In re Raschke

41 B.R. 182, 1984 Bankr. LEXIS 5504
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Wisconsin
DecidedJune 13, 1984
DocketBankruptcy No. MM13-83-01923
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 41 B.R. 182 (In re Raschke) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Wisconsin primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Raschke, 41 B.R. 182, 1984 Bankr. LEXIS 5504 (W.D. Wis. 1984).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER FOR CONFIRMATION

ROBERT D. MARTIN, Bankruptcy Judge.

This case is before the court on an objection to confirmation and motion to dismiss filed by Mrs. Mathilda Gregerson. Mrs. Gregerson contends that the plan was not proposed in good faith and does not afford her the treatment required by 11 U.S.C. § 1325(a)(5) in that it fails to recognize her claim for an equitable lien or a constructive trust in her favor by virtue of the debtors’ wrongful taking of her money and property. The facts of the case demonstrate a painful story of affection, need, generosity, confused communication, and ultimately recrimination which was put before the court in long hours of sometimes emotional testimony.

Mrs. Gregerson, who is 78 years old and suffering from ailments which now confine her to a wheelchair, has been acquainted with the debtors for about 25 years. During that time the Raschkes had driven taxis which Mr. and Mrs. Gregerson used as a primary means of transportation. Following Mr. Gregerson’s death in 1973 the Raschkes, particularly Mr. Raschke, provided additional assistance to Mrs. Gregerson. Mr. Raschke aided her with complete fidelity in carrying out banking errands. After Mrs. Gregerson had knee surgery in July 1980, the Raschkes looked in on Mrs. Gre-gerson daily and brought her meals as a part of the “meals on wheels” program. A close relationship and genuine affection grew. Mrs. Gregerson noted the importance to elderly citizens of the taxicab service which the Raschkes provided in Bara-boo and appreciated the friendly concern demonstrated by the Raschkes personally.

In 1979 Mr. Raschke mentioned to Mrs. Gregerson that he wished to have a garage for the taxi business but could not obtain financing. Thereafter Mrs. Gregerson made money available to Mr. Raschke for the purpose of building a garage. Both the amount of money and the terms under which it was made available are disputed. Mrs. Gregerson states that she initially consented to Mr. Raschke’s request to borrow $5,000.00 for the garage upon his agreement to repay the money in one year’s time. Mr. Raschke states that Mrs. Gregerson told him she was making a gift which she wanted revealed to no one. But Mr. Raschke recalls insisting he would repay the sums advanced. Mrs. Gregerson testified that an additional term of the loan was that Mr. Raschke would “look after [184]*184her.” Mrs. Gregerson transferred approximately $7,000.00 to Mr. Raschke during the time that the garage was being built. Following those transfers Mr. Raschke offered free taxi service to Mrs. Gregerson which she declined, insisting on paying for each ride. Other transfers to Mr. Raschke from Mrs. Gregerson for the taxi business occurred after the completion of the garage. Mr. Raschke now acknowledges these transfers to be loans which he agreed to repay.

Mrs. Gregerson had regular income from her husband’s railroad retirement fund, and maintained a savings account which in June 1979 had a balance of $30,993.55. After the transfers to Mr. Raschke for building the garage and for assistance in the business the savings account balance had declined to $24,382.88. In the year following the completion of the garage Mrs. Gre-gerson had somewhat declining health and required medical attention including inter alia knee surgery in July 1980. Following that knee surgery the relationship between the Raschkes and Mrs. Gregerson became even warmer as they demonstrated concern for her welfare and she a concern for their business and persons.

Mrs. Gregerson became convinced that her health would be improved by a move to a warmer, dryer climate. Over a course of months plans were made for the Raschkes to move with Mrs. Gregerson to California. California was selected in preference to Arizona on the basis that Mr. Raschke’s son assured Mr. Raschke of employment in San Jose. Before leaving Wisconsin for California in 1981 Mrs. Gregerson directed Mr. Raschke to purchase a car for the travel. Mr. Raschke found a suitable 1974 Mercury which was purchased with $2,200.00 of Mrs. Gregerson’s money and titled in Mr. Raschke’s name. Mrs. Gre-gerson claims that she lent the money to Raschke for the car purchase but he claims that the car was at all times Mrs. Greger-son's and the title in his name was at her insistence and only for convenience since Mrs. Gregerson did not drive. As another preparation for departure to California, $5,000.00 from Mrs. Gregerson’s savings account was used to pay off the remaining debt on the Raschke’s taxis. The Raschkes were transferring the taxi business and the autos to their daughter and son-in-law and it was desired by all that the new owners have a fresh start in that business free of the car debts.

Upon arrival in California Mr. Raschke took a good job and the three set up a single household where Mr. Raschke paid most rent and utility charges and Mrs. Gregerson made some payments toward food. Mrs. Gregerson did make substantial contributions to the household by purchasing furniture, kitchen appliances, a washing machine, dryer and power mower. Mr. Raschke understood those purchases to be gifts to Mrs. Raschke. Mrs. Gregerson was unsure whether the furniture and appliances were gifts but indicated she had intended the power mower to be a gift to Mr. Raschke. During the period of the residency in California Mrs. Gregerson acknowledges that she made an outright gift of some $500.00 to Mr. Raschke’s son Jack when he was at their residence. She declined to elaborate on the gift saying that the transaction was with Jack alone, that it was intended to be a gift and that she seeks no recovery for it.

By all accounts the three lived as a family in California. The single rift during that time arose, according to Mrs. Gregerson, when she first requested repayment in June or July of 1981 and Mr. Raschke angrily denied that he had ever borrowed money from her. In emotional testimony Mrs. Gregerson testified to having been frightened by Mr. Raschke’s profane response. However, there is no testimony that the Raschke’s treatment of Mrs. Gre-gerson was materially changed by the incident. Mr. Raschke recalls no such incident.

In August 1981 Mrs. Gregerson’s health had deteriorated and she decided to return to Baraboo to seek medical attention from doctors she preferred. Mr. and Mrs. Raschke accompanied her and set up a joint household in Baraboo. Total moving ex[185]*185penses for the three of about $4,000.00 were paid by Mrs. Gregerson and their recovery is not sought. Mr. Raschke who was unable to find a job in Baraboo soon returned to California to resume his former work but Mrs. Raschke remained in Bara-boo with Mrs. Gregerson. Mrs. Greger-son’s health continued to be a problem and she was hospitalized for a few weeks in the fall of 1981. Mrs. Raschke looked after Mrs. Gregerson both before and after her hospitalization. However, Mrs. Gregerson soon decided that she should enter a nursing home. Mrs. Raschke assisted Mrs. Gregerson in preparations for transfer to the nursing home but after the transfer she promptly rejoined her husband in California.

At the time of her entry into the nursing home Mrs. Gregerson’s savings account was essentially depleted. Mrs. Gregerson had left many possessions with Mrs. Raschke at the house in Baraboo but was too sick at the time to have a present recollection of what was said concerning the disposition of her possessions. Mrs. Raschke testified that those possessions were sold for little money, given to Mrs. Gregerson’s relatives and charities or disposed of according to Mrs.

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41 B.R. 182, 1984 Bankr. LEXIS 5504, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-raschke-wiwd-1984.