In re: Amber Elizabeth Kopanski v. Rumizen & Weisman Co., Ltd.

CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Ohio
DecidedMay 12, 2026
Docket25-01080
StatusUnknown

This text of In re: Amber Elizabeth Kopanski v. Rumizen & Weisman Co., Ltd. (In re: Amber Elizabeth Kopanski v. Rumizen & Weisman Co., Ltd.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re: Amber Elizabeth Kopanski v. Rumizen & Weisman Co., Ltd., (Ohio 2026).

Opinion

IT IS SO ORDERED. oy ‘ nh Dated: 12 May, 2026 05:14 PM - Suzarfa Krstevski Koch United States Bankruptcy Judge

UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO EASTERN DIVISION Tn re: ) Chapter 7 ) AMBER ELIZABETH KOPANSKI, ) Case No. 25-12883 ) Debtor. ) ) Judge Suzana Krstevski Koch ) RUMIZEN & WEISMAN CO., LTD., ) ) Plaintiff, ) Adversary Proceeding ) No. 25-01080 Vv. ) ) AMBER ELIZABETH KOPANSKI, ) ) Defendant. ) MEMORANDUM AND OPINION DENYING RUMIZEN’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT (ECF NO. 51) This cause is before the Court on Rumizen & Weisman Co., Ltd.’s (the “Plaintiff” or “Rumizen”) Motion for Summary Judgment. ECF No. 51. Rumizen asks that the Court determine, as a matter of law, that the debt owed to it by Amber Kopanski (the “Defendant” or “Kopanski”) is nondischargeable pursuant to 11 U.S.C. §§ 523(a)(2)(A) and (a)(6) because Kopanski deliberately dissipated a personal injury settlement in the amount of $250,000 in an effort to avoid paying a judgment debt in the amount of $74,035.98, and that Kopanski should

not receive a discharge pursuant to 11 U.S.C. §§ 727(a)(4)(A) and (a)(2) because she made false oaths with the intent to hinder, delay, or defraud Rumizen by concealing assets. ECF No. 51. Kopanski did not file a responsive pleading. For the reasons stated below, Rumizen’s Motion for Summary Judgment is denied. JURISDICTION

The Court has jurisdiction over Kopanski’s underlying Chapter 7 case and this adversary proceeding pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1334(b) and Local General Order 2012-07 of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. Actions to determine dischargeability are core proceedings that this Court may hear and determine under 28 U.S.C. § 157(I), (J), and (O). Venue in this Court is proper under 28 U.S.C. § 1409. BACKGROUND AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY The Parties’ Relationship and Undisputed Facts On or about June 27, 2020, Kopanski was involved in an automobile accident (the “Auto Accident”). ECF No. 51, Ex. A, 10:4. On April 22, 2022, Kopanski entered into a Professional

Employment Agreement (the “Agreement”) wherein Kopanski agreed to hire Rumizen to represent her in pursuit of claims for damages resulting from the Auto Accident. Id., Ex. A. Pursuant to the Agreement, Kopanski agreed to pay Rumizen 33 and 1/3% percent of any proceeds recovered. Id., Ex. A. Under the Agreement, if Rumizen withdrew as counsel or Kopanski discharged Rumizen as her counsel, Kopanski would be indebted to Rumizen for costs, expenses, and attorney’s fees incurred by Rumizen while representing her based upon the last offer of settlement. Id., Ex. A. On June 1, 2022, Kopanski, represented by Rumizen, filed a lawsuit related to the Auto Accident against Progressive Direct Insurance Company (“Progressive”) in the Cuyahoga Court of Common Pleas (the “State Court”) (Case No. CV-22-964142) (the “Auto Accident Case”). Id., Ex. C. A private mediation was held on April 11, 2024. At the mediation, Progressive offered Kopanski $190,000 to settle the Auto Accident Case. Id., Ex. D. Kopanski did not accept the offer. Id., Ex. D.

