In re Campbell

513 B.R. 846, 2014 WL 3734693, 2014 Bankr. LEXIS 3216
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. New York
DecidedJuly 29, 2014
DocketCase No. 13-40003 (ALG)
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 513 B.R. 846 (In re Campbell) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Campbell, 513 B.R. 846, 2014 WL 3734693, 2014 Bankr. LEXIS 3216 (N.Y. 2014).

Opinion

Chapter 13

DECISION

Allan L. Gropper, United States Bankruptcy Judge

Marcia Campbell (the “Debtor”) has objected to the proofs of claim filed by WPR 3939 Funding LLC (“WPR”) and Ninel Baker (“Baker”), both of whom assert they are secured creditors. There have been myriad filings by these parties, including objections to the Debtor’s proposed chapter 13 plan, an objection to the Debtor’s discharge, as well as a motion by the Debt- or seeking to avoid the lien of the junior secured creditor. The Debtor and the creditors rely on wildly disparate appraisal reports as to the value of the collateral the creditors claim. A central issue in all of the motions and objections concerns the creditors’ entitlement to default interest. While certain of the matters at issue require further evidentiary support for resolution, at a hearing on June 17, 2014, the Court determined that providing the parties with guidance on the question of default interest would aid in resolution of this matter. This Decision and Order will therefore deal with the issue of entitlement to default interest. Proceedings to determine all other issues will be deferred until after an adjourned chapter 13 hearing on August 7, 2014 at 2:00 p.m.

Facts

On December 8, 2013, the Debtor filed a petition under chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code, and a plan (as subsequently amended, the “Plan”), pursuant to which she seeks to retain a commercial, mixed-use property that she owns located in the Bronx, New York (the “Property”). She does not reside in the Property but rents out part of the Property and has a business that occupies rental space in the Property.

Opposition to the Plan was filed by WPR and Baker. WPR claims to be the holder of a first priority lien on the Property as assignee of a mortgage and note executed by the Debtor on April 13, 2005 to secure a $400,000 loan.1 On February 5, 2014, WPR filed a proof of claim, as amended (Claim # 7),2 in the Debtor’s bankruptcy case in the amount of $479,428.08, representing $351,888.42 for principal due on the note “plus non-default and default interest, escrow advances, legal fees and other charges allowable under the Note and Mortgage.” WPR’s predecessor in interest had filed a foreclosure action on the note and mortgage in the Supreme Court, Bronx County (the “NY Court”) on February 6, 2013, alleging that on October 1, 2012, the Debtor ceased making monthly payments required under the terms of her note and mortgage; the foreclosure action was stayed by the Debt- or’s bankruptcy filing in December 2013.

Baker purports to hold a secured lien on the Property, junior to the WPR lien, based upon a mortgage and note executed by the Debtor on August 15, 2009 as security for a $45,000 loan to the Debtor.3 On [849]*849January 11, 2013, Baker commenced a mortgage foreclosure action in the N.Y. Court, alleging that the Debtor had failed to make a single monthly mortgage payment under the terms of the agreement. On February 7, 2014, Baker filed a proof of claim, which she amended on April 28, 2014 (as amended, Claim #8), in the amount of $88,314.53.4

The Debtor objected to certain parts of both secured claims, including the imposition of pre- and post-petition default interest. Originally, the Debtor also opposed WPR’s request for a pre-payment premium and late payment charges, but WPR has since waived any pre-payment charges and concedes that any late charges would be duplicative if default interest is granted. See In re 785 Partners LLC, 470 B.R. 126, 137 (Bankr.S.D.N.Y.2012). Relying on an appraisal that attributes a market value of $380,000 to the Property, the Debtor also argues that WPR’s secured claim should be capped at the appraised value of the Property and that Baker’s junior lien should be avoided entirely. Baker commissioned a separate appraisal that valued the Property at $700,000, which she argues is sufficient to secure her claim even if both the first and second lien claims are awarded default interest; WPR also relies on this higher value. The value of the Property is an issue for later determination.

Cure Defaults and Reinstate Mortgage

In the Plan, it appears that the Debtor proposes to reinstate the WPR mortgage and cure defaults.5 Section 1322(b) of the Bankruptcy Code provides that a chapter 13 plan may—

(2) modify the rights of holders of secured claims other than a claim secured only by a security interest in real property that is the debtor’s principal residence, or of holders of unsecured claims;
(3) provide for the curing or waiving of any default;
(5) notwithstanding paragraph (2) of this subsection, provide for the curing of any default within a reasonable time and maintenance of payments while the case is pending on any unsecured claim or secured claim on which the last payment is due after the date on which the final payment under the plan is due....

Section 1322(b) allows “the curing ... of any default” under a chapter 13 plan. Even if there is a contractual acceleration clause,6 the power to cure a default allows chapter 13 debtors to “first cure their default under (b)(3) and then maintain payments under (b)(5).” In re Taddeo, 685 F.2d 24, 28 (2d Cir.1982). See also 11 U.S.C. § 1325(a)(5) (setting forth the confirmation requirements with respect to [850]*850each “allowed secured claim provided for by the plan”).

Interest Rate

Pre-petition

While the Second Circuit in Tad-deo recognized a debtor’s right to cure a default, it did not indicate how to determine the proper amount required for cure. The issue has been settled by the addition of § 1322(e) to the Bankruptcy Code, adopted to overrule the Supreme Court’s decision in Rake v. Wade, 508 U.S. 464, 113 S.Ct. 2187, 124 L.Ed.2d 424 (1993). In re Adejobi, 404 B.R. 78, 80 (Bankr.E.D.N.Y.2009). Section 1322(e) of the Bankruptcy Code provides as follows:

Notwithstanding subsection (b)(2) of this section and sections 506(b) and 1325(a)(5) of this title, if it is proposed in a plan to cure a default, the amount necessary to cure the default, shall be determined in accordance with the underlying agreement and applicable non-bankruptcy law.7

Thus, “the amount necessary to cure a default is the same as would be required to cure if the debtor were not in bankruptcy.” Adejobi 404 B.R. at 81, quoting 8 Collier on BankruptCy, § 1322.18 at 1322.67 (15th ed. rev. 2006). To qualify as a cure amount, the interest and charges proposed must be both (1) required under the original agreement, and (2) not prohibited by state law. Id. As stated by the Adejobi court,

The general rule in bankruptcy is that contractual interest on a debtor’s obligation accrues up to the date of the bankruptcy filing. If unpaid, all contractually accrued interest, including default interest, becomes an integral component of a creditors’ claim in bankruptcy. 404 B.R.

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

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
513 B.R. 846, 2014 WL 3734693, 2014 Bankr. LEXIS 3216, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-campbell-nysb-2014.