In Re Dalow Industries, Inc.

333 B.R. 640, 55 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 319, 2005 Bankr. LEXIS 2199, 45 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 180, 2005 WL 3046352
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. New York
DecidedNovember 10, 2005
Docket1-19-40746
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 333 B.R. 640 (In Re Dalow Industries, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, E.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 Dalow Industries, Inc., 333 B.R. 640, 55 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 319, 2005 Bankr. LEXIS 2199, 45 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 180, 2005 WL 3046352 (N.Y. 2005).

Opinion

DECISION AND ORDER

DENNIS E. MILTON, Bankruptcy Judge.

In its application (the “Application”), Dalow Industries, Inc. (“Dalow” or the *641 “Debtor”) seeks an order directing Bank Leumi (the “Bank”) to turn over to the Debtor’s counsel Sixty-Five Thousand, Fifty-Four Dollars and Fifty-Five Cents ($65,054.55), the excess amount which Stanley Creations, Inc. (“Stanley Creations”) paid to the Bank pursuant to the July 1, 2005 Order (the “Sale Order”). Stanley Creations opposes the Application and requests that the Court enter an order directing the Bank to pay Stanley Creations the Sixty-Five Thousand, Fifty-Four Dollars and Fifty-Five Cents ($65,-054.55) in issue.

As set forth more fully below, the Court finds that the Debtor is entitled to immediate turnover of the Sixty-Five Thousand, Fifty-Four Dollars and Fifty-Five Cents ($65,054.55) pursuant to 11 U.S.C. §§ 105 and 542(a).

JURISDICTION

This Court has subject matter jurisdiction over this controversy pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1334(b) and 157(b)(2) and the Eastern District of New York standing Order of reference dated August 28, 1986. This decision constitutes the Court’s findings of facts and conclusions of law to the extent Fed. R. Bank. P. 7052 requires.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

Dalow was in the jewelry business. Specifically, it marketed, distributed and sold gold and gemstone jewelry wholesale or on a consignment basis. Due to a loss in revenue, Dalow entered into an asset purchase agreement on May 20, 2005 with Bel-Oro International. However, on June 8, 2005, before the sale was consummated, Disons Gems, Inc., Apex Gems, Inc. and Top Creations International Ltd collectively filed an involuntary Chapter 7 petition 1 against Dalow.

On July 1, 2005, Debtor’s assets were auctioned to Stanley Creations, the highest bidder. As set forth in the Sale Order, Stanley’s bid provided for payment of Nine Million, Six Hundred Thousand Dollars ($9,600,000.00) at closing and Nine Hundred Thousand Dollars thereafter for a total amount of Ten Million, Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($10,500,000.00) to be paid. Specifically, the Sale Order provided:

I. Stanley’s bid is as follows:

The payment of $9,600,000 as follows:

a. By the close of business, on the day of the execution of this order (“Execution Date”) payment of the secured claim of Bank Leumi (the “Bank”) in the amount of $8,705,367.20 (the “Bank’s Claim”) (without prejudice to and subject to the right of other parties as hereinafter provided) by wire transfer pursuant to wire instruction provided by the Bank or its counsel;
b. By the Execution Date, payment of the $894,632.80 balance by wire transfer pursuant to wire instruction provided by the Debtor’s Escrow account, to be held for the benefit of the Debtor and its creditors pending further order of the Court;
c. Payment of $900,000, without set-off, defenses and counterclaims as follows: $300,000 on or before December 31, 2005, and $600,000 on or before July 1, 2006 payable in the same manner as provided in b. herein or as may be further provided for by the order of the Court (the “Purchase Price”).

Pg. 4, ¶ I.

On the Execution Date, Stanley Creations paid the Bank Eight Million, Seven Hundred Five Thousand, Three Hundred Sixty-Seven Dollars and Twenty Cents ($8,705.367.20), satisfying the secured *642 claim of the Bank. However, in August 2005 it was discovered that due to an accounting error the Bank’s claim included a Sixty-Five Thousand, Fifty-Four Dollars and Fifty-Five Cents ($65,054.55) interest overpayment.

On August 22, 2005, counsel for the Debtor filed the Application which sought an Order from this Court directing the Bank to turn over the Sixty-Five Thousand, Fifty-Four Dollars and Fifty-Five Cents ($65,054.55) in issue. On or about September 12, 2005, counsel for Stanley Creations filed an Objection to the Application and requested that this Court enter an order directing that the Sixty-Five Thousand Fifty-Four Dollar and Fifty-Five Cent ($65,054.55) be paid to Stanley Creations. On October 20, 2005, the Court conducted a hearing and reserved decision.

ANALYSIS

I. The $65,054.55 Interest Overpayment Is Property Of The Debtor’s Estate

To recover under Section 542 of the Bankruptcy Code, the party seeking the turnover of property of the estate must establish that the property in question is property of the estate which is in the possession, custody, or control of an entity other than the debtor, trustee or debtor-in-possession. See U.S. v. Whiting Pools, Inc., 462 U.S. 198, 206, 103 S.Ct. 2309, 76 L.Ed.2d 515 (1983); In re Mid-Island Hospital, 254 B.R. 71, 74 (E.D.N.Y.2000). It is undisputed that the property in question is in possession of an entity other than the Debtor; the remaining issue is whether the Sixty-Five Thousand, Fifty-Four Dollars and Fifty-Five Cents ($65,054.55) constitutes property of the Debtor’s estate.

Section 541 of the Bankruptcy Code provides that a debtor’s estate consists of “all legal or equitable interests of the debtor in property as of the commencement of the case.” 11 U.S.C. § 541(a)(1). Moreover, 11 U.S.C. § 541(a)(6) provides that “[p]ro-ceeds ... from property of the estate” is part of the estate. In the instant case, all parties concede that Dalow owned or leased the Assets (as defined in the Sale Order) on the Filing Date and that the Eight Hundred Ninety Four Thousand, Six Hundred Thirty-Two Dollars and Eighty Cents ($894,632.80) that it received from Stanley Creations on the Execution Date was property of the estate.

The issue is whether the Sixty-Five Thousand, Fifty-Four Dollars and Fifty-Five Cents ($65,054.55) remained a proceed of the estate or whether it was a property right that Stanley Creations acquired pursuant to the Sale Order. Because the Sale Order formed the basis of the agreement of the parties, it must be construed according to general principles of contract law. See In re Betty Owens Schools, Inc., 1997 WL 188127, *343 (S.D.N.Y. April 17, 1997)(citing United States v. ITT Continental Baking Co., 420 U.S. 223, 238, 95 S.Ct. 926, 43 L.Ed.2d 148 (1975)). “In construing such language deference is to be paid to the plain meaning of the language ... and normal usage of the terms.”

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333 B.R. 640, 55 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 319, 2005 Bankr. LEXIS 2199, 45 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 180, 2005 WL 3046352, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-dalow-industries-inc-nyeb-2005.