On April 30, 2024, Rumizen, on behalf of Kopanski, filed a notice of dismissal of the Auto Accident Case. Id., Ex. C. On May 17, 2024, Kopanski terminated her “Client – Attorney Relationship” with Rumizen because Rumizen filed the notice of dismissal “without [her] permission and against [her] wishes . . . .” Id., Ex. E. Sometime in June 2024, Kopanski settled her claim directly with Progressive for $250,000; Progressive issued Kopanski a settlement check in that amount (the “Settlement Amount”). Id., Ex. C and Ex. Q, 11:24-12:1. On June 27, 2024, Kopanski deposited the entire Settlement Amount in her personal checking account (the “Personal Account”). Id., Ex. K. On July 2, 2024, Rumizen informed Kopanski by email and commercial overnight carrier

of its pursuit of a Notice of Attorney Charging Lien (the “Charging Lien”), asserting it was “entitled to be reimbursed [its] expenses in the amount of $10,702.65 as well as an attorney fee based on the last offer of settlement . . . .” Id., Ex. G. Kopanski did not remit any funds to Rumizen. The Collection Case and Kopanski’s Financial Transactions On July 9, 2024, Rumizen filed a complaint in the State Court styled Rumizen Weisman CO., Ltd vs. Amber Kopanski (Case No. CV-24-100349) (the “Collection Case”) seeking to collect from Kopanski the amount referenced in the Charging Lien, as well as additional amounts for breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and conversion. Id., Ex. I.1 From the date Kopanski deposited the Settlement Amount into her Personal Account (June 27, 2024) through July 17, 2024, Kopanski withdrew $44,602.53 from her Personal Account. Id., Ex. K. On July 26, 2024, Kopanski wired $177,000 from her Personal Account to

Douglas Kenyon and made a cash withdrawal in the amount of $8,000. Id., Ex. K. From July 17, 2024 to August 16, 2024, Kopanski withdrew or wired a total of $206,288.26 from her Personal Account. Id., at Ex. K. On August 16, 2024, the ending balance in Kopanski’s Personal Account balance was $2,346.28. Id., Ex. K. On August 12, 2024, Kopanski opened a business bank account (the “Business Account”) with KeyBank, N.A. (“KeyBank”) under her name and Osiris Plastics LLC (“Osiris”). Id., Ex. L. On August 26, 2024, $174,000 was deposited into the Business Account. Id., Ex. L. On September 30, 2024, $149,387.05 remained in the Business Account, after cash withdrawals in the amount of $13,400. Id., Ex. L.

On October 31, 2024, $114,922.27 remained in the Business Account, after cash withdrawals in the amount of $19,000 and additional spending for a trip to Washington D.C. Id., Ex. L. On November 12, 2024, the State Court issued a judgment (the “State Court Judgment”) in the Collection Case in favor of Rumizen and against Kopanski in the amount of $74,035.98

1 Kopanski filed an answer and counterclaim against Rumizen. The State Court dismissed the counterclaim on November 12, 2024. with interest. Proof of Claim No. 2-1;2 ECF No. 51, Ex. J.3 On November 30, 2024, $100,471.70 remained in the Business Account. Id., Ex. L. On December 31, 2024, $77,091.99 remained in the Business Account. Id., Ex. L. On January 31, 2025, $51,910.90 remained in the Business Account, after a transfer in the amount of $20,000 to VanHo Law. Id., Ex. L.

On February 28, 2025, the State Court issued a garnishment notice to Kopanski and KeyBank. Id., Ex. I. On that date, $43,291.94 remained in the Business Account. Id., at Ex. L. On March 17, 2025, Rumizen filed a motion for an order to show cause in an effort to collect on the State Court Judgment. Id., Ex. I. On March 20, 2025, the State Court scheduled a hearing on the motion to show cause to be held on May 14, 2025. Id., Ex. I. By the end of March 2025, $311.82 remained in the Business Account, after cash withdrawals in the total amount of $33,000. Id., Ex. L. On May 13, 2025, the State Court scheduled a debtor’s examination of Kopanski to be held on July 9, 2025 at 1:30 p.m.

Kopanski had requested that the State Court reschedule the May 14, 2025 show cause hearing twice, and the State Court finally rescheduled the show cause hearing to be held on July 9, 2025 at 1:30 p.m., together with the debtor’s examination.

2 “A court may take judicial notice of its own records.” Watkins v. Wells Fargo Bank, No. 3:10-1004, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20295, at *10 (S.D. W.

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In re: Amber Elizabeth Kopanski v. Rumizen & Weisman Co., Ltd., Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-amber-elizabeth-kopanski-v-rumizen-weisman-co-ltd-ohnb-2026.