In re Liberty Mortgage Corp.

245 F. Supp. 858, 1965 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9794
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Ohio
DecidedApril 23, 1965
DocketNo. B 64-5617
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 245 F. Supp. 858 (In re Liberty Mortgage Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Liberty Mortgage Corp., 245 F. Supp. 858, 1965 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9794 (N.D. Ohio 1965).

Opinion

GREEN, District Judge.

This matter is before the Court on the motion of State Savings and Loan Company, a creditor, to dismiss the petition of Liberty Mortgage Corporation (hereinafter referred to as the debtor) for reorganization under Chapter X of the Bankruptcy Act.

On November 2,1964 debtor filed an original petition for an arrangement under Chapter XI of the Bankruptcy Act. As a part of that proceeding certain creditors filed motions to have the debtor adjudicated bankrupt and thereafter a conditional order of adjudication of bankruptcy was entered. Although debtor’s petition does not refer to the order of adjudication, the Court may take judicial notice thereof as it may take judicial notice of all matters of record in this court.

During the course of the Chapter XI proceedings, the Securities and Exchange Commission (hereinafter referred to as S.E.C.) filed a motion pursuant to section 328 of the Act (11 U.S.C. § 728) for dismissal, unless the debtor amended its petition for arrangement so as to comply with the requirements of Chapter X. There was a hearing before the Court on this question. After initial opposition, the debtor consented to the said motion, and an order was entered by the Court requiring debtor to dismiss or file a petition under Chapter X.

(2) The debtor thereafter filed its petition for reorganization under Chapter X. This motion was then filed attacking the “good faith” of the said petition.

Section 141 of the Act (11 U.S.C. § 541) provides:

Upon the filing of a petition by a debtor, the judge shall enter an order approving the petition, if satisfied that it complies with the requirements of this chapter and has been filed in good faith, or dismissing it if not so satisfied.

The term “good faith,” as used in section 141, is defined in section 146 of the Act (11 U.S.C. § 546), which in pertinent part, provides:

Without limiting the generality of the meaning of the term “good faith”, a petition shall be deemed not to be filed in good faith if— *•*•»***
(3) it is unreasonable to expect that a plan of reorganization can be effected; or
(4) a prior proceeding is pending in any court and it appears that the interests of creditors and stock[860]*860holders would be best subserved in such prior proceeding.

The Court set the petition and motion to dismiss for oral argument. Counsel for movant and the debtor appeared, and in addition counsel for the S.E.C. and counsel for certain secured and unsecured creditors attended, including counsel for the creditors committee and counsel for some of the largest unsecured creditors. All counsel who wished to make a statement relative to approval or dismissal of the petition were permitted to do so.

The nature of debtor’s business is basically the buying and selling of real estate, with the ownership of some commercial rental properties.

The debtor had obtained financing from public investors by selling interest bearing investment notes, which presently are outstanding in the hands of about 900 persons in the principal amount of more than $2,000,000. In addition, the debtor has mortgage indebtedness of over $9,000,000.

Counsel for the debtor stated that the filing of approximately 200 foreclosure actions in the months preceding November, 1964 necessitated the filing of the Chapter XI petition. During the course of that proceeding an original and two modified plans were formulated. None of the plans was accepted by the creditors.

At the hearing on the petition and motion to dismiss, counsel for the debtor stated that in management’s opinion they have a functioning operation based on 550 to 580 properties on sale to vendees under land contract. He stated that these properties were self-sustaining as to the first mortgages, but admitted that in those instances where second mortgages existed the income was insufficient to meet the total obligation. He further stated that while certain of the properties owned by the debtor were in a vandalized state, they were limited in number and might be sold to the municipal authorities under urban renewal, or rehabilitated if funds for repairs were available.

Counsel for the debtor stated that in his opinion the debtor could be reorganized based on the hard core land contract properties.

Counsel for movant, who also represents seven other creditors holding secured and unsecured claims, spoke in opposition to the petition. He argued that the petition cannot be considered in good faith, within the meaning of the statute, in that it is unreasonable to expect that a plan of reorganization can be effected.

He stated that the creditors whom he represented were opposed to the debtor’s petition, and believed that the interests of creditors would best be served by a liquidation in bankruptcy.

Counsel for movant pointed out that two other companies engaged in similar ventures as the debtor are presently in bankruptcy in this court.

On a question of law, he urged that each of the 900 mortgages, both first and second mortgages, outstanding against the debtor constitutes a separate class, and that therefore it is unreasonable to assume that approval of any plan can be had.

Counsel for the S.E.C. spoke in favor of approval of the petition. He stated that it complied with the technical requirements of the Act, and further that a disinterested trustee could correct past errors of management.

Counsel for the unsecured creditors committee spoke in opposition to the petition. He stated that in the creditors’ opinion the company was too far gone to be reorganized, and that the mortgage indebtedness was eating away the unsecured creditors’ possible equity with each delay in the proceedings. He urged prompt liquidation in bankruptcy.

A similar statement was made by counsel representing holders of 10% of the value of the outstanding unsecured note debt. He stated that he believed that there was no hope for reorganization of the debtor unless a substantial influx of cash came to the business, which was not in sight. He also urged prompt liquidation in bankruptcy, stating that inaction [861]*861is the worst thing that could happen here.

Counsel for the secured creditor holding the greatest number of first mortgages (365) stated that the present delinquency on these mortgages was over $300,000 and it was steadily increasing. He asserted that in the past six months the debtor had failed to make any payments on about 10% of the outstanding loans.

Counsel for another secured creditor pointed out that although the Chapter XI receiver had substantially reduced the debtor’s overhead, the receiver had nevertheless found it necessary to reduce the mortgage payments by 10%, under authority of court, in order to meet operating expenses.

In response to these statements of opposition, counsel for the debtor stated that because of the pending foreclosures and other litigation, the debtor has experienced difficulty in collecting on the land contracts.

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Bluebook (online)
245 F. Supp. 858, 1965 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9794, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-liberty-mortgage-corp-ohnd-1965.