In re Colafranceschi

577 B.R. 817
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Idaho
DecidedNovember 28, 2017
DocketCase No. 17-00607-TLM
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 577 B.R. 817 (In re Colafranceschi) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Idaho primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Colafranceschi, 577 B.R. 817 (Idaho 2017).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION

TERRY L. MYERS, CHIEF U.S. BANKRUPTCY JUDGE

INTRODUCTION

The matter before the Court is an objection by Todd Wilcox and Julie Neustadt (“Objectors”) to the homestead exemption claimed by Chapter 13 debtor Mark Colaf-ranceschi (“Debtor”).1 See Doc. No. 28 (the “Objection”). While there are a number of other issues raised in regard to this chapter 13 case, they pend until the Objection is resolved.2 The Objection came on for an evidentiary hearing on September 18, 2017. Debtor was the only witness examined at that hearing. At the close of evidence and following argument, the matter was taken under advisement. This Decision constitutes the Court’s findings and conclusions on this contested matter pursuant to Rules 7052 and 9014.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On May 16, 2017, Debtor filed his voluntary petition for relief. Doc. No. 1.3 In his bankruptcy schedules, Debtor listed an ownership interest in real property located at 3330 Highway 55, New Meadows, Adams County, Idaho (the “Property”). He listed this as his address on the petition, but indicated his mailing address was 323 Deinhart Lane, Ste. B, McCall, Idaho.4 His statement of financial affairs asserts that from May 2016 to the petition date he lived “on & off’ at the Property and “on & off’ at 655 Lichen Lane, Letha, Idaho.5

The Court takes judicial notice of its files and records to outline the history of the case and the present disputes, However, as it cautioned counsel at hearing, taking notice of what was filed, and when, does not mean the contents of the filings necessarily have evidentiary weight. Credit Alliance Corp. v. Idaho Asphalt Supply, Inc. (In re Blumer), 95 B.R. 143, 146-47 (9th Cir. BAP 1988); see also Mora v. Vasquez (In re Mora), 199 F.3d 1024, 1026 n.3 (9th Cir. 1999) (citing Blumer with approval). But see In re Vee Vinhnee, 336 B.R. 437, 449 (9th Cir. BAP 2005) (entries on debtor’s verified bankruptcy schedules and statements, when offered against debtor, have evidentiary effect under Fed.R.Evid. 801(d)); Jordan v. Kroneberger (In re Jordan), 392 B.R. 428, 444 n.32 (Bankr. D. Idaho 2008) (same).

Debtor’s initially filed schedules attributed a value of $95,000 to the Property. He described the Property as consisting of 13.5 acres with a mobile home trailer (which he rents to others), a storage shed or building (not rented out), and a small 15’ by 20’ cabin with no plumbing whatsoever. Debtor testified that he had made some improvements to the Property consisting of pouring a concrete foundation for a future residence and installing a septic tank. See also Doc. No. 1 at 10 (schedule A/B, describing Property). In discovery responses, Debtor outlined the extent of improvements from 2000 to 2016 including the foregoing and other items such as fencing, and work on a well and well house. Ex. 208 at 10-11. When he stays at the Property, it is apparently in the small cabin which has power but no water or plumbing facilities. Debtor worked on plans for a house, Ex. 105, and provided a few miscellaneous receipts for materials used on the property. Exs. 104, 106, 107.

Debtor claimed a homestead exemption of $100,000 in the Property pursuant to Idaho Code §§ 55-1001, 55-1002, and 55-1003. Doc. No. 1 at 17 (schedule C). Debt- or’s schedule D indicated no creditors with secured claims against the Property.

Debtor scheduled Durena Schoonover (“Schoonover”) as holding three unsecured claims for attorneys’ fees totaling $44,520.50. Id. at 24-25. He indicated each of these claims was “disputed.” Debtor listed as unsecured creditors a number of other creditors holding judgments. One of these was Julie Neustadt (“Neustadt”), shown as holding an unsecured but disputed claim of $50,000 under a judgment for attorneys’ fees. Id. at 25. Debtor listed a host of attorneys to be notified in relation to these creditors. Id. at 24-27. One of these attorneys, Todd Wilcox (“Wilcox”), was listed as counsel on the claims held by Schoonover. Id. at 27. Scott Ludwig was listed as the attorney for Neustadt. Id.

On June 21, 2017, Wilcox timely filed a proof of claim, No. 6-1, asserting a claim of $52,351.81 as of the petition date arising from “Judgment” and secured against the Property. Ex. 200. Wilcox’s claim indicates it was acquired by him from Schoonover and he attached several separate judgments awarding attorneys fees and costs to Schoonover in the case of Colafranceschi v. Schoonover, Case CV 2010-312-C in the District Court of the Fourth Judicial District of the State of Idaho, in Valley County.6

Neustadt filed a proof of claim on June 15, 2017, No. 5-1, and an amended claim, No. 5-2, on September 7. She asserts a $50,000 judgment claim also secured by the Property. Attached to the claim is a copy of a judgment in Neustadt v. Colafranceschi, Case No. CV-2016-125-C, entered in the Fourth District Court, Valley County, on February 8, 2017. This judgment was recorded in the Adams County real property records on February 16, 2017.7

On June 13, 2017, Wilcox and Neustadt (represented by the same counsel) filed the Objection challenging Debtor’s homestead exemption.

On July 28, 2017, Debtor amended his schedules to provide a value of $111,500 for the Property. Doc. No. 47 at 1. This was based upon an appraisal obtained by Debtor in July 2017. Ex. 100.8

ADDITIONAL FACTS

The examination of Debtor did not make particularly clear the facts regarding his ownership of and transactions relative to the Property. The approach to the issues taken by the parties’ counsel did not help clarify those facts. Challenges abound in determining, with any accuracy, the Property’s history and status.9

Debtor’s responses to discovery, Ex. 208 (at responses to interrogatories 9 and 14), and his testimony at hearing, have been considered. The Court has also considered the decision of the Idaho Fourth District Court in another case, Colafranceschi v. Schoonover, Case No. CV-2011-503-C, entered on September 4, 2015. Ex. 102; Ex. 214 (“State Court Decision”).10 From these sources, and Debtor’s testimony at hearing, the following is derived.

Debtor purchased the Property in 2000 or 2001 with his wife Susie Ericson (“Ericson”). In October 2003, Debtor and Ericson divorced. The divorce decree and/or associated settlement required Debtor to pay Ericson either $40,000 or $43,000 for her equity in the Property and to do so by August or September 2004.11 In 2005, in order to satisfy the obligation to Ericson, Debtor borrowed $43,000 from Schoon-over. Debtor and Schoonover had a relationship at the time, and would periodically live with one another.12 Debtor asserts he lived on the Property in 2005 until he moved from it in August 2006.

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

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
577 B.R. 817, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-colafranceschi-idb-2017.