In Re FJD, Inc.

24 B.R. 138, 1982 Bankr. LEXIS 3060
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Nevada
DecidedOctober 28, 1982
Docket19-10498
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 24 B.R. 138 (In Re FJD, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Nevada primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re FJD, Inc., 24 B.R. 138, 1982 Bankr. LEXIS 3060 (Nev. 1982).

Opinion

*139 DECISION ON MOTION TO DISMISS

ROBERT W. SKIDMORE, Bankruptcy Judge.

THIS MATTER came on regularly for hearing upon secured creditor Richard Grie-bel’s Motion to Dismiss pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 1112(b). Sallie B. Armstrong appeared on behalf of Richard Griebel, John R. Martz appeared on behalf of Title Insurance and Trust, and F. Thomas Eck, III appeared on behalf of the debtor corporation.

The debtor corporation, FJD Inc., was formed under the laws of the State of Nevada on June 22, 1982. The only assets of the estate consist of four parcels of real property which were conveyed to the debtor on its date of formation by Frank and Jerri-lee Donahue for consideration of $10.00. The schedules indicate that the Donahues are the principals of the debtor corporation. The petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code was subsequently filed on June 28,1982. The petition lists 18 secured creditors with debts totalling $1,149,306.00. Schedule A-3 lists only one unsecured creditor with a debt of $1,345.00.

One of the four parcels of real property is designated as 714 Chapagne, Incline Village. The testimony presented indicated that this property at all times material hereto was the personal residence of the Donahues. It has an estimated fair market value of between $900,000.00 and $995,-000.00, the Donahues have listed the property for sale for 9 months at $995,000.00, with encumbrances now in excess of $1,000,-000.00. No rent or mortgage payments had been made on this property to secured creditors or the debtor corporation since the petition was filed. The 714 Chapagne property is the subject of a mortgage foreclosure action which was pending at the time the petition was filed. A second parcel of the debtor corporation’s real property was also the subject of a foreclosure action at the time of the filing.

The debtor’s schedules state that it is involved in the business of “real estate.” The evidence showed no ongoing business activities, that there are no employees, no employer identification number had been obtained, nor had any bank account been opened. The only identifiable income was $600.00 in rent from the parcel designated as 976 Jennifer, Incline Village. This money was deposited directly into the Donahues personal bank account. The evidence also indicated that the Donahue’s own various other parcels of real property which were not conveyed to the debtor corporation.

The creditor’s motion is based upon 11 U.S.C. § 1112(b) which provides that “... on request of a party in interest, and after notice and hearing, the court may convert under this chapter to a case under Chapter 7 of this title or may dismiss a case under this chapter whichever is in the best interest of creditors and estate, for cause.... ” The statute then enumerates nine instances which constitute sufficient cause. Although not expressly set forth in the body of the statute, lack of “good faith” by the debtor in possession in filing a petition under Chapter 11 has been recognized by case law to be sufficient cause for dismissal under 11 U.S.C. § 1112(b). This is in contrast to previous requirements that the debtor bear the burden of showing and the court make an express finding of “good faith” under the Bankruptcy Act.

It should be pointed out at the outset that unlike the pre-code Chapter X, the Code does not expressly require an initial showing that the petition was filed in “good faith” and ... does not require a finding by the court that is was filed in “good faith”.... Not withstanding, it has been recognized that “good faith” is an implied prerequisite for the maintenance of a viable business reorganization case under Chapter 11 of the Code, absence of which would warrant a dismissal. In Re Victory Construction Co., 9 B.R. 549, 3 C.B.C.2d 655 (Bkrtcy. CD Cal.1981). Thus, one who envokes the protective provision of the Bankruptcy laws must always do so in order to accomplish and to further the expressed and implied legislative aims of the particular Chapter of the Code and not for any other purpose. ... From the foregoing, it appears that nothing is in the Code itself or in its legislative history which would justify a conclusion that Congress, by omitting the express requirement of “good faith,” intended to do away with the safeguard against abuse and misuse of the remedial provision of the Chapter, a safeguard which has been long established and a well entrenched part of the overall bankruptcy philosophy for almost a century. Thus “good faith” is still an implied prerequisite for the Debtor’s ability to obtain ... relief under Chapter 11 of the Code *140 .... Matter of First Dade Corp., 17 B.R. 887, 890-891 (Bkrtcy.Fla.1982).

I. Creation of New Entity

The fact that the debtor entity was formed in proximity to the filing of the petition has been included as a key factor in determining the debtor’s “good faith.” The case law in this area falls into two lines of authority. One group of cases which have been designated “new debtor syndrome” cases, In Re Beach Club, 22 B.R. 597, 599 (Bkrtcy.Cal.1982), conclude that the fact that the debtor is a new entity which was created on the eve of the filing of the petition is strong evidence that the petition was not filed in “good faith.” See, In Re Victory Construction Co. Inc., 9 B.R. 549 (Bkrtcy.Cal. 1981); In Re Alison Corp., 9 B.R. 827 (Bkrtcy.Cal.1981); In Re Dutch Flat Investment Co., 6 B.R. 470 (Bkrtcy.Cal.1980). Other cases have adopted the approach of looking to the “. . . . substance of what has been done to determine whether the transfer to the new debtor has fatally and detrimentally altered the rights of creditors, In Re Beach Club, supra., [22 B.R.] p. 599.” Also see In Re Northwest Rec. Activities, Inc., 4 B.R. 36 (Bkrtcy.Ga.1980); In Re Eden Associates, 13 B.R. 578 (Bkrtcy.N.Y.1981); In Re Spenard Ventures Inc., 18 B.R. 164 (Bkrtcy.Alaska 1982).

An example of the expanded analysis is contained in In Re Beach Club, supra, where a mortgagee sought relief from automatic stay and/or a dismissal for lack of “good faith.” The property involved was a real estate development which was the subject of a foreclosure action in state court. When the mortgagor Innisfree Corporation’s motion for preliminary injunction to enjoin the foreclosure was denied, a limited partnership was formed, designating Innis-free Corporation as general partner. Subsequently a Chapter 11 proceeding was filed by the limited partnership in an attempt to reorganize the project. The evidence indicated that Innisfree corporation was a general partner in five or six successful limited partnerships/real estate developments which were separate and apart from the Beach Club property. The Court found that “... the creation of the entity was effected for a good business purpose, to wit, to prevent the aborting of Innisfree’s various investments and its consequent destruction. ... In Re Beach Club, supra [22 B.R.], p.

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