Hazelwood v. Fifth Third Bank (In re Hazelwood)

513 B.R. 323
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Kentucky
DecidedJuly 15, 2014
DocketBankruptcy No. 12-40303; Adversary No. 13-4031
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 513 B.R. 323 (Hazelwood v. Fifth Third Bank (In re Hazelwood)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hazelwood v. Fifth Third Bank (In re Hazelwood), 513 B.R. 323 (Ky. 2014).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM ON MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

ALAN C. STOUT, Bankruptcy Judge.

This adversary proceeding was commenced by the Chapter 13 Debtors to avoid an allegedly unperfected lien in real property located in Henderson County, Kentucky. The matters under advisement are the cross motions for partial summary judgment filed by Plaintiffs/Debtors Patrick Bradley Hazelwood and Sandi Jo Ha-zelwood (“Plaintiffs”), and Defendant Fifth Third Bank, successor in interest to Fifth Third Bank (Southern Indiana) and Fifth Third Mortgage Company (“Fifth Third”). In addition to the cross motions for summary judgment and supporting exhibits, the parties have filed Stipulated Facts. Upon consideration of the summary judgment motions, the supporting documentation, and the Stipulated Facts, the Court holds that summary judgment should be granted in favor of the Plaintiffs.

I. STATEMENT OF JURISDICTION

This Court has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1334, and it is a core proceeding under 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(K). Venue of this adversary proceeding in this Court is proper under 28 U.S.C. § 1409(a), as this proceeding arises in and relates to the Plaintiffs’ Chapter 13 case pending in this District. Furthermore, this Court may hear and finally adjudicate this matter because it is a core proceeding pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(K) and there is no objection to venue or jurisdiction over the parties.

II. SUMMARY JUDGMENT STANDARD

The Court can render summary judgment only when there is no genuine issue of material fact and the moving party is [325]*325entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c). Summary judgment is appropriate when the record taken as a whole, and viewed in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party, could not lead a rational trier of fact to find for the nonmoving party. Matsushita Electric Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 587, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986) (citing First Nat’l Bank v. Cities Service Co., 391 U.S. 253, 289, 88 S.Ct. 1575, 20 L.Ed.2d 569 (1968)). The party seeking summary judgment bears the burden initially of showing that there is no genuine issue of material fact. Celotex v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). The moving party may rely on the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file. Id. When a party fails to make a showing sufficient to establish the existence of an element essential to that party’s case, summary judgment should be granted. Cleveland v. Policy Mgmt. Sys. Corp., 526 U.S. 795, 805, 119 S.Ct. 1597, 143 L.Ed.2d 966 (1999) (quoting Celotex, 477 U.S. at 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548).

Once the moving party has made a proper motion for summary judgment, the non-moving party may not rely upon mere allegations to rebut the motion, but instead must set forth specific facts demonstrating that a genuine issue of material fact exists for trial. Fed. R. Bankr.P.R. Civ. P. 56(e). The nonmoving party must produce more than a “mere scintilla” of evidence to support its claim, once a properly supported motion for summary judgment has been made.

III. FACTS

The parties stipulated to the following facts for the purpose of summary judgment: 1

1. The Plaintiffs currently reside and own the real property located at 1133 Landing Meadows Drive, Henderson, Kentucky 42420 (the “Property”).
2. At all relevant times, the Plaintiffs have been husband and wife.
3. On April 24, 2008, the Plaintiffs executed and delivered to Fifth Third a certain Note in the face amount of $137,615.00. A true and correct copy of the Note is attached to the Stipulation of Facts as Exhibit A (the “Note”).
4. On April 24, 2008, the Plaintiffs executed and delivered to Fifth Third a certain Mortgage securing the indebtedness underlying the Note. A true and correct copy of the Mortgage is attached to the Stipulation of Facts as Exhibit B (the “Mortgage”).
5. The Plaintiffs signed the Mortgage on April 24, 2008 in the presence of Judy Robinson, a notary public.
6. By signing the Mortgage, the Plaintiffs granted a security interest to Fifth Third in the Property.
7. The Mortgage states on Page 3 of 15 that it encumbers the real property at “Tax Parcel ID Number: 64F34 which currently has the address of 1133 Landing Meadows Drive, Henderson, KY 42420-0000.”
8. The Plaintiffs own the Property, and the legal description included in the Mortgage is the same legal description that is included in the deed by which the Plaintiffs obtained title to the Property.
9. The Plaintiffs have actual knowledge of the Mortgage.
10. The Plaintiffs filed their Chapter 13 voluntary petition on March 1, 2012.
11. As of the petition date, the Plaintiffs indicated in their Statement of Finan[326]*326cial Affairs (on Page 12 of 52 of the petition) that $136,800.00 was still owing to Fifth Third under the Note and Mortgage.
12. In Schedule A — Real Property of their petition, the Plaintiffs stated that they jointly owned the Property, estimating that it was valued at $145,000.00 as of the petition date, with the amount of $136,800.00 as a secured claim.
13. In Schedule D — Creditors Holding Secured Claims of their petition, the Plaintiffs stated that Fifth Third held a first mortgage on the Property, estimating that the Property was valued at $145,000.00 as of the petition date, that Fifth Third had a secured claim in the Property in the amount of $136,800.00 and that no portion of the claim was unsecured.
14. The Debtors listed Fifth Third on their creditor matrix filed with their petition.
15. In their proposed Chapter 13 Plan [Doc. 5] filed on March 1, 2012, the Plaintiffs identified that Fifth Third had a secured claim concerning the property in the amount of $136,800.00 and that the Plaintiffs proposed making direct payments to Fifth Third in the amount of $892.48 per month.
16. In the Order of Confirmation [Doc. 12] entered on April 13, 2012, Fifth Third was identified as having a secured claim concerning the Property and the Plaintiffs were required under the Plan to make direct payments to Fifth Third for a period of 60 months.
17.

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513 B.R. 323, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hazelwood-v-fifth-third-bank-in-re-hazelwood-kywb-2014.