s request for voluntary dismissal of her bankruptcy case but the bankruptcy case continued as to the Debtor, Julio E. Gil de la Madrid.13

On September 24, 2013, the Debtor filed an adversary complaint against Popular Auto and Veronica Durán Castillo, the attorney representing Popular Auto in the bankruptcy case. The Debtor alleged in his complaint that Defendants violated the automatic stay when Popular Auto repossessed a vehicle not described accurately as the collateral subject to the order for relief of the automatic stay issued by this Court.14 On July 1, 2013, the Debtor filed a motion for summary judgment for Defendants’ alleged violation of the automatic stay.15 An opposition brief ensued, along with Defendants’ cross-motion for summary judgment on July 7, 2014.16 After parties presented their oral arguments before the Court on December 3, 2014, the Court took the matter under advisement.

II. JURISDICTION

This Court has jurisdiction of the subject matter and the parties pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1334, 157(a) and the “Standing Order of Resolution for Bankruptcy Cases” dated July 19, 1984 (Torruella, C.J.), which refers title 11 proceedings to the Bankruptcy Court. This is a core proceeding in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 157(b).

III. POSITIONS OF THE PARTIES

This case presents two issues. Issue number one is whether Popular Auto willfully violated the stay when it failed to provide notice to the Debtor of its motion relief of stay by omitting the Debtor’s name in the caption of the motion. Issue number two is whether Popular Auto willfully violated the automatic stay when it repossessed a vehicle described imprecisely in the pleadings of the 362 Motion granted by this Court.

A. DEBTOR’S POSITION

First, the Debtor alleges that the repossessed collateral was not the vehicle described as the collateral in the 362 Motion this Court granted. Second, the Debtor alleges that the omission of his name in the heading in the 362 Motion constitutes a lack of adequate notice. The Debtor submits in the alternative, outside the willful violation arguments, that Popular Auto was not entitled to the stay relief granted on the vehicle.

B. POPULAR AUTO’s POSITION

Popular Auto alleges that the joint Debtors and their attorneys of record received adequate notice of the 362 Motion. Popular Auto purports that the documentary evidence accompanying the 362 Mo[12]*12tion properly described and identified the motor vehicle later repossessed. Finally, Popular Auto contends that the Debtor is precluded from re-litigating the issue of Popular Auto’s entitlement to relief from the automatic stay.

IV. DISCUSSION

A. STANDARD FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

Rule 56(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure is made applicable in adversary proceedings through Fed. R. Bankr.P. 7056.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
524 B.R. 7, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gil-de-la-madrid-v-popular-auto-in-re-gil-de-la-madrid-prb-2014.