In re Brunson

498 B.R. 160, 2013 WL 4657656, 2013 Bankr. LEXIS 3621
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Texas
DecidedAugust 30, 2013
DocketNo. 13-10357-TMD
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 498 B.R. 160 (In re Brunson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Brunson, 498 B.R. 160, 2013 WL 4657656, 2013 Bankr. LEXIS 3621 (Tex. 2013).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

TONY M. DAVIS, Bankruptcy Judge.

In this case, the Court must decide whether a debtor who holds a future fee simple interest in a house, and who currently lives in the house, but who has no [162]*162present right to continue living in the house, may exempt her future interest in the house under Texas homestead law. As explained in this Memorandum Opinion, the Court determines that the debtor cannot exempt the future interest, which therefore remains property of the estate to be administered by the Chapter 7 Trustee.

Before the Court is the Objections [sic] to the Debtors’ Schedule C Property Claimed as Exempt (the “Objection ”) [Dkt. No. 7] filed on March 29, 2013, by the Chapter 7 Trustee, John Patrick Lowe (the “Trustee ”), in the above-captioned case. The Court has considered the Debtors’ Response to Trustee’s Objections to the Debtors’ Schedule C Property Claimed as Exempt (the “Response ”) [Dkt. No. 21], the Brief Supporting the Trustee’s Objections to the Debtors’ Schedule C Property Claimed as Exempt [Dkt. No. 30], the Supplement to the Brief Supporting the Trustee’s Objections to the Debtors’ Schedule C Property Claimed as Exempt [Dkt. No. 32], the presentations made at a hearing on this matter held on June 4, 2013 (the “Hearing ”), all other evidence in the record, and the relevant case law. The Court has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1334. This is a core proceeding under 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2).

I. FACTUAL BACKGROUND

The parties are not in dispute as to the relevant facts. Jerry Don Brunson and Tamara Muzny Brunson (the “Debtors ”), who are married, filed a joint petition for relief (the “Petition”) [Dkt. No. 1], under chapter 7 of title 11 of the United States Code (the “Code ”), on February 28, 2013. On Schedule C attached to the Petition, the Debtors claimed a Texas homestead exemption on their current residence, which is at 6704 Kings Point West, Austin, Texas, 78723 (the “Kings Point Home ”).Although they noted that their interest in the property is subject to the life estate of Ms. Brunson’s father, Elton Johnny Muzny, the Debtors cited the Central Appraisal District valuation of the Kings Point Home at $158,570, and entered that full value as the “Value of Claimed Exemption.” Schedule C.

Ms. Brunson received her interest in the Kings Point Home via a gift deed from Mr. Muzny dated April 1, 2009, which was recorded in Travis County, Texas, on November 25, 2009. See Objection at 1-2. In relevant part, the gift deed granted the Kings Point Home to Ms. Brunson but reserved “the full possession, benefit and use of’ the home for Mr. Muzny “as a life estate,” “for the remainder” of his life. See Response ¶ 3.

The Debtors explain that Mr. Muzny is “in his 90’s and in ill health,” and that the Debtors have been permitted to co-habi-tate with Mr. Muzny in the Kings Point Home since the fall of 2009 pursuant to an “agreement,” to the effect that Mr. Muzny “would convey the [Kings Point Home] to [Ms. Brunson] in exchange for caring for him until he passes away.” Response ¶ 3. The agreement is “verbal only and not reduced to writing.” Id. The Debtors do not pay rent. Response ¶¶ 6-7.

The Debtors have not presented evidence that Mr. Muzny is currently unable to live alone, nor given any other detail to the caretaking relationship. In her bankruptcy filings, Ms. Brunson represented that she “has access to her aged father’s bank account because she pays his bills,” but that is the only concrete indication of her involvement in his care. Schedule B. In addition, the Debtors have conceded that Mr. Muzny could, if he wished, expel them from the Kings Point Home at any time.

The Trustee objects to the exemption asserted by the Debtors in the Kings Point [163]*163Home, arguing that Ms. Brunson’s future interest in the Kings Point Home cannot be exempted and should remain property of the estate, subject to the administration of the Trustee for the benefit of the creditors of the estate.

The Debtors disagree. They claim that pursuant to their arrangement with Mr. Muzny, they have a present possessory interest in the property, and because that interest will be followed, upon Mr. Muzny’s eventual passing, by their taking a fee simple interest in the Kings Point Home, their present and future interests merge for purposes of the homestead exemption.

Both in their briefs and at the hearing on this issue, the Debtors and Trustee have laid out their legal positions concerning this dispute. The matter is now ripe for decision.

II. LEGAL ANALYSIS

The Debtors have opted to claim Texas state exemptions, as allowed by 11 U.S.C. § 522(b)(3). Texas law defines an urban homestead as “not more than 10 acres of land ... together with any improvements thereon,” provided that such land and improvements must be “used for the purpose of an urban home.” Tex. PROp.Code § 41.002(a). Subject to certain exceptions not applicable here, a homestead is “exempt from seizure for the claims of creditors.” Tex. PROp.Code § 41.001(a). “Homesteads are favorites of the law, and are liberally construed by Texas courts.” Perry v. Dearing (In re Perry), 345 F.3d 303, 316 (5th Cir.2003).

The issue is whether Texas homestead law permits the Debtors to exempt their future interest in the Kings Point Home.

A. Texas Does Not Usually Exempt Future Interests

Ordinarily, future interests receive no protection under homestead law. “[HJomestead protection ... can arise only in the person or family who has a present possessory interest in the subject property.” Laster v. First Huntsville Props., 826 S.W.2d 125, 130 (Tex.1991). “[Ojne who holds only a future interest in property with no present right to possession is not entitled to homestead protection in that property.” Id. “[I]n general, one cannot have a homestead interest in a reversion-ary interest because it is not a possessory interest.” In re Eskew, 233 B.R. 708, 710 (Bankr.W.D.Tex.1998).

B. Present Possessory Interests — Even When Less Than Fee Simple — Are Exempt, To a Limited Degree

A present tenancy at will is sufficient to support a limited homestead claim under Texas law. “Under Texas law a homestead claimant need not hold the property in fee simple in order to invoke the exemption.” Resolution Trust Corp. v. Olivarez, 29 F.3d 201, 205 (5th Cir.1994). The law does not require a fee simple interest, nor even a written lease, only that a property be “used for the purpose” of a home. Perry, 345 F.3d at 310 (quoting Tex. Prop.Code § 41.002(b)).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
498 B.R. 160, 2013 WL 4657656, 2013 Bankr. LEXIS 3621, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-brunson-txwb-2013.