Heredia v. Enriguez (In re Enriguez)

506 B.R. 114
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. California
DecidedJanuary 23, 2014
DocketBankruptcy No. 13-10603-B-7; Adversary No. 13-1049
StatusPublished

This text of 506 B.R. 114 (Heredia v. Enriguez (In re Enriguez)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Heredia v. Enriguez (In re Enriguez), 506 B.R. 114 (Cal. 2014).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION REGARDING MOTION TO DISMISS SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT

W. RICHARD LEE, Bankruptcy Judge.

Before the court is a motion (the “Motion”), filed by the debtor/defendant, Omar Ali Enriguez (the “Debtor”), to dismiss this adversary proceeding, which was filed to determine the dischargeability of a debt for personal injury owed to the plaintiff, Wencelao Heredia (“Heredia”). This adversary proceeding has already been dismissed twice based on insufficient factual allegations to support a claim for relief. The Debtor now requests that dismissal be with prejudice. For the reasons set forth below, the Motion will be granted.

For purposes of this motion, the court must accept as true the factual allegations pled in the complaint, therefore no findings of fact are necessary or appropriate. The court has also taken judicial notice of matters in the record that may be relevant to this decision. This memorandum decision contains the court’s conclusions of law. The court has jurisdiction over this matter under 28 U.S.C. § 1334 and 11 U.S.C. § 5231 and General Orders 182 and 330 of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. This is a core proceeding pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(I).

Background.

Heredia and the Debtor are neighbors in a semi-rural area of Fresno,2 and nothing has been pled in this adversary proceeding to suggest that they did not enjoy an amicable relationship. This adversary proceeding arises from an incident that occurred on April 9, 2012. While working in his yard, Heredia was attacked by three pitbull dogs which had escaped from the Debtor’s yard. The basic facts of the incident are undisputed. In summary, the dogs got out of an enclosed area behind the Debtor’s house and crawled under a poorly maintained chain link fence surrounding the Debtor’s property. The dogs then crawled under another fence to enter Heredia’s back yard where he has working in the garden. The dogs attacked and Heredia was severely injured. When the Debtor first heard the commotion, he tried unsuccessfully to prevent the dogs from entering Heredia’s yard. After the attack, the Debtor drove Heredia to the hospital for treatment. The dogs were later eu-thanized by the Fresno County Animal Control. Heredia subsequently filed a civil suit for recovery of unspecified damages [117]*117against the Debtor in the Fresno County Superior Court (the “PI Claim”).3

On January 30, 2013, the Debtor filed a petition under chapter 7. The schedules list assets worth approximately $71,000, secured claims totaling approximately $68,000 and unsecured claims, exclusive of Heredia’s PI Claim, of approximately $10,000. The Debtor’s schedule F listed Heredia as an unsecured creditor holding a claim described as, “Civil Suit,” and valued at, “Unknown.” The Debtor’s Statement of Financial Affairs disclosed the PI Claim under “Suits and administrative proceedings.”

Heredia commenced this adversary proceeding on April 29, 2013, seeking to except the PI Claim from the chapter 7 discharge pursuant to § 523(a)(6) (willful and malicious injury). The court granted the Debtor’s motion to dismiss the initial complaint based on the need for additional facts to support the claim. Heredia filed an amended complaint, which drew from the Debtor another successful motion to dismiss for essentially the same reason. The court allowed Heredia to file a second amended complaint (the “Complaint”) to which this memorandum relates.

The Debtor again moves to dismiss the Complaint under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) (made applicable to this adversary proceeding by Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 7012) and the pleading standard established by the Supreme Court in Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007), and subsequently in Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009). The Debtor contends that the Complaint does not allege facts sufficient to lead the court to conclude that it is plausible that the Debt- or had either a “subjective intent to harm” Heredia or a “subjective belief that harm was substantially certain.” In re Su, 290 F.3d 1140, 1143 (9th Cir.2002).4

Factual Allegations.

The Complaint pleads one claim for relief pursuant to § 523(a)(6). The relevant facts as alleged in the complaint are summarized as follows:

1. The Debtor owned three adult pit-bull dogs which were kept on his property.
2. In September 2011, a dog belonging to the Debtor’s girlfriend, and kept at the same address, physically “bit” a third party resulting in a complaint to the Fresno Animal Control department. The dog was relinquished and euthanized after the incident.
3. January 4, 2012, a resident of the neighborhood complained to Animal Control about two black and white pitbull dogs wandering loose in the area and “menacing neighbors.” The neighbor reported to the Animal Control officer that “she was told by neighborhood kids” that the dogs “had killed some cats and chased a horse.” Animal Control investigated the incident, contacted the Debtor’s brother at the properly and left a written warning for the Debtor. The Animal Control Report stated “[t]here were no viola[118]*118tions observed” with regard to this prior incident.
4. On March 29, 2012, a neighbor complained to Animal Control about three black and white pitbull dogs that “charged her, chasing her into her house.” The dogs did not physically attack the neighbor. Animal Control issued a verbal and written warning to the Debtor.
5. The Debtor’s dogs were kept in an area surrounded by a chain link fence that was not properly maintained and inadequate to prevent them from leaving his property.
6. On April 9, 2012, while Heredia was gardening in his backyard, the Debt- or’s dogs escaped from their enclosed yard and crawled under Heredia’s fence where they physically attacked and severely injured him in the neck, ear, hand, thigh, left leg and ankle. Surgery was required to repair some of the damage and Heredia remains under a doctor’s care.

Issues Presented.

Whether the Complaint pleads facts sufficient to support a “plausible” claim for relief under § 523(a)(6) and, if not, whether Heredia should be granted leave to amend the complaint a third time.

Analysis and Conclusions of Law.

Bankruptcy relief is afforded to the honest but unfortunate debtor.

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Related

Kawaauhau v. Geiger
523 U.S. 57 (Supreme Court, 1998)
Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly
550 U.S. 544 (Supreme Court, 2007)
Ashcroft v. Iqbal
556 U.S. 662 (Supreme Court, 2009)
Barboza v. New Form, Inc. (In Re Barboza)
545 F.3d 702 (Ninth Circuit, 2008)
Ormsby v. First American Title Co.
591 F.3d 1199 (Ninth Circuit, 2010)
Starr v. Baca
652 F.3d 1202 (Ninth Circuit, 2011)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
506 B.R. 114, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/heredia-v-enriguez-in-re-enriguez-caeb-2014.