In Re Borges

184 B.R. 874, 34 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 281, 1995 Bankr. LEXIS 1045, 27 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 701, 1995 WL 457620
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Connecticut
DecidedJuly 31, 1995
Docket19-20224
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 184 B.R. 874 (In Re Borges) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Connecticut primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Borges, 184 B.R. 874, 34 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 281, 1995 Bankr. LEXIS 1045, 27 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 701, 1995 WL 457620 (Conn. 1995).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER ON DEBTOR’S AMENDED MOTIONS PURSUANT TO 11 U.S.C. § 506(a) AND (d)

ALAN H.W. SHIFF, Bankruptcy Judge.

The debtor, Ana Borges, seeks to invoke the equitable doctrine of marshaling 1 in connection with two motions under § 506(a) so as to avoid a senior lien and then apply § 551 to preserve the equity for the benefit of the estate. For the reasons that follow, I conclude that marshaling may not be applied and that the debtor’s proposed use of §§ 506 and 551 is contrary to the bankruptcy code.

BACKGROUND

This chapter 11 case was commenced on June 30, 1994. On that date, the debtor owned two adjacent parcels of real property located at 541 and 565 Knowlton Street, Bridgeport. On October 12, 1994 the debtor filed the instant motions under § 506(a) seeking a determination of the value of the parcels and the secured or unsecured status of hens encumbering them. Secured creditors First Lake Corporation (“First Lake”) and the Internal Revenue Service objected. Only the First Lake objection is at issue here.

The parties have stipulated to the value of the parcels and amount and priority of the hens as follows: *877 In addition, there are two other creditors who hold liens encumbering each parcel that are subordinate to First Lake’s mortgage. See Amended Motions, filed October 12,1994.

*876 541 Knowlton Street: Value of $49,750
1. City of Bridgeport, Tax Collector $ 2,403.81
2. T & D Associates (first mortgage) 26,395.51
3. First Lake (second mortgage) 97,103.80
565 Knowlton Street: Value of $53,750
1. City of Bridgeport, Tax Collector $ 2,361.23
2. Water Pollution Control Authority 4,351.15
3. T & D Associates (first mortgage) 26,395.51
4. First Lake (second mortgage) 97,103.80

*877 The first mortgage of T & D Associates (“T & D”) encumbers both parcels but secures a single claim in the amount of $26,-395.51. 2 First Lake’s claim in the amount of $97,103.80 was created by a mortgage note dated July 7,1986 and is secured by a second mortgage of that date encumbering both parcels. See Proof of Claim, filed July 21, 1994. The combined value of the two parcels is $103,600. Liens superior to First Lake’s mortgage secure claims totalling $36,511.70 which leaves a net equity of $67,988.30 available to First Lake’s second mortgage. The debtor argues that each parcel should be examined independently, so that T & D’s secured claim would be treated as though it encumbers each parcel separately in the amount of $26,395.51. That approach would result in equity of only $20,950.68 on 541 Knowlton and $20,642.11 on 565 Knowlton, or a total of $41,592.79 in equity available to First Lake’s mortgage. The debtor further seeks to invoke the doctrine of marshaling to require the first mortgage holder, T & D, to satisfy its lien out of only 565 Knowlton, and to void T & D’s lien on 541 Knowlton. The debtor then seeks to preserve the value of the voided lien for the benefit of the estate pursuant to § 551.

The issues are: (i) may the debtor apply the doctrine of marshaling under the foregoing facts; (ii) if so, does that doctrine result in the voiding of T & D’s lien and the preservation of value for the estate under § 551; and (in) if the answers to (i) and (ii) are no, may the debtor treat First Lake’s claim as secured only to the extent of $41,592.79 by examining the security structure on each parcel independently of the other.

DISCUSSION

Section 506(a) and (d) provide in relevant part: •

(a) An allowed claim of a creditor secured by a lien on property in which the estate has an interest ... is a secured claim to the extent of the value of such creditor’s interest in the estate’s interest in such property ... and is an unsecured claim to the extent that the value of such creditor’s interest ... is less than the amount of such allowed claim.
(d) To the extent that a lien secures a claim against the debtor that is not an allowed secured claim, such lien is void....
Section 544(a) provides in relevant part: The trustee shall have, as of the commencement of the ease ... the rights and powers of, or may avoid any transfer of property of the debtor ... that is voidable by—
(1) a creditor that extends credit to the debtor at the time of the commencement of the case, and that obtains, at such time and with respect to such credit, a judicial lien on all property on which a creditor on a simple contract could have obtained such a judicial lien, whether or not such a creditor exists;
(2) a creditor that extends credit to the debtor at the time of the commencement of the case, and obtains, at such time and with respect to such credit, an execution against the debtor that is returned unsatisfied at such time, whether or not such a creditor exists....
Section 551 provides in relevant part:
Any transfer avoided under section ... 544 ... or any lien void under section 506(d) of this title, is preserved for the benefit of the estate but only with respect to property of the estate.
Section 1107(a) provides in relevant part:
(a) [A] debtor in possession shall have all the rights ... and powers ... of a trustee serving in a case under this chapter.

1. Standing and Applicable Law

The debtor asserts that § 544(a) empowers a trustee, and pursuant to § 1107(a) a debtor in possession, to invoke the doctrine *878 of marshaling as a hypothetical lien creditor. First Lake does not dispute that contention, and most courts that have addressed the issue agree that a trustee has standing to invoke the marshaling doctrine in appropriate circumstances. See, e.g., Herkimer County Trust Co. v. Swimelar (In re Prichard), 170 B.R. 41, 45 (Bankr.N.D.N.Y.1994); In re Wilmot Mining Co., 167 B.R. 806, 811 (Bankr.W.D.Pa.1994); Chittenden Trust Co. v. Sebert Lumber Co. (In re Vermont Toy Works, Inc.), 135 B.R. 762, 768 (D.Vt.1991); Fundex Capital Corp. v. Balaber-Strauss (In re Tampa Chain Co., Inc.), 53 B.R. 772, 777-78 (Bankr.S.D.N.Y.1985). I conclude that the debtor in possession has standing to invoke the doctrine. See Topcon Instrument Corp. of Am. v. West Coast Optical Instruments, Inc. (In re West Coast Optical Instruments, Inc.), 177 B.R. 720, 722 (M.D.Fla. 1992).

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
184 B.R. 874, 34 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 281, 1995 Bankr. LEXIS 1045, 27 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 701, 1995 WL 457620, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-borges-ctb-1995.