In Re Hines

64 B.R. 684
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Colorado
DecidedAugust 22, 1986
Docket17-10506
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 64 B.R. 684 (In Re Hines) 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 Hines, 64 B.R. 684 (Colo. 1986).

Opinion

ORDER

ROLAND J. BRUMBAUGH, Bankruptcy Judge.

THIS MATTER comes before the Court on Palisade Bank’s objection to confirmation of the Debtor’s Chapter 13 plan. A hearing was held on the matter on August 1, 1986. This Court recognizes jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1334 and § 157.

The Debtor, Edwin Wayne Hines, operates a fruit growing business in Palisade, Colorado. He farms approximately 20 acres, and lives in a farmhouse on that property.

Dr. Richard Renquist, qualified as an expert on fruit bearing trees, examined Mr. Hines’ orchards and testified that he estimated this year’s yield would be 2,910 boxes of peaches, 250 boxes of apples, 900 boxes of pears, and 25 boxes of plums. He also stated the quality and size of the fruit were good. He pointed out that this year’s crop yield will be lower than normal because of spring freezes.

The Debtor testified he expects to receive approximately $50,000.00 in gross profits this year, and believes he will continue to realize about this amount in future years. However, he admitted that the bigger a fruit crop, the more expensive it is to grow and harvest. His 1981-1985 tax returns show gross sales of approximately $16,000-$20,000 each year, with 1981 as the only year in which gross sales exceeded $50,000. The Debtor’s plan projects $28,-000 in expenses for 1986, and the Debtor believes this amount will remain constant throughout the pendency of the plan.

The Debtor borrowed $20,000 from Palisade Bank in May, 1985, for the purpose of building a fruit drying facility on his property. The Debtor stated that the facility has been built, but has not yet been put into full operation. He asserted that the fruit dryer allows him to use and sell damaged or substandard fruit, which he would otherwise have to throw away.

Mr. Robert Hoffman, the senior vice president of Palisade Bank, testified that the loan was a commercial loan. He knew the Debtor intended to use the borrowed funds to construct a fruit drying facility and believed the idea was a good one.

The bank objects to the Debtor’s Chapter 13 plan on the grounds that it attempts to modify the bank’s rights in violation of 11 U.S.C. § 1322(b)(2) by lowering the interest rate from 14.5% to 12%, and by changing the payment schedule provided by the note. The bank also states that the payments set forth in the plan are not sufficient because they do not include accrued interest, use an inaccurate annual payment, and provide for an unreasonable rate of interest. Further, the bank questions the feasibility of the plan, and suggests that the Debtors will be unable to make all of the payments under the plan as required by 11 U.S.C. § 1325(a)(6).

The Debtor contends that modification of the bank’s rights is proper, as 11 U.S.C. § 1322(b)(2) does not apply. The Debtor also states that his plan is feasible and his fruit drying operation will produce the supplemental income needed to fund the plan.

The first issue the Court must address is whether the plan impermissibly modifies the rights of the bank. The parties agree, *686 and the promissory note and the deed of trust indicate, that the security given for the loan consists of approximately 20 acres, together with the dwelling and outbuildings.

11 U.S.C. § 1322(b)(2) provides that a Chapter 13 plan may:

modify 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.

11 U.S.C. § 1322(b)(5) creates an exception to this provision, whereby the plan may:

notwithstanding paragraph (2) of this subsection, provide for the curing of any default within a reasonable time and maintenance of payments while the case is pending on any unsecured claim or secured claim on which the last payment is due after the date on which the final payment under the plan is due.

The bank and the Debtor assert that the case law is divided as to the interpretation of § 1322(b)(2). This is not strictly true. One line of cases holds if the security for a loan is any property which is not the principal residence of the debtor, even though the debtor’s residence may form a portion of the security, the secured creditor’s rights are subject to modification under § 1322(b)(2). See, In re Leazier, 55 B.R. 870 (Bankr.N.D.Ind.1985) (Court held § 1322(b)(2) inapplicable to debtor’s 80 acre farm); In re Morphis, 30 B.R. 589, 594 (Bankr.N.D.Ala.1983) (Court held § 1322(b)(2) applies to long-term debt, not short-term financing). Another line of cases stands for the proposition that § 1322(b)(2) should not be construed to permit modification of the rights of any secured creditor who does not hold a purchase-money mortgage on the debtor’s principal residence. See, In re Bradshaw, 56 B.R. 742 (S.D.Ohio 1985) (Court held that a plan could not modify the rights of a creditor holding a second mortgage on the debtor’s home); In re Coffey, 52 B.R. 54 (Bankr.N.H.1985) (Court stated § 1322(b)(2) should not be read to contain a limitation referring to purchase money mortgages). These two lines of cases do not conflict directly. One line recognizes that any loan secured by property which includes the debtor’s principal residence and other additional property falls outside the limitation of § 1322(b)(2). The second line of cases points out that § 1322(b)(2) contains no language restricting its application to purchase money mortgages. The two lines address two separate issues, the type of security and the type of loan.

There is extensive discussion surrounding the issue of the types of loans intended to be subject to the modification prohibition of § 1322(b)(2). However, this issue is not relevant to the case at bar, because the creditor here cannot claim exemption from modification of its rights because it holds security which includes property in addition to the Debtor’s principal residence, namely, the remainder of the Debtor’s farm.

The statutory language gives a clear description of the type of security interest to which the restriction applies. The claim must be “secured only by a security interest in real property that is the debtor’s principal residence.” 11 U.S.C. § 1322(b). The editors of Colliers explain:

A claim secured by any other real property or by personal property of the estate or of the debtor or by the property of another may be modified by the Chapter 13 plan. Creditors sometimes demand real property and personal property to secure the same debt. Such a claim may be modified by a Chapter 13 plan.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
64 B.R. 684, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-hines-cob-1986.