In re Broomfield

35 B.R. 459, 38 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 253, 1983 Bankr. LEXIS 5383
CourtDistrict Court, D. Georgia
DecidedSeptember 20, 1983
DocketBankruptcy No. 81-01881A
StatusPublished

This text of 35 B.R. 459 (In re Broomfield) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Broomfield, 35 B.R. 459, 38 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 253, 1983 Bankr. LEXIS 5383 (gad 1983).

Opinion

OPINION

WILLIAM L. NORTON, Jr., Bankruptcy Judge.

This matter is currently before the Court upon the debtor’s objection to a proof of claim filed by creditor Witherspoon Development Corporation (“Witherspoon”). By order of June 30,1982, this Court requested and thereafter received briefs from both parties to assist it in determining whether Witherspoon’s proof of claim was to be allowed. Having this date vacated its order of November 9,1982, this Court now denies the debtor’s objection to Witherspoon’s proof of claim. Because the allowance may require a modification of the debtor’s original plan to pay 10 percent to unsecured creditors, this Court directs the Clerk to provide notice of the allowance of this claim to all interested parties. The debtor shall have 30 days to amend his plan if he so desires. Any objections to an amended plan, if filed, or to the present plan in light of the allowance of Witherspoon’s claim are to be filed not later than 60 days from the entry of this order.

FINDINGS OF FACTS

(1)On January 27, 1977, debtor John Broomfield, Vice President of Triangle Associates Advertising, Inc., and Albert Anderson, President of Triangle Associates Advertising, Inc., executed a “Note” and “Guaranty” for $50,000.00 plus interest in favor of Witherspoon as an inducement for the latter to loan money to Triangle Associates Advertising, Inc. (“Triangle”);

(2) The “Guaranty” form, by its express terms, evidenced that the debtor and Anderson would be jointly and severally and primarily liable to Witherspoon;

(3) By the “Guaranty”, debtor and Anderson pledged certain assets of Triangle to Witherspoon as collateral;

(4) In addition, debtor as security for $25,000.00 gave to Witherspoon a Deed to Secure Debt on certain real property in which it was later found that the debtor had no interest to convey. By order entered March 15,1982, this Court determined that Witherspoon was an unsecured creditor;

(5) On December 10, 1980, debtor was notified by certified letter from creditor’s attorney that the Note held by Witherspoon and guaranteed by debtor was in default and that demand was made on debtor for $67,500.00, the total of principal and interest; ’

(6) Debtor’s attorney responded April 13, 1981, by certified mail to Witherspoon that pursuant to Ga.Code Ann. § 103-205 the creditor should proceed to collect from Triangle;

(7) On May 4, 1981, debtor filed a Chapter 13 petition, listing Witherspoon as an unsecured creditor and the debt as disputed;

(8) On June 23, 1981, creditor Wither-spoon filed a proof of claim in the amount of $72,782.36 ($50,000.00 principal, $20,-193.36 interest, and $2,589.00 other charges);

(9) On September 14, 1981, debtor filed an objection to Witherspoon’s proof of claim;

(10) On September 17,1981, Witherspoon filed an objection to confirmation of the debtor’s chapter 13 plan;

[461]*461(11) On April 28, 1982, the debtor’s plan was confirmed subject to this Court’s determination as to (1) whether Witherspoon’s claim would be allowed, and (2) if allowed, whether the plan, because of the increased unsecured debt, would continue to meet the statutory requirements of a chapter 13;

(12) At the October 19, 1981 hearing, debtor testified that certain items listed as collateral to secure the loan made by With-erspoon which debtor considered assets of Triangle and which debtor estimated to be worth $10,000.00, were in the possession of his co-surety, Albert Anderson;

(13) Debtor further testified that these items were supposed to have been sold for the purpose of reducing the loan, but that debtor did not know whether the money was ever received;

(14) On November 9, 1983, this Court entered an order and judgment disallowing Witherspoon’s claim;

(15) On December 17, 1982, Witherspoon filed a motion for consideration or to alter or amend judgment;

(16) On September 20, 1983, this Court vacated its order of November 9, 1982.

DISCUSSION

(A)

Debtor contends that the proof of claim filed by Witherspoon should not be allowed because Witherspoon’s transfer of $10,-000.00 worth of property to his co-surety, Albert Anderson, President of Triangle, had the effect of increasing the debtor’s risk. Ga.Code Ann. § 103-203. Debtor argues that such an impairment of collateral injured his right of subrogation and should discharge his debt. The creditor Wither-spoon responds in its brief that it agreed to a sale of some of the collateral as proposed by Anderson who had discussed Triangle’s cessation of business. According to the creditor’s brief, Anderson reported that he had solicited two bids on equipment which was part of the creditor’s collateral. The bids were in the range of $2,800.00, and Anderson offered to pay $5,000.00. The creditor states that it received only $2,177.50 from Anderson and applied this amount to reduce the total indebtedness of Triangle.

It is noted by this Court that Wither-spoon presented no affirmative evidence regarding the above argument. At the October 19,1981 hearing, the evidence presented to this Court was that the debtor had seen some of Triangle’s assets (“collateral” of the creditor) both at Anderson’s office and at Anderson’s home (pp. 53-54). The debt- or, on cross examination, further testified that he did not know whether the items had been sold or not; to his knowledge, no money had been applied to reduce the indebtedness on the note.

Assuming without deciding that a transfer occurred as outlined by the debtor’s cross examination testimony, the question remains whether under the terms of the agreement between the creditor and co-sureties, such a transfer would discharge the debtor. In determining what acts by a creditor would be sufficient to discharge a surety, courts have looked to Ga.Code Ann. § 109A-3-601 (Harrison, 1979).1 In partic[462]*462ular, numerous decisions have interpreted the requirements for discharge under Ga. Code Ann. § 109A-3-606(1)(b).2 Reeves v. Hunnicutt, 119 Ga.App. 806, 168 S.E.2d 663 (1969); Greene v. Bank of Upson, 231 Ga. 287, 201 S.E.2d 463 (1973); McBurnett v. National City Bank of Rome, 142 Ga.App. 505, 236 S.E.2d 179 (1977); Griswold v. Whetsell, 157 Ga.App. 800, 278 S.E.2d 753 (1981). The courts in these cases pay special attention to the contractual language agreed to by the parties when measuring the actions of the parties against the discharge provisions.

Thus, in Reeves v. Hunnicutt, supra,

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Related

Griswold v. Whetsell
278 S.E.2d 753 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1981)
Greene v. Bank of Upson
201 S.E.2d 463 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1973)
Reeves v. Hunnicutt
168 S.E.2d 663 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1969)
McBurnett v. National City Bank
236 S.E.2d 179 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1977)

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Bluebook (online)
35 B.R. 459, 38 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 253, 1983 Bankr. LEXIS 5383, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-broomfield-gad-1983.