In re Heath

551 B.R. 877, 2016 WL 3134829
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Colorado
DecidedMay 26, 2016
DocketCase No. 15-17803-HRT
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 551 B.R. 877 (In re Heath) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Heath, 551 B.R. 877, 2016 WL 3134829 (Colo. 2016).

Opinion

ORDER DENYING MOTION TO DISMISS DEBTORS’ CASE

Joseph G. Rosania, Jr., United States Bankruptcy Judge

THIS MATTER is before the Court upon the Motion to Dismiss Debtors’ Case pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 707(b)(1) and 11 U.S.C. § 707(b)(3) filed by the United States Trustee (“UST”) for Region 19, (Docket # 18), and the response in opposition (Docket #25) filed by Ava Marie Heath (“Mrs.Heath”) and David Thomas Heath, (“Mr.Heath”)(collectively, the “Debtors”). The undersigned conducted the trial pursuant to Judge Howard Tail-man’s Order Regarding Evidentiary Hearing, (Docket # 33).

I. BACKGROUND

Prior to moving to Colorado, the Debtors resided in the New York City metropolitan area. Mrs. Heath was a New York City police officer. Mr. Heath owned a company involved with the production of historically themed board games. In approximately January 2007, the Debtors purchased a 5 acre vacant lot just outside Pueblo West, Colorado. Thereafter, a one story ranch style new home was constructed on the land (the “Home”). The Home has 4,065 square feet on the first floor, a finished basement of the same size, and a three car attached garage consisting of 2,154 square feet. Construction of the Home was completed in approximately September 2008.

While the Home was considerably larger than their former New York residence, the costs associated with the new Home were similar on .a monthly basis. Mr. Heath moved to Colorado when the Home was completed. Mrs. Heath remained in New York.

After moving to Colorado Mr. Heath sold his company, Matrix Games, for approximately $800,000 in 2011. Proceeds from the sale were used to pay debt and other employees. Proceeds were also used by the Debtors while Mr. Heath started a new business venture. Thereafter, in 2011, Mrs. Heath retired from the New York Police Force with the benefits of full pension and joined the family in Colorado. Mrs. Heath was a New York police officer at the time of “9/11.”

Mr. Heath’s new business has yet to become profitable. Mrs. Heath returned to work in 2013 and considerable debts were incurred to fund the business as it was being developed.

The Debtors filed a deficient Chapter 7 bankruptcy case on July 14, 2015, with only the petition, and a list of creditors. Thereafter, the Debtors filed the omitted Schedules and Statement of Financial Affairs, and Statement of Current Monthly Income.

The Debtors valued the Home at $699,500 on Schedule A — -Real Property. On Schedule Í) — Creditors Holding Secured Claims, the Debtors listed secured claims against the home in the total amount of $711,811.00: A claim of $603,970.00 held by “Chase Mtg” secured by a first priority Deed of Trust; and a claim of $107,841.00 held by Vectra Bank Colorado secured by a second priority Deed of Trust.

In their Joint Pre-Trial Statement, the parties stipulated the Home has a fair market value of $699,000 subject to first [879]*879mortgage with a balance in the approximate amount of $597,500 and a second mortgage in the approximate amount of $108,000 for a total of $705,500.00. No independent evidence was presented to establish the value of the Home, the balance of the secured obligations, the Pueblo real estate market or housing alternatives. Nevertheless, the fact that no significant equity exists in the Home is not in dispute.

The parties further stipulated that the monthly debt service associated with the Home, including taxes and insurance, is approximately $4,375. An additional $982 in other house-related expenses is incurred by the Debtors on a monthly basis. The Debtors seek to retain the Home while discharging their unsecured debts.

The UST argues the Debtor’s should not be able to retain the Home at the expense of unsecured creditors. The UST calculates a significant dividend could be paid to unsecured creditors if the Debtors surrendered the Home and proceeded with a case under Chapter 13.

II. THE HOUSEHOLD SIZE

Before considering whether the case should be dismissed as abusive, the Court must address discrepancies in the reporting of the Debtors’ household size. Much of the arguments and calculations presented by the UST are based on a household size of two. Indeed, in the Joint Pre-Trial Statement filed by the parties stipulated “[t]he Debtors are a married couple with no dependents with a family home located in Pueblo, Colorado.”

In reality, the Debtors have three teenage sons, ages 12, 17 and 19 that reside in the Home. There was also testimony that one of the Debtors’ mothers now resides in the Home. One son is 19 who is studying to be a phlebotomist. Mrs. Heath testified he has been a “difficult kid.” Another son is 17 and a senior in high school. Mrs. Heath testified she and Mr. Heath have “been on the line with him.” Their third son is 12, in seventh grade, and helps his dad out with the home based business.

On July 28, 2015, the Debtors filed their Official Form 22 A-l, Chapter 7 Statement of Monthly Income in which they disclosed the number of people in the household was five. (Exhibit 2). On the same day, the Debtors filed Schedule J: Your Expenses in which no dependents were identified. (Exhibit 1). Subsequent amendments to Schedule J filed on January 29, 2016 also reflected no dependents. (Exhibit 7). In response to a letter of inquiry from the UST concerning the inconsistent statements concerning the household size, Debtors’ counsel responded: “I have no idea why I disclosed a household size of five on 22A. They don’t have any children or other dependents.” (Exhibit 11). This representation was erroneous. It appears the inconsistency in the disclosures was in part created by the deficient filing.

The parties represented the error in reporting the household size only came to light when preparing for the trial during the prior week, at which point the UST was advised of the error. Mrs. Heath testified that she was “fixated on the math” when preparing the bankruptcy paperwork and subsequent amendments, and overlooked the sections of the forms concerning dependents. The Court found this testimony to be credible.

The UST argues the Debtors should be judicially estopped from altering the previously represented household size of two. The doctrine of judicial estoppel serves to “protect the integrity of the judicial process by prohibiting parties from deliberately changing positions according to the exigencies of the moment.” New Hampshire v. Maine, 532 U.S. 742, 749-750, 121 S.Ct. 1808, 149 L.Ed.2d 968 [880]*880(2001). Citing New Hampshire, the Tenth Circuit set forth three factors to be considered in determining whether the application of the doctrine is warranted:

1. Whether the party’s new position is clearly inconsistent with the former position;
2. Whether acceptance of the later position leads to the perception that the court is being misled; and
3. Whether asserting the inconsistent position would cause the party to gain an unfair advantage.

Eastman v. Union Pac. R. Co. 493 F.3d 1151, 1156 (10th Cir.2007).

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Bluebook (online)
551 B.R. 877, 2016 WL 3134829, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-heath-cob-2016.