In re Qimonda Richmond, LLC

476 B.R. 431, 2012 WL 3206478, 2012 Bankr. LEXIS 3636
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Delaware
DecidedAugust 8, 2012
DocketNo. 09-10589 (MFW)
StatusPublished

This text of 476 B.R. 431 (In re Qimonda Richmond, LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Delaware primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Qimonda Richmond, LLC, 476 B.R. 431, 2012 WL 3206478, 2012 Bankr. LEXIS 3636 (Del. 2012).

Opinion

OPINION1

MARY F. WALRATH, Bankruptcy Judge.

Before the Court is the Objection of Qimonda Richmond, LLC (the “Debtor”) to the proofs of claim filed by Wells Fargo Bank, Northwest, N.A. (“Wells Fargo”) and by Macquarie Electronics USA, Inc. (“Macquarie”) for damages allegedly due as a result of the rejection by the Debtor of a lease agreement. For the reasons set forth below, the Court will sustain the Objection in part.

[434]*4341. BACKGROUND

The Debtor is a U.S. subsidiary of an international company, Qimonda AG, that designed, developed, manufactured, and sold memory chip modules. On February 20, 2009, the Debtor filed a voluntary petition for relief under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code (the “Petition Date”). On August 19, 2009, Wells Fargo and Mac-quarie filed proofs of claim in the amount of $191,443,873 and $191,478,085.81, respectively. The Debtor filed objections to the two proofs of claim to which the claimants responded. After confirmation of its plan of reorganization, the Debtor’s successor, the QR Liquidating Trust, filed a motion for summary judgment on the issues raised by the objections to the proofs of claim. The motion has been fully briefed and is now ripe for decision.

II. JURISDICTION

The Court has core jurisdiction over the objections to the proofs of claim. 28 U.S.C. §§ 1334 & 157(b)(2)(B).

III. DISCUSSION

A. Standard of Review

The Court should grant a motion for summary judgment “if the pleadings, the discovery and disclosure materials on file, and any affidavits show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c).2

In considering a motion for summary judgment under Rule 56, the Court must view the inferences from the record in the light most favorable to the non-moving party. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 255, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986); Hollinger v. Wagner Mining Equip. Co., 667 F.2d 402, 405 (3d Cir.1981). If there does not appear to be a genuine issue as to any material fact and on such facts the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law, the Court must enter judgment in the movant’s favor. See, e.g., Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322-24, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986); Carlson v. Arnot-Ogden Mem’l Hosp., 918 F.2d 411, 413 (3d Cir.1990).

The movant bears the burden of establishing that no genuine issue of material fact exists. See Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co., Ltd. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 585 n. 10, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986); Integrated Water Res., Inc. v. Shaw Envtl., Inc. (In re IT Grp., Inc.), 377 B.R. 471, 475 (Bankr.D.Del.2007). A fact is material when it could “affect the outcome of the suit.” Anderson, 477 U.S. at 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505.

Once the moving party has established its prima facie case, the party opposing summary judgment must go beyond the pleadings and point to specific facts showing there is a genuine issue of fact for trial. See, e.g., id. at 252, 106 S.Ct. 2505; Matsushita, 475 U.S. at 585-86, 106 S.Ct. 1348; Michaels v. New Jersey, 222 F.3d 118, 121 (3d Cir.2000); Robeson Indus. Corp. v. Hartford Accident & Indem. Co., 178 F.3d 160, 164 (3d Cir.1999). If the moving party offers only speculation and eonclusory allegations in support of its motion, its burden of proof is not satisfied. See Ridgewood Bd. of Educ. v. N.E. ex rel. M.E., 172 F.3d 238, 252 (3d Cir.1999).

A proof of claim is entitled to prima facie validity. Fed. R. Bankr.P. 3001(f) (“A proof of claim executed and filed in accordance with these rules shall constitute prima facie evidence of the validity and amount of the claim.”). See also [435]*435In re Allegheny Int’l, Inc., 954 F.2d 167, 173 (3d Cir.1992) (“a claim that alleges facts sufficient to support a legal liability to the claimant satisfies the claimant’s initial obligation to go forward.”). The proofs of claim filed by Wells Fargo and Macquarie satisfy that standard. Therefore, the Debtor bears the burden of presenting sufficient credible evidence to refute at least one essential allegation in the claims. Allegheny, 954 F.2d at 173-74. Wells Fargo and Macquarie, as the claimants, however, have the burden of persuasion. Id. at 174.

B. Facts Relevant to the Claims3

In 2007, the Debtor entered into a sale/leaseback arrangement relating to semiconductor manufacturing equipment owned by the Debtor (the “Equipment”). As part of that transaction, the Debtor sold the Equipment to the Qimonda Leasing Trust 2007 (the “Trust”) and simultaneously leased it back pursuant to an Equipment Lease Agreement (the “Lease”). (Ryan Decl. Exs. A & C; Dale Decl. Ex. D.) Pursuant to the Trust Agreement executed by Wells Fargo and Mac-quarie, Wells Fargo agreed to serve as the owner trustee of the Trust. (Ryan Decl. Ex. A.) The Trust raised the funds necessary to purchase the Equipment (approximately $289 million) through an equity investment of $48,614,812 from Macquarie and a loan totaling $240,531,938 from various lenders (the “Loan Participants”) represented by the Bank of Utah (the “Indenture Trustee”). (Ryan Decl. Exs. A & D; Dale Decl. Ex. E.) A Participation Agreement was executed by all the parties detailing the transaction. (Ryan Decl. Ex. B; Dale Decl. Ex. B.)

In connection with the transaction, the Trust issued nonrecourse notes to the Loan Participants and granted a security interest in the Equipment and an assignment of the Lease to the Indenture Trustee on behalf of the Loan Participants. (Ryan Decl. Ex. D at 2 & § 2.05; Dale Decl. Ex. E at 2 & § 2.05.) Under the Lease, the Debtor was obligated to pay all operating expenses of the Equipment, as well as rental payments to the Trust which were sufficient to fully amortize the Loan Participants’ debt in four years. (Dale Decl.

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Bluebook (online)
476 B.R. 431, 2012 WL 3206478, 2012 Bankr. LEXIS 3636, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-qimonda-richmond-llc-deb-2012.