In re Green

494 B.R. 231, 2013 WL 2897052, 2013 Bankr. LEXIS 2414
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Louisiana
DecidedJune 13, 2013
DocketNo. 12-11706
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 494 B.R. 231 (In re Green) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Green, 494 B.R. 231, 2013 WL 2897052, 2013 Bankr. LEXIS 2414 (La. 2013).

Opinion

REASONS FOR DECISION

ELIZABETH W. MAGNER, Bankruptcy Judge.

This matter came before the Court on the Motion for New Trial filed by River-bend Condominium Association, Inc. [233]*233(“Riverbend”).1 At the conclusion of the hearing, the Court took the matter under advisement.

I. Findings of Fact

On July 6, 2012, Torrance T. Green (“Debtor”) purchased a condominium in The Riverbend Condominiums located at 248 Cherokee Street, No. 35C, New Orleans, LA (“the Condo”) for $155,000.00. The Condo is subject to a Declaration Creating and Establishing Condominium Property and Regime (“Condo Declaration”).2 Also, by operation of Louisiana law, it is subject to the Louisiana Condominium Act.3 As part of the Condo Declaration, Debtor was responsible for paying monthly assessments to Riverbend.

Debtor failed to pay certain assessments and was sued in the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans by Riverbend.

On January 4, 2012, the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans rendered a Default Judgment in favor of Riverbend and against Debtor in the amount of $23,303.72 plus the amount of the monthly assessments, late fees, and $1,500.00 attorney’s fees (“the Judgment”). The Judgment also recognized Riverbend’s lien against the Condo.

On June 6, 2012, Debtor filed a voluntary petition for bankruptcy relief under chapter 13 of the United States Bankruptcy Code.

Debtor filed a Motion to Avoid River-bend’s Lien,4 which was heard by this Court on February 7, 2013. Riverbend filed an Opposition to the Motion alleging that (1) it’s rights arose from the Condo Declaration which was consented to by Debtor when he purchased the Condo; (2) the Condo Declaration authorizes the filing of a lien for delinquent assessments and provides that the lien is superior to all other liens except prior recorded liens, property taxes, and governmental assessments; and (3) because Debtor did not file a Declaration of Homestead in the public records, Riverbend’s lien was superior to the homestead exemption.5 At the hearing, Riverbend argued that its lien was superior to the homestead exemption. Riverbend did not raise at the hearing its written argument that its lien could not be bifurcated because it was a consensual lien on Debtor’s primary residence, so this argument was not discussed at the February 7, 2013, hearing.

After hearing testimony and admitting evidence, the Court valued the Condo at $85,000.00. The Court also found that Debtor did not affirmatively waive the homestead exemption as required by Louisiana law,6 so the homestead exemption was applicable. The Court orally granted Debtor’s motion in part ruling that River-bend was allowed a secured claim in the amount of $7,279.95 for prepetition debt, and the rest of its claim was unsecured.7 The Court also ordered that within fourteen (14) days Debtor tender $1,506.80 to Riverbend for postpetition charges and that an ACH8 direct debit be set up for future charges.

Prior to entry of a written order, River-bend filed a Motion of New Trial alleging [234]*234that its claim could not be bifurcated into secured and unsecured portions because it is a consensual lien on Debtor’s principal residence. Even though no written order was entered on the Motion to Avoid Lien, just as with a Notice of Appeal filed prior to entry of a written order, the Court will treat the Motion for New Trial as timely filed.9

II. Law and Analysis

Riverbend filed its Motion for New Trial within five (5) days of the February 7, 2013, hearing. Therefore, even though no written order was entered on the Motion to Avoid Lien, the Court will apply FRBP 9023, which makes applicable FRCP 59 and applies to Motions for New Trial filed within fourteen (14) days of a court order. Therefore, the Motion for New Trial was timely filed.

FRCP 59 provides that the court may grant a new trial “for any reason for which a rehearing has heretofore been granted in a suit in equity in federal court.” Because failure to discuss River-bend’s argument against bifurcation was an oversight, the Court will grant the Motion for New Trial to consider that argument.

The Bankruptcy Code defines three (3) types of liens: 1) “statutory lien,” 2) “judicial lien,” and 3) “security interest.”

The term “statutory lien” means lien arising solely by force of a statute on specified circumstances or conditions, or lien of distress for rent, whether or not statutory, but does not include security interest or judicial lien, whether or not such interest or lien is provided by or is dependent on a statute and whether or not such interest or lien is made fully effective by statute.10 The term “judicial lien” means charge against or interest in property to secure payment of a debt or performance of an obligation.11

The term “security interest” means lien created by an agreement.12 Riverbend contends that it has a security interest that cannot be modified.

Section 1322(b)(2) provides that a plan may:

[Mjodify the rights of holders of secured claims, other than a claim secured only by a security interest in real property that is the debtor’s principal residence, or of holders of unsecured claims, or leave unaffected the rights of holders of any class of claims.

This anti-modification provision applies to security interests on a principal residence that were “bargained for” or consensual.13 It is undisputed that the Condo is Debtor’s principal residence. Thus, if Riverbend’s lien is a consensual security interest, it cannot be bifurcated. Whether a condominium association’s lien is statutory or a consensual security interest is a matter of first impression under Louisiana law. The Condo Declaration includes a declaration that the immovable property described, including the Condo, is part of the “Condominium Property Regime established by the Condominium Act of the State of Louisiana, LSA R.S. 9:1121.101 et seq.” Therefore, the Condo is subject to the Louisiana Condominium Act.14

[235]*235The Louisiana Condominium Act provides:

The association shall have a privilege on a condominium parcel for all unpaid or accelerated sums assessed by the association and interest thereon at the rate provided in the condominium declaration or, in the absence thereof, at the legal interest rate. This privilege shall also secure reasonable attorney fees incurred by the association incident to the collection of the assessment or enforcement of the privilege.15

The Condo Declaration includes a provision similar provision.16 However, it was not necessary for it to be included in the Condo Declaration for the privilege to apply. La. R.S.

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Related

Doss v. Norhardt Crossing Condo. Ass'n (In re Doss)
588 B.R. 516 (E.D. Wisconsin, 2018)
Riverbend Condominium Ass'n v. Green
793 F.3d 463 (Fifth Circuit, 2015)
In re Rones
531 B.R. 526 (D. New Jersey, 2015)
In re Green
516 B.R. 347 (E.D. Louisiana, 2014)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
494 B.R. 231, 2013 WL 2897052, 2013 Bankr. LEXIS 2414, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-green-laeb-2013.