Goodman v. Credit Union (In re Gaines)

502 B.R. 633
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Georgia
DecidedNovember 21, 2013
DocketBankruptcy No. 12-63357-JRS; Adversary No. 12-05627-JRS
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 502 B.R. 633 (Goodman v. Credit Union (In re Gaines)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Goodman v. Credit Union (In re Gaines), 502 B.R. 633 (Ga. 2013).

Opinion

ORDER

JAMES R. SACCA, Bankruptcy Judge.

This adversary proceeding requires the Court to separate the ordinary from the extraordinary. The Chapter 13 Trustee has commenced this adversary proceeding and moved for summary judgment, arguing that certain payments the Debtor made to the Defendant Credit Union of Georgia within 90 days of filing her bankruptcy petition constituted recoverable preferential transfers within the meaning of 11 U.S.C. § 547(b). The Defendant has responded with its own motion for summary judgment, arguing that these payments — which were made pursuant to a forbearance agreement the Debtor entered into following a nondischargeability judgment in a prior bankruptcy case — are not recoverable because they were made in the ordinary course of the Debtor’s financial affairs within the meaning of § 547(c)(2). The Court now considers whether these transfers were in fact ordinary while ruling on these cross-motions for summary judgment.

Summary Judgment Standard

Summary judgment is appropriate only when there are no genuine issues of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56. The substantive law applicable to the case determines which facts are material. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). A factual issue is genuine if there is sufficient evidence for a reasonable jury to return a verdict in favor of the non-moving party. Id. The Court “should resolve all reasonable doubts about the facts in favor of the non-movant, and draw all justifiable inferences in his favor.” United States v. Four Parcels of Real Prop., 941 F.2d 1428, 1437 (11th Cir.1991) (citations and punctuation omitted). The court may not weigh conflicting evidence or make credibility determinations. Hairston v. Gainesville Sun Publ’g. Co., 9 F.3d 913, 919 (11th Cir.1993), reh’g denied, 16 F.3d 1233 (11th Cir.1994) (en banc).

For issues upon which the moving party bears the burden of proof at trial, he must affirmatively demonstrate the absence of a genuine issue of material fact as to each element of his claim on that legal issue. Fitzpatrick v. City of Atlanta, 2 F.3d 1112, 1115 (11th Cir.1993). He must support his motion with credible evidence that would entitle him to a directed verdict if not controverted at trial. Id. If the moving party makes such a showing, he is entitled to summary judgment unless the non-moving party comes forward with significant, probative evidence demonstrating the existence of an issue of material fact. Id.

For issues upon which the non-moving party bears the burden of proof at trial, he “must make a showing sufficient to establish the existence of [each] element essential to that party’s case.” Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). Failure to make such a showing on any essential element “renders all other facts immaterial” and precludes a finding that a genuine issue of material fact exists. Id. at 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548. Accordingly, “[w]here the record taken as a whole could not lead a rational trier of fact to find for the nonmoving party, there is no genuine issue for trial,” and summary judgment in favor of the moving party is appropriate. Matsushita Elec. Industrial Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 587, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986) (internal quotes omitted).

Factual Background

Keeping the above standard in mind, the Court lays out the following facts based on [637]*637the parties’ submissions and all other matters of record. Defendant Credit Union of Georgia (the “Credit Union”) is a member-owned financial institution. (Def.’s Statement of Material Facts (“SMF”) [Doc. 26] ¶ 1). Shvilla Bryan Gaines, the Debtor in the underlying bankruptcy case, became a member of the Credit Union in 2001. (Def.’s SMF [Doc. 26] ¶¶ 2, 5). The Debt- or had several savings accounts, a checking account, and a Visa credit card with the Credit Union. (Def.’s SMF [Doc. 26] ¶ 6). The Debtor made charges and regular payments on the Visa credit card account and was in good standing with the Credit Union up until May 2008. (Def.’s SMF [Doc. 26] ¶ 7).

On May 19, 2008, the Debtor filed for protection under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code (Case No. 08-69396-MGD) (the “Prior Case”). In the Prior Case, the Debtor identified the Credit Union as the holder of a claim in the amount of $17,500 on her Schedule F, which lists her creditors holding unsecured claims. A few months after the Debtor filed her petition in the Prior Case, the Credit Union filed a motion seeking court authorization to conduct an examination of the Debtor pursuant to Bankruptcy Rule 2004. (Case No. 08-69396-MGD, Doc. 15). Shortly thereafter, the Credit Union filed a motion to extend the time to file a complaint to determine the dischargeability of its claim pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 523 and/or file a complaint objecting to Debtor’s discharge pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 727. (Case No. 08-69396-MGD, Doc. 18). The court in the Prior Case entered a consent order granting this motion a few days later. (Case No. 08-69396-MGD, Doc. 19).

On September 11, 2008, the Credit Union filed a complaint in the Prior Case commencing an adversary proceeding against the Debtor. (Case No. 08-06510-MGD). In its complaint, the Credit Union alleged that it had a claim based on Debt- or’s Visa account, and it sought to recover $10,000 plus interest, costs, and fees. (Case No. 08-06510-MGD, Doc. 1). The Credit Union further alleged that the Debtor incurred charges on her Visa card and “knew that she did not have the ability to repay the indebtedness” and that she “obtained money or credit through her Visa ... by false pretenses, false representations or actual fraud.” Id. Accordingly, the Credit Union alleged that its claim was nondischargeable pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2)(A). Id. A few days after the Credit Union filed its complaint, the court in the Prior Case entered a succinct consent judgment (the “Consent Judgment”), which simply stated that the Debtor’s debt to the Credit Union was excepted from discharge and that judgment was rendered in the Credit Union’s favor for $10,000 plus $250 in costs, with 12% interest to accrue. (Case No. 08-06510-MGD, Doc. 4).

A few days before the Consent Judgment was entered, the Debtor and the Credit Union entered into a forbearance agreement (the “Forbearance Agreement”). (Leaphart Aff. [Doc. 28] Ex. A).

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502 B.R. 633, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/goodman-v-credit-union-in-re-gaines-ganb-2013.