In re Essex Construction, LLC

575 B.R. 648
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Maryland
DecidedAugust 1, 2017
DocketCase No. 16-24661-TJC
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 575 B.R. 648 (In re Essex Construction, LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Maryland primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Essex Construction, LLC, 575 B.R. 648 (Md. 2017).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION

THOMAS J. CATLIOTA U.S. BANKRUPTCY JUDGE

Bradford Englander, the Chapter 11 Trustee (the “Trustee”) for the debtor Essex Construction, LLC., seeks approval of a settlement with M & T Bank (“M & T”), the Laborers Trust Fund of Washington D.C. (the “Fund”), The Whiting Turner Contracting Company (“Whiting Turner”), and the debtor. ECF 386. The settlement resolves disputes among the parties that arose because the debtor obtained a cashier’s check from M & T and delivered it to the Fund in contravention of an order of this court. Before the cashier’s check was honored, M & T stopped payment and now holds the funds. As pertinent here, under the settlement the funds will be delivered to the Trustee and all parties will receive releases. Firstrust Bank and Industrial Bank (collectively the “Banks”) oppose the settlement in one limited sense: A provision in the settlement requires a determination that the transfers that occurred when the cashier’s check was issued, or when payment was stopped, or when the check was delivered to the Fund are avoided under 11 U.S.C. § 5491 as unauthorized post-petition transfers. The Banks argue this provision is unwarranted because no transfer occurred. They contend that the provision may prejudice their claim that their lien rights attach to the funds when returned to the debtor under the settlement.

For the reasons stated herein, the court will approve the settlement, including a provision that a transfer is avoided under § 549. Whether, and to what extent, this ruling affects the Banks’ lien rights will be addressed as applicable in further proceedings,

This court has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 157 and 1334. This is a core matter pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 157(b) and venue is proper before this court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1408 and 1409.

Findings of Fact

Background and the Unauthorized Cashier’s Check.

On November 4, 2016, the debtor filed a voluntary petition under Chapter 11 of the [651]*651Bankruptcy Code. Throughout the case, the Banks claimed a lien on the debtor’s accounts receivable and other assets, and the debtor was authorized at various times to spend funds pursuant to a cash collateral order and budget.

On December 5, 2016, the United States Trustee filed a motion to appoint a Chapter 11 trustee, or to convert the case to Chapter 7. ECF 70. A hearing was initially scheduled for January 26, 2017, and by agreement of the parties, it was continued to March 17,2017.

On March 3, 2017, Firstrust filed an emergency motion to expedite the hearing on the motion to appoint the trustee, arguing that the debtor was dissipating funds in violation of the cash collateral order, among other concerns. ECF 240. The court set the emergency motion for hearing on March 6, 2017. There, the court revoked the debtor’s existing authority to make any disbursements prior to March 17. The debtor was prohibited from spending any funds unless the Banks expressly approved any specific payment request. In the event the Banks did not approve the payment, the court would hold an emergency hearing on the necessity of the payment. The court required the debtor’s counsel to inform the debtor’s employees who had signatory authority on its bank accounts of the order.

On March 8, 2017, without having obtained approval from the Banks or the court, the debtor obtained a cashier’s check from M & T made payable to the Fund in the amount of $546,000. That day, the debtor delivered the check to the Fund. On March 10, 2017, the Fund deposited the cashier’s check into its bank account at Capital One Bank. Before the cashier’s check was honored, the debtor convinced M & T to stop payment on the check. Since that time, the Fund has retained physical possession of the cashier’s check and M & T has retained the funds.

At about the same time, the debtor consented to the appointment of a Chapter 11 trustee. ECF 265. On March 17, 2017, the Office of the United States Trustee appointed the Trustee, ECF 279J and the court confirmed the appointment by order entered on March 21, 2017. ECF 288.

The Proposed Settlement.

The debtor had the cashier’s check issued to the Fund as a payment toward the Fund’s claim for pension benefits. The debtor is a subcontractor of Whiting Turner on a project owned by MGM National Harbor LLC. The Fund asserts a claim of $666,065.25 for employee benefits due on account of services performed by union employees on behalf of the debtor at the project. The Fund has the right to assert a mechanics lien against the project that is the subject of the contract. The fifth cash collateral order entered between the Banks and the debtor authorized the debt- or to pay the union benefits only if Whiting Turner first paid the debtor for various invoices in an amount equal to or in excess of such union benefits; ECF 138 at- p. 3 (“For the purposes of clarity, the Debtor shall not be permitted to pay [the Fund for the union benefits] unless and until Whiting Turner first remits the funds necessary to pay such benefits .... ”). Whiting Turner did not pay the invoices out of concern that the debtor would not use the funds to pay the Fund for the union benefit claims. When the cashier’s check was issued, Whiting Turner had not paid, and still has not paid, the invoices, nor had the Banks approved the payment to the Fund in accordance with the court’s requirement.

Soon after his appointment, the Trustee learned of the issuance of the cashier’s check and that payment on it had been stopped. He recognized that he could bring [652]*652a claim under § 549 to recover the funds from M & T, but he decided to take a broader approach by attempting to resolve all of the claims of the Fund and Whiting Turner.

After negotiations, the parties reached an agreement under which the following will occur:

• Whiting Turner will transfer to the Trustee $545,000 to be held in the client trust account of Trustee’s counsel.
• The Fund will execute and deliver to the Trustee an unqualified release of all claims and liens against Whiting Turner and the project owner, and a release of claims against M & T relating to the stoppage of the cashier’s check. The Trustee will hold these releases in escrow.
• M & T will transfer to the Trustee, for the benefit of the debtor’s estate, $545,000 to be held in the client trust account of Trustee’s counsel.

Upon completion of the above conditions, the Trustee will: (1) release the $545,000 to the Fund in satisfaction of all obligations under the Whiting Turner invoices; and (2) deliver the releases to counsel for the respective parties. Additionally, the agreement provides as follows:

• On the effective date, the debtor’s payment to M & T of $545,000 on March 8, 2017 and the debtor’s delivery of the cashier’s check to the Fund, also on March 8, 2017, are deemed avoided pursuant to § 549.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
575 B.R. 648, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-essex-construction-llc-mdb-2017.