In Re Frog and Peach, Ltd.

38 B.R. 307, 1984 Bankr. LEXIS 5908
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Georgia
DecidedApril 10, 1984
Docket19-51710
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 38 B.R. 307 (In Re Frog and Peach, Ltd.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Frog and Peach, Ltd., 38 B.R. 307, 1984 Bankr. LEXIS 5908 (Ga. 1984).

Opinion

ORDER

W. HOMER DRAKE, Bankruptcy Judge.

On February 8, 1984, Penrod’s of Lenox, Inc. (“Penrod’s”), filed an “Application for Allowance of Claim for Fees and Expenses” in the above-referenced Chapter 11 proceeding. Penrod’s requests that $1,200.00 attorney's fees and $74.00 expenses be paid as a first priority expense under §§ 507(a)(1) and 503 of the Bankruptcy Code. Penrod’s’ claim arises in connection with its preparation and submission of a contract for the purchase of certain real property owned by the debtor, The Frog and Peach, Ltd. (“the Frog and Peach”).

FACTS

1. The Frog and Peach, formerly a restaurant, ceased business operations after filing its petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. On or about October 21, 1983, following negotiations with Jim Jarbo of the Frog and Peach, Penrod’s presented a “Contract for Sale of Realty” which stated an offer to purchase the subject property for $325,000.00 cash at closing.

2. The Frog and Peach did not accept Penrod’s’ initial offer, and thereafter the first lienholder of the subject property, Ray K. Elam (“Elam”), filed a motion for relief from the automatic stay so as to conduct a sale under power. At or about the same time, a contract proposed by Mr. James Arogeti (“Arogeti”) for the purchase of the subject property for $350,000.00 was before the Court on the debtor’s application to sell real property. The initial offer by Arogeti provided for payment of $150,-000.00 cash at closing and assumption of the $200,000.00 wrap-around note owing to Elam.

3. Penrod’s investigated the property further and increased its offer to $360,-000.00 cash at closing. Accordingly, Pen-rod’s submitted this second offer to the Frog and Peach, drew a check in the amount of $25,000.00 payable to the Frog and Peach as earnest money, and filed an objection to the application by the Frog and Peach to sell the subject property pursuant to the Arogeti contract.

4.A third party, Selig Enterprises, Inc. (“Selig”), subsequently entered a bid in the amount of $365,000.00 cash at closing. On January 10, 1984, following notice to all creditors, the Court held a hearing on the application by the Frog and Peach to sell the subject property to Arogeti. This hearing developed into an auction between Aro-geti, Penrod’s and Selig, and Selig won the Court’s approval to purchase the subject property on the basis of its high bid of $425,000.00 cash at closing.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

Penrod’s contends that it satisfies the requirements under § 503(b) for allowance and payment of its out-of-pocket costs as a first priority administrative expense under § 507(a)(1). In support of this contention, Penrod’s shows the Court that it was the first to offer to purchase the subject property; that its second bid exceeded the amount offered in the Arogeti contract; and that Penrod’s landlord, Selig, ultimately purchased the subject property for $75,-000.00 above the amount offered by Aroge-ti. Penrod’s’ argument is that its $360,-000.00 cash offer attracted the interest of Selig which, in turn, led to the competitive bidding in the Bankruptcy Court.

The statutory framework under which Penrod’s has filed its application for allowance and payment of an administrative expense is as follows: Section 507(a)(1) of the Bankruptcy Code accords first priority to administrative expenses allowed under § 503(b) of Title 11. Section 503(a) states that: “An entity may file a request for payment of an administrative expense.” [Emphasis added.] Finally § 503(b) sets forth the categories under which a claimant may file for an administrative expense. Although Penrod’s application does not fall within one of the defined categories, Pen-rod’s takes the position that its claim is *309 analogous to the types of administrative claims expressly authorized by §§ 503(b)(3) and (4).

The Court must, for emphasis, restate the fact that Penrod’s is not a creditor of the Frog and Peach. Rather, the only connection that Penrod’s has had with the debtor and/or the bankruptcy estate is its post-petition effort to purchase the subject real property of the bankruptcy estate. In support of its position, Penrod’s cites two cases: In re George, 23 B.R. 686, 7 C.B.C.2d 846 (Bkrtcy.S.D.Fla.1982) and In re Richton International Corp., 15 B.R. 854, 5 C.B.C.2d 1019 (Bkrtcy.S.D.N.Y.1981). However, the Court finds that both of these cases are distinguishable from the case sub judice.

In In re George, supra, Judge Britton allowed a creditor to recover as an administrative expense attorney’s fees and expenses incurred to successfully block a Chapter 7 debtor’s discharge. Furthermore, Judge Britton read § 503(b) as merely illustrative and not exclusive as to the types of allowable administrative claims. Judge Britton stated:

I conclude that a creditor’s reasonable expense incident to opposing a discharge or revoking a discharge, opposing claimed exemptions, resisting claims or performing other similar services benefiting the estate, may be allowed as an administrative expense. § 102(3); 3 Collier on Bankruptcy (15th ed.) ¶ 503.03. The omission of these items from the § 503(b)(3) following the term “including” merely deprives these related expenses of mandatory reimbursement. [Emphasis original.]

In re George, 23 B.R. at 687, 7 C.B.C.2d at 848.

George is inapposite to the instant case on two points. First, the administrative claimant in George was a creditor and, as a creditor, the administrative claimant had standing to, inter alia, oppose the debtor’s discharge. As stated above, Penrod’s does not have a similar relationship to the Frog and Peach. Secondly, and more importantly, close examination of the excerpt from George reproduced above indicates that the so-called “permissive” categories of administrative expense claims all involve activities which are endemic to a bankruptcy proceeding. Yet, Penrod’s merely undertook to execute an arm’s length transaction with the bankruptcy estate.

Because the parties in nonbankruptcy transactions bear their own costs, or allocate the same according to the terms of the contract, the instinctive response of this Court would be to summarily dismiss Pen-rod’s application. However, this Court agrees with Judge Britton’s expansive interpretation of §§ 503(b)(3) and (4) and concludes that Penrod’s claim is not expressly expressly by the terms of § 503(b). Therefore, a more detailed analysis is required.

The second case cited by Penrod’s, In re Richton International Corp., supra, is similarly inapposite. In Richton, Judge Galgay allowed a law firm which represented creditors other than those on the Official Creditors’ Committee to receive compensation and reimbursement of expenses as an administrative claim in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding. Judge Galgay stated that:

Section 503(b)(3) and (4) authorizes compensation for legal services rendered in making a substantial contribution to a Chapter 11 case. 11 U.S.C. § 503(b)(3), (4).

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

Related

In re S & Y Enterprises, LLC
480 B.R. 452 (E.D. New York, 2012)
In re Tama Beef Packing Inc.
283 B.R. 274 (N.D. Iowa, 2002)
In Re Geriatrics Nursing Home, Inc.
195 B.R. 34 (D. New Jersey, 1996)
In Re Diberto
164 B.R. 1 (D. New Hampshire, 1993)
In Re Public Service Co. of New Hampshire
160 B.R. 404 (D. New Hampshire, 1993)
In Re Hupp Industries, Inc.
140 B.R. 191 (N.D. Ohio, 1992)
In re 1 Potato 2, Inc.
71 B.R. 615 (D. Minnesota, 1987)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
38 B.R. 307, 1984 Bankr. LEXIS 5908, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-frog-and-peach-ltd-ganb-1984.