In Re Burns

21 B.R. 909, 1982 Bankr. LEXIS 3659
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Oklahoma
DecidedJuly 26, 1982
Docket16-14401
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 21 B.R. 909 (In Re Burns) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Burns, 21 B.R. 909, 1982 Bankr. LEXIS 3659 (Okla. 1982).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM ORDER

ROBERT L. BERRY, Bankruptcy Judge.

Statement of the Case

This matter comes before the Court on the Debtor’s application to determine the dischargeability of an obligation incurred by virtue of a divorce decree. The debtor asserts that this obligation to make certain real property mortgage payments is in the nature of a property settlement and, therefore, dischargeable under the provisions of 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(5). The debtor’s former spouse, however, claims the obligation to be in the nature of support and thus not dis-chargeable.

Facts

On August 7, 1979, a Decree of Divorce issued by the District Court of Blaine County, Oklahoma, was filed dissolving the marriage of the debtor, Robert D. Burns, and the respondent, Evelyn J. Burns. That decree provided in pertinent part:

“THE COURT FURTHER FINDS that heretofore and on the 5th day of April, 1953, the said plaintiff and defendant were lawfully married at Geary, Oklahoma, and that they have ever since remained husband and wife; and that of the marriage four (4) children have been born, all of whom are now of the age of majority.”
* * * * * *
“THE COURT FURTHER FINDS that the said parties have accumulated some real estate and personal property through their joint efforts during their marriage; and that the said parties have heretofore entered into a written agreement pursuant to which they have settled and adjusted between themselves all of their mutual property rights, a true and correct copy of which Property Settlement Agreement is attached to this decree and marked Exhibit “A”.
THE COURT FURTHER FINDS that the settlement agreement entered into by and between the parties hereto is fair and reasonable and that the same should be in all things approved and confirmed, and that the said agreement, which is hereto attached, marked Exhibit “A”, should be made a part of this decree.”
* * * * * *
“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED BY THE COURT that the property settlement agreement heretofore entered into between the parties hereto be, the same is hereby in all things approved and confirmed; and that the said agreement, a copy of which is hereto attached, marked Exhibit “A”, be, the same is hereby made a part of this decree; that pursuant thereto the plaintiff is awarded the right to the use and occupancy of the home of the parties which is located at 103 S. *911 Galena in the City of Geary, Oklahoma, together with all of the household furnishings and appliances located therein, and said defendant is hereby restrained and enjoined from interfering with plaintiff’s peaceable use and occupancy thereof.
“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED BY THE COURT that pursuant to said agreement the defendant should be and is hereby ordered and directed to pay all liens and incumbrances which exist against the home of said parties and the 1977 Chevrolet automobile awarded to plaintiff together with any and all outstanding indebtedness of the parties hereto existing at the time of this decree.”

The property settlement agreement referred to by the above Divorce Decree contained the following pertinent provisions:

“WHEREAS, it is their desire to reduce to writing their agreement concerning the division of their property prior to their divorce hearing.
“IT IS AGREED AS FOLLOWS:
“1. The Plaintiff shall have the right to the use and occupancy of the home which is located at 103 S. Galena in the City of Geary, Oklahoma for and during her natural life. It is further agreed she will have full possession of all furniture and appliances located therein.
“It is further understood and agreed between the parties concerned that defendant will pay all liens and encumbrances which consist of a First Mortgage to Pool Mortgage Company of Chickasha, Oklahoma, which is made by monthly payments and a Second Mortgage that is held by First National Bank of Calumet, Calumet, Oklahoma.
“It is further agreed that at any time all liens and encumbrances have been satisfied on above mentioned real estate a warranty deed will be signed and delivered by both parties in equal parts to all living children, which at the present time consists of James Robert Burns, LaDonna Austin, John Burns and Benjamin Burns. It is further agreed that the above property cannot be sold, mortgaged or put in any indebtedness in any way as long as defendant or plaintiff in this case is living.”

On April 15, 1982, Robert Burns filed a voluntary petition under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code. At that time there was pending before the Oklahoma District Court of Blaine County, Oklahoma, a hearing on a Citation for Contempt issued on April 2, 1980, by that court in connection with the divorce action.

On April 16, 1980, the debtor was found guilty by the state court of willful, indirect contempt for failure to make payments as provided in the divorce decree and was sentenced to one year in the county jail. The court also imposed a fine of $500.00 and awarded $500.00 in attorney fees against the debtor. It was further provided, however, that the debtor could purge himself of the imprisonment portion of the sentence and $400.00 of the fine upon making restitution of $4,470.82. The debtor was then incarcerated in the Blaine County Jail.

That same day, the debtor, through his attorney, filed an Application for a Writ of Habeas Corpus with this Court under the provisions of 28 U.S.C. § 2256 alleging that the debts involved in the contempt action were dischargeable in bankruptcy. On April 18, 1980, this Court granted the debt- or’s application and ordered his release pending a final determination of the dis-chargeability of the debts involved.

Law

The debtor contends that the obligations imposed upon him by the Divorce Decree are dischargeable in bankruptcy. 11 U.S.C. § 523 provides in pertinent part:

“(a) A discharge under section 727, 1141, or 1328(b) of this title does not discharge an individual debtor from any debt—

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Related

Riedel v. Riedel
1992 OK CIV APP 166 (Court of Civil Appeals of Oklahoma, 1992)
Ruhe v. Rowland
706 S.W.2d 709 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1986)
Allshouse v. Allshouse (In Re Allshouse)
34 B.R. 512 (W.D. Pennsylvania, 1983)
Benavidez v. Benavidez
660 P.2d 1017 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1983)
Jones v. Jones (In Re Jones)
28 B.R. 147 (W.D. Tennessee, 1983)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
21 B.R. 909, 1982 Bankr. LEXIS 3659, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-burns-okwb-1982.