In re RML Development, Inc.

528 B.R. 150, 2014 WL 3378578
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Tennessee
DecidedJuly 10, 2014
DocketTax ID / EIN: 20-2492061; No. 13-29244
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 528 B.R. 150 (In re RML Development, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re RML Development, Inc., 528 B.R. 150, 2014 WL 3378578 (Tenn. 2014).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER AMENDING THE COURT’S JUNE 9, 2014 ORDER AND JUNE 18, 2014 SUPPLEMENTAL ORDER COMBINED WITH NOTICE OF THE ENTRY THEREOF

DAVID S. KENNEDY, Chief Judge.

RML Development, Inc., dba Pinetree Place Apartments dba Raintree Apartments, the above-named Chapter 11 debt- or (“RML”), previously sought to sell two residential apartment complexes located in Memphis, Tennessee, outside the ordinary course of business under 11 U.S.C. § 363 prior to the approval of the § 1125 disclosure statement. The court entered two prior orders authorizing RML to sell the two residential apartment complexes. SPCP Group III CNI 1, LLC (“Silver-point”) asserts a valid first mortgage security interest in the two apartment complexes and also seeks to be allowed to credit bid under § 363(k) at a § 363 auction sale.

The court now addresses, considering a totality of the particular facts and circumstances and applicable law of this case, whether Silverpoint should be allowed to credit bid at the § 363 sales and additionally whether the court’s prior orders should be amended, in part. The following shall constitute the court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law. These findings of fact and conclusions of law may be referred to as the court’s “Amended § 363 Sale Order.”

Relevant Background

Silverpoint filed the instant “Motion to Amend Sale Order” on June 24, 2014, seeking to amend the court’s prior § 363 sale orders to allow it a right to credit bid under §' 363(k) and also to establish bid procedures that essentially establish an auction sale process. The motion was brought pursuant to Fed. R. Bankr.P. 9023 and Fed.R.Civ.P. 59. Notice was provided to all parties in interest, and the court held a hearing on July 8, 2014. This is a core proceeding under 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(N), (A), and (O). The bankruptcy court has exclusive jurisdiction over these properties and also has the statutory and constitutional authority to hear and determine the matters regarding these properties of the estate. 28 U.S.C. §§ 1334(e) and 157(b)(2); see also Executive Benefits Insurance Agency v. Arkison (In re Bellingham Insurance Agency, Inc.), — U.S. -, 134 S.Ct. 2165, 189 L.Ed.2d 83 (2014).

RML’s § 541(a) bankruptcy estate primarily includes two residential apartment complexes located in Memphis, Tennessee, Pinetree Apartments1 and the Raintree Apartments2 (collectively the “Real Properties”). Silverpoint asserts a valid, first claim (POC # 5) secured by the Real Properties in the amount of $2,543,579.65. The supporting documentation to Silverpoint’s claim indicates that its claim arose pursuant to a promissory note, deed of trust, and other documents that all were executed on August 2, 2012. Its claim is not a purchase money security interest. RML filed a limited objection to Silverpoint’s claim. Also, Mr. Slawomir Wisniewski (“Mr. Wisniewski”) asserts a claim (POC #25) secured by the Real Properties in the amount of $3,860,000.00. Mr. Wis-[153]*153niewski’s claim is based on a constructive trust theory for his asserted superior legal interest that arose prior to Silverpoint’s financing arrangement. Silverpoint objected to Mr. Wisniewski’s claim.3

Furthermore, one of RML’s shareholders, Mr. Roman Sledziejowski, filed bankruptcy in the Southern District of New York. Ms. Marianne O’Toole (“Ms. O’Toole”) was subsequently appointed the Chapter 7 Trustee of the estate of Roman Sledziejowski (“Mr. Sledziejowski”).4 Ms. O’Toole alleges in the Southern District of New York that Mr. Sledziejowski operated a Ponzi scheme to defraud his creditors. Ongoing proceedings in New York seek, among other things, to substantively consolidate this chapter 11 case with Mr. Sled-ziejowski’s chapter 7 case and possibly other estates as well. At this time in this case, it is unclear what role RML may have played, if any, in Mr. Sledziejowski’s alleged scheme.

RML originally filed a § 363 sale motion5 on December 17, 2013, to sell the Real Properties outside the ordinary course of business. Objections were raised by the U.S. Trustee for Region 8 (Tennessee and Kentucky), Silverpoint, and Ms. O’Toole. RML employed Mr. Steve Woodyard (“Mr. Woodyard”) with court approval as its Real Estate Professional to market and sell the Real Properties. The original § 363 sale motion was withdrawn and a second motion6 was filed on March 6, 2014. Objections followed. The court held numerous hearings on these proceedings. Mr. Woodyard testified at several of the prior § 363 hearings that, among other things, offers were made on the Real Properties and that creating an orderly sale process is absolutely needed to bring the offerors to a successful closing.

After several more court hearings, which as a practical matter seemingly accomplished little, the court entered its first order on June 9, 2014, authorizing RML, among other things, to sell the Pinetree Apartments for the amount of $1,700,000.00 to WI Memphis, LLC, and, also, to allow WI Memphis, LLC, a due diligence period through July 10, 2014. On June 18, 2014, the court entered a supplemental order to its June 9, 2014 order that authorized RML and Mr. Woodyard to close the § 363 sale of Pine-tree and escrow the proceeds pending further order of the court and, also, to market, sale, close, and escrow the proceeds from Raintree. Both sales were to be free and clear of all asserted liens, claims, rights, interests, and encumbrances with all such liens, claims, rights, interests, and encumbrances being transferred to the sale proceeds to be held pending further order of this court. Neither sale has closed to date. Silverpoint now moves to amend the court’s prior orders to expressly permit it to “credit bid” under § 363(k) at a § 363 auction sale.

Conclusions of Law

The term “credit bid” is not defined or even found in the Bankruptcy Code and instead is a colloquial term used to express a secured creditor’s right to bid at the sale of its collateral and then, at closing, offset the purchase price by the value of its [154]*154outstanding claim secured by the collateral being purchased. This colloquial term aptly describes a secured creditor’s rights as articulated in 11 U.S.C. § 363(k); hence, a secured creditor’s assertion of its § 363(k) rights is commonly referred to as “credit bidding.”

Though the term “credit bid” seems straightforward enough, the mechanics of § 363(k) credit bidding deserve special attention and provide guidance that will prove helpful in this discussion. Section 363(k) reads:

At a sale under subsection (b) of this section of property that is subject to a lien that secures an allowed claim,

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Bluebook (online)
528 B.R. 150, 2014 WL 3378578, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-rml-development-inc-tnwb-2014.