In re Meybin

104 B.R. 709, 1989 Bankr. LEXIS 1496, 1989 WL 102896
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedJuly 24, 1989
DocketBankruptcy No. 89-0805; Motion No. 89-2727M
StatusPublished

This text of 104 B.R. 709 (In re Meybin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Meybin, 104 B.R. 709, 1989 Bankr. LEXIS 1496, 1989 WL 102896 (W.D. Pa. 1989).

Opinion

[710]*710MEMORANDUM OPINION

BERNARD MARKOYITZ, Bankruptcy Judge.

Before the Court is a Motion For Relief From Automatic Stay Or For Adequate Protection by the first mortgagee, Equi-bank. Equibank opines that the automatic stay has no applicability to three (3) of the four (4) parcels of realty in question, as Debtor has no ownership interest in same. At best, the Moving Party avers Debtor has a power that it will exercise solely for the benefit of an entity other than Debtor, namely the legal title holder.

Equibank alternatively contends that the total amount presently due and owing to it under a promissory note exceeds the fair market value of the premises, and accordingly, Debtor has no equity therein.

With reference to the fourth parcel, which is titled in the Debtor, Equibank avers its debt exceeds the value of its security, and as Debtor is using it as her residence rather than an item for sale, it is not necessary to an effective reorganization.

Debtor denies that she has no “interest in the ... premises” and avers that she has an “interest” in the three (3) parcels titled in strangers to this proceeding by virtue of an agreement and powers-of-attorney relating to a defunct joint venture informally known as Grant Street Project. Debtor denies that she has no equity in the properties and contends that they are necessary for an effective reorganization.

After hearing the testimony offered by the parties, reviewing the exhibits, and researching the law, this Court determines the three (3) parcels not titled in Debtor not to be assets of Debtor’s estate and, accordingly, not subject to the automatic stay. With reference to the fourth parcel titled in Debtor’s name, this Court determines the Moving Party has not met its burden of proof and has not proven that Debtor lacks equity therein. Accordingly, there is no need to proceed to the second question, namely, whether said property is necessary to an effective reorganization.

FACTS

Debtor April Meybin, Stanley and Vina Rideout (the “Rideouts”), Walter and Laura Brannon (the “Brannons”), and Regis and Hurley Bobonis (the “Bobonises”) executed a Joint Venture Agreement on March 31, 1987. While not offered to the Court for its review, a reading of the other documents indicates that the essence of this Joint Venture Agreement provided for the development of a piece of realty, with each participant to own a particular portion thereof.

These same individuals executed and delivered to Equibank on May 20, 1987, a promissory note in the amount of $820,-000.00. As security for the note, Debtor and Charles Meybin, her then-husband, executed a mortgage with respect to the parcel owned by them located at 224 Grant Street, Sewickley, Pennsylvania, as well as a mortgage on two (2) other pieces of developed realty owned by the Meybins. Concurrently, the other joint venturers executed identical mortgages in favor of Equibank, encumbering the parcels titled in their respective name, as well as other pieces of realty owned by that particular joint venture. Specifically, the Rideouts mortgaged 220 Grant Street as well as their residence; the Bobonises mortgaged 228 Grant Street as well as their residence; and the Brannons mortgaged 232 Grant Street as well as their residence.

Apparently disagreements and/or unspoken difficulties arose by and between the parties causing them to execute a document terminating their joint venture on March 13, 1988. The thrust of said document provides for Debtor to repay the other venturers the total sum of $17,180.00 upon the sale of the fourth and final property. In exchange for the repayment, the venturers agree “to waive and relinquish any and all rights which they have or may have had under the Joint Venture Agreement ...”. It is unclear whether this Agreement “to waive and relinquish” is a present waiver and/or whether it is an Agreement “to waive and relinquish” in the future upon repayment. It is clear that the property that is the subject of the [711]*711Agreement shall remain and did remain titled in the individual names of the joint venturers.

The Brannons thereafter executed a Power of Attorney on March 14, 1988, which authorized and constituted Debtor as having a power to sell and convey their respective parcel of realty. The Rideouts and the Bobonises executed similar documents on June 20, 1988.

Prior thereto, and as a result of the Joint Venture default upon the previously mentioned note and mortgage, Equibank filed a Complaint in Confession of Judgment in the Court of Common Pleas Of Allegheny County on April 13, 1988, against all of the signatories to the promissory note. Judgment was subsequently entered against them in the amount of $829,131.80, plus interest, additional late charges, attorney’s fees, and costs. A Writ of Execution was issued by the Prothonotary of Allegheny County on January 4, 1989. The mortgaged premises were listed for a Sheriff’s Sale on April 3, 1989.

Debtor originally filed a voluntary Chapter 11 petition on March 31, 1989. At the time of the original filing, Debtor was designated “Grant Street Project of 220, 224, 228, and 232-236 Grant Street, Sewickley, Pennsylvania, by April Meybin, Attorney-in-Fact”. This original filing effectively stayed the scheduled .sale of the various properties by the Sheriff.

On April 24, 1989, Equibank filed the Motion For Relief From Automatic Stay or For Adequate Protection which is now before the Court. Initially this Motion was scheduled to be heard May 23, 1989.

In the interim, a collateral matter came before the Court, which called to the Court’s attention the unusual nature of this alleged “debtor”. A Memorandum Opinion and Order of Court were issued by this Court on May 15, 1989, which held that the “Debtor” did not qualify as a “person” pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 109(d) and that it was merely a contrivance or creation of counsel and/or Debtor so as to authorize this filing and receive the benefit of the automatic stay. It, was Ordered that the case would be dismissed unless “Grant Street Project” took the necessary steps, within thirty (30) days, to qualify as a “person” under the Code.

The hearing on Equibank’s motion, which initially had been scheduled for May 23, 1989, was continued with the consent of the parties until such time as the “Debtor” complied or failed to comply with the Order issued on May 15, 1989. On June 14, 1989, “Debtor” filed an amended Chapter 11 petition, indicating the “new debtor” as April Meybin, t/a Grant Street Project of 220, 224, 228, and 232-236 Grant Street, Sewick-ley, Pennsylvania. Within thirty (30) days thereafter, a hearing on Equibank’s Motion For Relief From Stay was held, wherein substantial testimony and various exhibits were offered.

ANALYSIS

With certain exceptions not relevant to this case, the filing of a voluntary petition:

... operates as a stay, applicable to all entities, of—
sj« * * sfc sfc sfc
(2) the enforcement, against the debt- or or against the property of the estate, of a judgment obtained before the commencement of the case under this title.

11 U.S.C. § 362(a).

11 U.S.C.

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Related

Who may be a debtor
11 U.S.C. § 109(d)
Automatic stay
11 U.S.C. § 362(a)
Property of the estate
11 U.S.C. § 541

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
104 B.R. 709, 1989 Bankr. LEXIS 1496, 1989 WL 102896, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-meybin-pawd-1989.