In Re James

260 B.R. 498, 2001 Bankr. LEXIS 569, 2001 WL 333022
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Idaho
DecidedMarch 6, 2001
Docket19-00045
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 260 B.R. 498 (In Re James) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Idaho primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re James, 260 B.R. 498, 2001 Bankr. LEXIS 569, 2001 WL 333022 (Idaho 2001).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION

JIM D. PAPPAS, Chief Judge.

I. Background.

Craig James (“Debtor”) filed a petition for relief under Chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code on July 28, 2000. John H. Krommenhoek (“Trustee”) is the Chapter 13 trustee. Debtor’s Amended Chapter 13 plan (Docket No. 54) is now before the Court for confirmation. Trustee and Creditors David Young (“Young”) and Susan Storey (“Storey”) object to confirmation of Debtor’s plan.

A confirmation hearing concerning Debtor’s original Chapter 13 plan, filed August 15, 2000, was held on December 7, 2000, at which the Court heard testimony and received evidence. Counsel for the parties provided oral closing arguments to the Court on December 20. At the conclusion of that hearing, the Court offered Debtor an opportunity to submit an amended plan. He filed that amended plan on December 22, 2000. Docket No. 54. Young and Storey then filed written *501 objections to Debtor’s amended plan 1 (Docket Nos. 58; 59) and Debtor responded to those objections. Docket No. 60. Trustee’s Findings and Recommendations were filed on February 26, 2001. Docket No. 71. The issues so raised were taken under advisement. This memorandum constitutes the Court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law. Fed.R.Bankr.P. 7052; 9014. While the Court suspects that Debt- or could propose a confirmable plan, for the reasons discussed below, the Court concludes it should deny confirmation of the present amended plan.

II. Facts.

Debtor is an attorney who had practiced for several years in Boise. Debtor then decided to make a change. His financial difficulties arose from a business venture he and Storey, Debtor’s former wife, undertook in 1994. Debtor quit the practice of law, and he, Storey and Young entered into a contract whereby Debtor and Storey agreed to operate Young’s base camp for sailing vacations on the island of St. Vincent in the Caribbean. Soon after Debtor and Storey arrived in paradise, the parties’ business relationship began to deteriorate and disputes arose concerning amounts of money owed and paid by the parties. By 1995, the business arrangement had terminated, Debtor and Storey had moved back to Boise, and Young had sued the pair for damages in Virginia state court.

The state court litigation has been a long, expensive, and for Debtor, ugly, experience. During its course, the Virginia court has imposed severe sanctions against Debtor. At one point, it fined him $20,000 and dismissed his counterclaims against Young with prejudice for engaging it what the state court concluded were discovery abuses. Debtor’s Exhibits 30 and 24; Young’s Exhibits B(5) and B(7). Debtor paid the fine. Young had requested further sanctions be imposed against Debtor and that motion was scheduled to be heard in Virginia on August 1, 2000. Debtor’s Exhibit 41; Young’s Exhibit D. In the sanctions motion, Young asked the state court to bar Debtor and Storey from introducing any evidence; requested entry of summary judgment concerning a promissory note and on all issues of liability; and sought recovery of thousands of dollars in attorneys’ fees and costs from Debtor. Debtor’s Exhibit 41; Young’s Exhibit D. Debtor’s bankruptcy filing intervened to stay any hearing on the motion. While a judgment on the merits has not been rendered in state court, Young has filed an unsecured proof of claim in this bankruptcy case for $303,418.98. Debtor disputes the validity of the claim.

After returning from the Caribbean, Debtor and Storey divorced. Under the provisions of their divorce decree, Debtor was ordered to indemnify Storey for a variety of the parties’ debts, including any obligations arising from the litigation with Young. Docket No. 47, Decree of Divorce attached to Storey’s Objection to Confirmation.

Since March of 1999, Debtor has held and used his brother’s power of attorney (Young’s Exhibit O) concerning a 1993 Toyota Camry allegedly owned by the brother, but in Debtor’s possession. Initially, Debtor did not list the Camry on his Schedules, nor did he assert any legal or equitable interest in the vehicle. Following the hearing on this matter, Debtor amended his Schedules to show ownership of the Camry. Debtor has also provided for payment to his brother as a secured *502 creditor for the car in the amended plan. Docket Nos. 56; 54. Debtor’s approach to dealing with the car, and with his brother creditor’s claim, in the bankruptcy case has been criticized by Storey and Young.

In addition, these creditors complain about Debtor’s characterization of his living arrangement. Before filing for bankruptcy, Debtor entered into a rental agreement with an option to purchase a Boise residence. Young Exhibit G. Debtor thereafter transferred the purchase option to his girlfriend, Constance Marshall (“Marshall”). Marshall executed the option and purchased the residence in her name. Debtor lives in the home with Marshall and shares living expenses with her. Debtor asserts no ownership interest in the real property in his Schedules.

Debtor claims nearly all of his personal property is exempt.

Debtor operates his law practice 2 under an agreement with the law firm of Mauk & Burgoyne. He provides his services to the firm and its clients, and in return, shares in the income from the cases on which he works. The firm’s 1999 profit and loss statement shows Debtor received $70,557.54 in income under this arrangement through December 17, 1999. Young’s Exhibit E. Through October 31, 2000, Debtor had drawn $49,652.53 in income. Young Exhibit E. The 2000 Profit and Loss Statement shows Debtor draws about $5,000 per month. Young’s Exhibit E. Debtor’s Schedule I shows Debtor’s represents his net income to be $3,950 per month after deductions for taxes and other items of $550. Debtor’s Schedule J itemizes living expenses totaling $2,195 per month.

Debtor’s original Chapter 13 plan proposed that he make payments of $1,755 per month for 36 months, the minimum term allowed under the Bankruptcy Code. Debtor’s amended plan proposes to extend the term of his plan to 48 months, and to increase the monthly payment amount to $2,000, effective in December, 2000. By the Court’s calculation, Debtor proposes payments into his plan totaling $95,020. 3 The amended plan requires the Chapter 13 Trustee to pay administrative claims to Debtor’s bankruptcy counsel of $18,058.46 for fees and costs, and $7,077.92 to Debtor Virginia counsel for postpetition services. 4 From what’s left, the plan proposes payment on secured claims to Debtor’s friend, Harold Morgan, in the amount of $1,539 for “storage fees” and to Debtor brother, Brent James, in the amount of $10,303.21 for the purchase of the Camry. Both of these claims were added to the plan following the hearings on this matter. In addition, Debtor proposes that $2,500 allegedly held by his accountant Reisse Perin in a trust account be surrendered to the accountant for payment of prepetition services.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
260 B.R. 498, 2001 Bankr. LEXIS 569, 2001 WL 333022, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-james-idb-2001.