Grochocinski v. Allstate Insurance (In Re Lyckberg)

310 B.R. 881, 2004 Bankr. LEXIS 827, 2004 WL 1399194
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Illinois
DecidedJune 21, 2004
Docket16-26576
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 310 B.R. 881 (Grochocinski v. Allstate Insurance (In Re Lyckberg)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Grochocinski v. Allstate Insurance (In Re Lyckberg), 310 B.R. 881, 2004 Bankr. LEXIS 827, 2004 WL 1399194 (Ill. 2004).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

JOHN H. SQUIRES, Bankruptcy Judge.

These matters come before the Court on the complaint of David E. Grochocinski, as Chapter 7 trustee (the “Trustee”) for the bankruptcy estate of Michael Lyckberg (the “Debtor”), against Allstate Insurance Company (“Allstate”), seeking turnover under 11 U.S.C. § 542 of an alleged asset of the Debtor’s estate, namely a pre-petition insurance policy claim for alleged losses resulting from theft of the Debtor’s assets, and for an alleged violation of the automatic stay under 11 U.S.C. § 362(a) by Allstate. 1 In addition, the Trustee filed a motion in limine against Allstate seeking sanctions for its failure to timely file its proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law in accordance with the Court’s Final Pretrial Order.

For the reasons set forth herein, the Court finds that the Trustee failed to meet his burden of proof on the relief requested, despite a willful violation of the automatic stay by Allstate. The Court grants judgment in favor of Allstate and against the Trustee. Allstate’s motion for directed *885 findings is granted pursuant to Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 7052. Further, the Court assesses the Trustee’s attorney’s fees in the sum of $371.25 against Allstate’s attorneys as a sanction for their failure to comply with the Court’s Final Pretrial Order. Allstate’s attorneys are directed to pay that sum to the Trustee forthwith.

I. JURISDICTION AND PROCEDURE

The Court has jurisdiction to entertain these matters pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1334 and Internal Operating Procedure 15(a) of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. They are core proceedings under 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(A), (E) and (0).

II. FACTS AND BACKGROUND

The Debtor purchased a homeowner’s insurance policy (the “Policy”) from Allstate. Trustee Ex. No. 2; Allstate Ex. No. 1. The Policy afforded homeowner’s insurance coverage for the property located at 448 Tennyson, Bartlett, Illinois. Id. Specifically, the Policy afforded insurance on the home, its contents and certain items of personal property. Id. It is undisputed that the Policy was in effect on the date of the claimed loss. The Policy includes a requirement that the insured cooperate with the insurer in its investigation, settlement and defense of any claim or suit. Specifically, the Policy sets forth an insured’s obligations when submitting a claim, which include, among other things, notifying Allstate of the loss; allowing Allstate to examine accounting records, invoices, and other documents establishing that the insured purchased the items claimed; showing the damaged property to Allstate; submitting to an examination under oath; and submitting a sworn proof of loss. Id. pp. 14-15, Section I Conditions.

The Debtor asserted and filed a claim for loss of numerous items of personal property resulting from a burglary and theft from his residence that allegedly occurred on January 23, 2002, coincidentally the same day he filed a voluntary Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition. Allstate Ex. No. 12. The Debtor’s petition, schedules and statement of affairs were signed and executed on January 16, 2002, before the alleged loss occurred. Id. On January 28, 2002, the Debtor submitted a detailed list to Allstate asserting that $33,296.10 in jewelry, cash, tools, a tool box, and various items of equipment were stolen. Trustee Ex. No. 4; Allstate Ex-. No. 14. On February 8, 2002, Allstate sent the Debtor a letter detailing the requirements under the Policy when making a claim for loss. Trustee Ex. No. 7. Subsequently, on February 14, 2002, the Debtor submitted a sworn statement to Allstate in support of his claimed loss. Trustee Ex. No. 10; Allstate Ex. No. 13. At the request of Allstate, the Debtor supplemented the claim. Allstate Ex. No. 15.

On the same day as the alleged loss, the Debtor notified the Village of Bartlett police department of the burglary and theft. It dispatched officers who conducted an investigation. Trustee Ex. No. 5; Allstate Ex. Nos. 17 & 18. On March 13, 2002, the police department concluded the investigation without resolve. Trustee Ex. No. 6.

Allstate conducted its own investigation of the claim. Allstate Ex. Nos. 8 & 16. On February 22, 2002, after the Debtor’s bankruptcy petition was filed, Allstate, pursuant to the terms of the Policy, made a demand on the Debtor to submit to an examination under oath and directed him to produce certain documents for inspection and photocopying. Trustee Ex. No. 1A; Allstate Ex. No. 2. The examination under oath was initially scheduled for March 11, 2002, but was never conducted. *886 Trustee Ex. Nos. IB, 1C & ID; Allstate Ex. Nos. 3, 4 & 5. Allstate insisted that the examination go forward and the documents be produced, and the failure to do so would constitute a breach of the Policy by the Debtor, resulting in the denial of the claim.

Sometime in mid-March 2002, the existence of the claim was brought to the attention of the Trustee. Trustee Ex. No. 1C; Allstate Ex. No. 4. Allstate contended that the Debtor’s bankruptcy case did not affect Allstate’s contractual rights under the Policy, and that it had an absolute right to investigate the claim, including the rights under the Policy to take the Debtor’s examination under oath and require him to produce certain requested documents. Trustee Ex. No. ID; Allstate Ex. No. 5. The Trustee, by letter dated April 16, 2002, began correspondence with Allstate advising of his desire to depose the Debtor under Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 2004. Trustee Ex. No. IE; Allstate Ex. No. 6. On April 17, 2002, Allstate denied the Debtor’s claim based upon his failure to produce documents and appear for an examination under oath as required by the terms and conditions of the Policy. Trustee Ex. No. 13. Thereafter, on May 16, 2002, the Trustee advised Allstate that the Debtor’s claim became a part of the bankruptcy estate and that Allstate had violated the automatic stay by: (1) denying the Debtor’s claim without first obtaining relief from the automatic stay; (2) attempting to depose the Debtor without first obtaining such stay relief; (3) prohibiting the Trustee from attending the Debtor’s examination under oath; (4) continuing to communicate directly with the Debtor instead of the Trustee without obtaining relief from the automatic stay; (5) denying the Debtor’s claim, and failing to notify the Trustee; and (6) attempting to use the Debtor’s bankruptcy petition as grounds to deny the claim under the Policy, which deprived the Trustee of necessary financial and commercial documents essential to the administration of the estate. Trustee Ex. No.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
310 B.R. 881, 2004 Bankr. LEXIS 827, 2004 WL 1399194, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/grochocinski-v-allstate-insurance-in-re-lyckberg-ilnb-2004.