In Re Schleier

290 B.R. 45, 2003 Bankr. LEXIS 197, 2003 WL 1233089
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. New York
DecidedMarch 14, 2003
Docket14-35028
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 290 B.R. 45 (In Re Schleier) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Schleier, 290 B.R. 45, 2003 Bankr. LEXIS 197, 2003 WL 1233089 (N.Y. 2003).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND DECISION

CECELIA MORRIS, Bankruptcy Judge.

On August 31, 2001, the Bank of New York (“BONY”), the mortgagee on property of the Debtor, Sylvia Schleier (“Schleier”), located at 237 Derby Road, Middle-town, New York (the “property”), received a judgment of foreclosure and sale in New York State Court. Sometime thereafter, after noticing and postponing a foreclosure sale on the property, an auction sale occurred, and a third party made a successful bid for the property. That foreclosure sale began at or about 9:00 a.m. on June 28, 2002, and the sale was struck sometime between 9:15 and 9:20 a.m.

That same day, Schleier filed her Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition pro se. She arrived at the White Plains Courthouse and handed a skeleton petition to a deputy clerk at or just before 9:00 a.m., and offered payment of the complete filing fee in cash. The deputy clerk took the petition, explained that the clerk’s office did not accept cash and, for approximately the next forty minutes, described what other papers were necessary to complete her petition. When their conversation ended, the deputy clerk date and time-stamped Schleier’s petition, “June 28, 2002, 9:36 a.m.”

Almost two months later, on August 16, 2002, BONY moved for (i) an Order vacating the automatic stay for cause pursuant to 11 U.S.C. §§ 362(d)(1), (d)(2), 1301(c)(3), (ii) an Order, allowing the Referee in foreclosure to complete the execution and delivery of the deed to the successful bidder at the foreclosure sale, and (in) a provision allowing the property to remain unaffected by the automatic stay provisions, which may be invoked by any future bankruptcy filings for a period of one year. Schleier filed opposition to the motion on September 6, 2002, and a hearing was scheduled for September 10, 2002.

That September 10th hearing was limited to preliminary matters, primarily for two reasons: first, BONY had failed to submit a memorandum of law in support of its motion as required by S.D.N.Y. LBR 9013 — 1(b), and second, Schleier’s opposition papers were illegible in part. The Court ordered the parties to correct these deficiencies and scheduled an evidentiary hearing on BONY’s motion for October 15, 2002.

Approximately one month before that evidentiary hearing was to take place, however, the Chapter 13 Standing Trustee, on September 14, 2002, moved to dismiss Schleier’s petition pursuant to (i) 11 U.S.C. § 1307(c)(1) for unreasonable delay prejudicial to creditors, (ii) § 1307(c)(3) for failure to file a timely plan, and (iii) § 1307(c)(4) for failure to make payment pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 1326. An affidavit of mailing attested that the Trustee’s motion was served on appropriate parties including Schleier, BONY and BONY’s attorney. A hearing on the Trustee’s motion was scheduled for October 9, 2002.

On September 16, 2002, two days after the Trustee moved to dismiss her petition, Schleier filed legible and amended opposition papers to BONY’s motion for relief from the automatic stay. She did not file opposition papers to the Trustee’s motion to dismiss her petition.

Three days later, on September 19, 2002, BONY filed a response/reply affirmation. Four days after that, on September 23, 2002, BONY filed a memorandum of law. Both were in support of its motion seeking relief from the automatic stay. *48 BONY also did not file responsive papers to the Trustee’s motion to dismiss the ease.

On October 9th, the same day as the hearing on the Trustee’s motion to dismiss the case, Schleier filed (i) a response to BONY’s reply affirmation, (ii) an affidavit of Gilbert Brandt, and (iii) more exhibits including duplicate ones. She still, however, did not file opposition papers or otherwise respond to the Trustee’s motion to dismiss her case.

The October 9th hearing on the Trustee’s motion was held with no opposition received, and this Court entered an Order dismissing Schleier’s petition pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 1307(c)(1), (c)(3) and (c)(4). Three days later, on October 12th, the clerk’s office served by first class mail a Notice of Dismissal of the case on Schleier, and filed a certificate of service to that effect.

Three days after the clerk’s office served Schleier with the Notice of Dismissal, she filed, on October 15, 2002, a motion to vacate the Order of Dismissal arguing that she never received notice of the Trustee’s motion. This Court, by Order filed that same day, scheduled a hearing for November 6, 2002 on Schleier’s motion to vacate the Order of Dismissal.

Two days later, on October 17, 2002, by first class mail, the clerk’s office, served a Notice of Hearing on Schleier’s motion on all appropriate parties including Schleier, BONY and the Trustee. The next day, October 18, 2002, the Trustee filed opposition to Schleier’s motion. One week later, on October 25, 2002, the hearing on Schleier’s motion was adjourned from November 6th to November 20th. Two days before that hearing, on November 18th, Schleier again filed papers, styling these as her “Amended Response to the Reply Affirmation in Support of Motion Seeking Relief From the Stay Provisions of the Automatic Stay and Related Relief.”

The November 20th hearing on Schleier’s motion to vacate the Order of Dismissal was held. At that hearing, BONY orally joined in Schleier’s motion, but for the limited purpose of determining the validity of the foreclosure sale. The Trustee also appeared, but in opposition to the motion. At the conclusion of the hearing and by Order filed that same day, this Court reopened the case, “but solely for the limited purpose of determining the validity of [the mortgage] foreclosure sale,” and scheduled an evidentiary hearing.

On December 9, 2002, that evidentiary hearing was held. Prior to the admission of any evidence, including witness testimony, the parties expressly agreed that in the interests of justice, and in recognition that the Court rather than a jury would be the finder of fact, that they would rely upon the Court’s discretion in regard to the admission and weight of evidence. The parties also expressly agreed that for the purpose of ascertaining relevant facts, the Court would, as part of its judicial function when warranted, but with the recognition that it was not an advocate for either party, ask the parties and/or their witnesses relevant questions, the answers to which might help it reach a decision.

Immediately thereafter, the evidentiary hearing was held. Based on the evidence, the Court makes the following findings of fact:

Facts

1. BONY held a mortgage on debtor’s property at 237 Derby Road, Middle-town, New York.

2. Schleier was in default on that mortgage on the day the day she filed for bankruptcy, June 28, 2002.

3. A foreclosure action was commenced properly in New York Supreme Court, Orange County.

*49 4. Richard N. Lentino, Esq. was appointed as Referee by Court Order dated June 25, 2001.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
290 B.R. 45, 2003 Bankr. LEXIS 197, 2003 WL 1233089, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-schleier-nysb-2003.