Heritage Bank v. Beaver (In re Beaver)

6 B.R. 523, 1980 Bankr. LEXIS 4384
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Oregon
DecidedSeptember 30, 1980
DocketBankruptcy No. 680-06031; Adv. No. 680-6077
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 6 B.R. 523 (Heritage Bank v. Beaver (In re Beaver)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Oregon primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Heritage Bank v. Beaver (In re Beaver), 6 B.R. 523, 1980 Bankr. LEXIS 4384 (Or. 1980).

Opinion

OPINION

MICHAEL R. HOGAN, Bankruptcy Judge.

On January 16, 1980, Deborah Kay Beaver filed a voluntary petition in bankruptcy.

Heritage Bank, a creditor of the debtor, alleges in this proceeding that a debt owing to it by the debtor is nondischargeable in accordance with the provisions of § 523(a)(2) A and B of the Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2) A and B.

On July 30, 1979, Heritage Bank loaned $4,660.37 to the defendant-debtor. Defendant executed a promissory note for that sum and also granted plaintiff a security interest in her automobile, the title to which was then held by General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC). Defendant was to pay the existing balance on a loan from GMAC secured by her car and provide the title to the vehicle to plaintiff as security for the loan.

Defendant failed to pay off the loan to GMAC and did not provide plaintiff with title to the vehicle.

Defendant also has failed to pay any part of the sum owed to plaintiff on the promissory note. Plaintiff then declared the note to be in default and declared the full sum immediately due and payable.

On December 26, 1979, plaintiff filed an action against defendant for collection of the loan in the Circuit Court of the State of Oregon for Jackson County, Case No. 79-4075-L-2, which proceeding is now stayed pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 362(a).

[525]*525Plaintiff contends that defendant obtained the loan from plaintiff on a false pretense or by making a false representation in that defendant agreed to pay the existing balance on her loan from GMAC with the proceeds of the note and to provide plaintiff with the clear title to her vehicle as security for the loan, which she did not do.

Plaintiff further contends that because defendant stated on a credit application that she was employed by Delah Timber Products, when in fact she had been terminated, defendant obtained the loan through the use of a written statement respecting her financial condition that was materially false and which defendant executed with the intent to deceive, upon which plaintiff relied in extending credit.

On August 15, 1980, a trial was held in Medford, Oregon, the Honorable Michael R. Hogan presiding. At said trial, the following facts were established:

1) On July 27, 1979, defendant filled out and signed a consumer credit application for a loan from Heritage Bank on which she stated she was employed by Delah Timber Products and had been so employed for approximately one year.

2) Defendant’s intention in obtaining a loan from Heritage Bank was to refinance an automobile loan from GMAC and consolidate other existing debts. Defendant called GMAC and the other creditors to obtain loan balances and the figures she received from her creditors are the figures she placed on the Heritage Bank credit application.

3) On July 30, 1979, plaintiff loaned the sum of $4,660.37 to defendant for which defendant executed a promissory note payable to plaintiff in the sum of $4,660.37 plus interest thereon at the rate of 13% per annum from July 30, 1979 until paid. Defendant also granted to plaintiff a security interest in her car.

4) Defendant agreed to pay the balance of the existing debt to GMAC secured by her automobile with part of the proceeds of the note and to give to plaintiff the title to her car to secure the loan.

5) Defendant paid some creditors with the loan proceeds. She tendered a sum of money to GMAC, which was returned to her as insufficient to pay the balance of her existing loan. When GMAC returned the money to defendant, she pre-paid four or five payments to GMAC.

6) When defendant was unable to obtain the title to her car because she was $600.00 short, defendant called Heritage Bank and informed them. She was advised by plaintiff to get a lawyer.

7) Defendant did not pay the existing debt to GMAC and did not provide plaintiff with the title to her car.

8) Defendant has not paid any sums owing on the promissory note.

Plaintiff argues that defendant’s agreement to pay the balance on the GMAC loan and provide plaintiff with clear title to her vehicle as security for plaintiff’s loan, and her subsequent failure to do so constitutes false pretenses or a false representation.

However, in order to constitute the obtaining of money or property by false pretenses or false representations within the meaning of the Bankruptcy Code, the fraud by such means must occur at or prior to the time the money or property is obtained. Ruegsegger v. McCarley, 262 Or. 157, 496 P.2d 214 (1972).

In Conzelmann v. Northwest Poultry and Dairy, 190 Or. 332, 225 P.2d 757 (1950), the Oregon Supreme Court held:

“To amount to a fraudulent representation sufficient to constitute actionable fraud, the intention not to perform must exist at the time the promise to do something in the future is made, and such an intent formed later and carried into effect is insufficient.” 225 P.2d at p. 765
“A fraudulent intent not to perform a promise may not be inferred as existing at the time the promise is made from the mere fact of nonperformance. Other circumstances of a substantial character must be shown in addition to nonperformance before such inference of wrong[526]*526ful intent may be drawn.” 225 P.2d at p. 765

The record reveals no fraud at or prior to the time the loan was made to defendant nor any bad faith in defendant’s agreement with plaintiff. There is no evidence that defendant’s promise was made with the intent not to perform. To the contrary, the evidence indicates that defendant made a good faith effort to obtain the title to her car for plaintiff. She tendered a sum of money to GMAC which she thought from prior phone calls to GMAC was sufficient to pay that loan in full but which was returned as insufficient to pay the loan in full. She then made four or five car payments in advance. When unable to obtain the title to her car, defendant attempted to make alternate arrangements with plaintiff to no avail. These facts do not support a finding of fraudulent intent on the part of defendant.

Plaintiff also contends that defendant’s statement on a credit application that she was employed by Delah Timber Products, when in fact, she had been terminated, bars discharge pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2)B.

However, to bar discharge, the fraud involved must be the type involving moral turpitude or intentional wrong. In Re Taylor,

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
6 B.R. 523, 1980 Bankr. LEXIS 4384, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/heritage-bank-v-beaver-in-re-beaver-orb-1980.