In Re Desteph

425 B.R. 39
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. New Hampshire
DecidedJanuary 25, 2010
Docket19-10309
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 425 B.R. 39 (In Re Desteph) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. New Hampshire primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Desteph, 425 B.R. 39 (N.H. 2010).

Opinion

425 B.R. 39 (2010)

In re Thomas F. DESTEPH, Debtor.
Nancy Gembitsky, Plaintiff
v.
Thomas F. DeSteph, individually and d/b/a The DeSteph Agency and d/b/a TDA Advantage Trust, Defendants.

Bankruptcy No. 09-11681-MWV. Adversary No. 09-1090-MWV.

United States Bankruptcy Court, D. New Hampshire.

January 25, 2010.

*42 Andrew R. Schulman, Esq., Getman, Stacey, Schulthess & Steer P.A., for Nancy Gembitsky.

Grenville Clark, Esq., Gray, Wendell & Clark, PC, for Thomas F. DeSteph.

MEMORANDUM OPINION

MARK W. VAUGHN, Chief Judge.

The Court has before it Thomas F. DeSteph's (the "Defendant") motion to compel production of documents (Ct.Doc. No. 43) (the "motion to compel") and motion to dismiss the complaint (Ct.Doc. No. 48) filed by Nancy Gembitsky (the "Plaintiff") pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6), and the Plaintiff's objections thereto. In the complaint, the Plaintiff seeks damages for: (1) violation of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, (2) securities fraud under the New Hampshire Uniform Securities Act, (3) violation of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act, (4) breach of contract, (5) fraud, (6) conversion, (7) constructive trust, and (8) negligent misrepresentation. In order to continue discovery, the Defendant filed a motion asking the Court to order the Plaintiff to produce certain documents. A hearing was held on the motion to compel on November 10, 2009, and a hearing was held on the motion to dismiss on January 5, 2010. After both hearings, the Court took the matters under advisement.

JURISDICTION

This Court has jurisdiction of the subject matter and the parties pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1334 and 157(a) and the "Standing Order of Referral of Title 11 Proceedings to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Hampshire," dated January 18, 1994 (DiClerico, C.J.). This is a core proceeding in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 157(b).

BACKGROUND

The Plaintiff and Defendant met in the fall of 2002 when the Plaintiff was introduced to the Defendant to discuss possible investment ideas. At various times, the Defendant conducted business as The DeSteph Agency and TDA Advantage Trust. Additionally, the Defendant offered financial and investment advice to clients including the Plaintiff. In January 2003, the Plaintiff gave the Defendant a check for $100,000 (the "$100,000 transfer"). Subsequently in March 2003, the parties signed a promissory note related to the $100,000 transfer, however, the parties disagree as to the terms and conditions of the promissory note. The Plaintiff alleges that the $100,000 transfer was an investment in the TDA Advantage Trust managed *43 by the Defendant. On the other hand, the Defendant claims the parties had a romantic relationship, and the $100,000 transfer was simply a loan given to the Defendant. According to the Plaintiff, the terms of the promissory note included provisions requiring the Defendant to pay the Plaintiff monthly interest payments on the $100,000 transfer and provided that the principal on the $100,000 transfer would be returned to the Plaintiff on or before January 2008.

In April 2009, the Plaintiff filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire against the Defendant alleging various counts under state and federal law and seeking damages in connection with the $100,000 transfer that took place between the parties. The Defendant filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy on May 6, 2009, and the Plaintiff filed her complaint with this Court in the instant case on May 18, 2009. The Defendant has filed a motion to compel production of documents under Fed.R.Civ.P. 26 and a motion to dismiss the complaint under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted because the Plaintiff's claims are time-barred.

DISCUSSION

The Defendant filed a motion to dismiss the complaint under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6). However, pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6), a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim must be filed before a defendant files an answer. Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6). "Once a defendant files an answer, the pleadings are closed. At that time, a party may file a motion for judgment on the pleadings." Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center v. Cross Country Travcorps, Inc., 2009 WL 2020204, * 1 (D.N.H.2009) (citing Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(c)).[1] A motion for judgment on the pleadings is considered in the same manner as a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss. Curran v. Cousins, 509 F.3d 36, 43-44 (1st Cir.2007). "Because [a Rule 12(c) ] motion calls for an assessment of the merits of the case at an embryonic state, the court must view the facts contained in the pleadings in the light most favorable to the nonmovant and draw all reasonable inferences therefrom...." Perez-Acevedo v. Rivero-Cubano, 520 F.3d 26, 29 (1st Cir.2008) (internal citations omitted). "Those facts may be derived from the complaint, from documents annexed to or fairly incorporated in it, and from matters susceptible to judicial notice." Warren Freedenfeld Assoc., Inc. v. McTigue, 531 F.3d 38, 44 (1st Cir.2008). When judgment on the pleadings is premised on the running of a statute of limitations, the motion will only be granted if the facts "leave no doubt that an asserted claim is time-barred." LaChapelle v. Berkshire Life Ins. Co., 142 F.3d 507, 509 (1st Cir.1998); accord Warren Freedenfeld Assoc., Inc., 531 F.3d at 44; Centro Medico del Turabo, Inc. v. Feliciano de Melecio, 406 F.3d 1, 6 (1st Cir.2005); Archdiocese of San Salvador v. FM Intern., Inc., 2006 WL 437493, * 3 (D.N.H.2006).

The Defendant also moves the Court to enter an order compelling the Plaintiff to produce certain documents relating to discovery. The Defendant's discovery request is governed under Fed.R.Civ.P. 26(b). Under Fed.R.Civ.P. 26(b)(1), discovery is generally available as to "any matter, not privileged, that is relevant to the claim or defense of any party...." The Court may limit the scope of discovery *44

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Bluebook (online)
425 B.R. 39, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-desteph-nhb-2010.