In re Shuler

117 B.R. 96, 1990 Bankr. LEXIS 1533, 1990 WL 105035
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Vermont
DecidedJune 27, 1990
DocketBankruptcy No. 89-00170
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 117 B.R. 96 (In re Shuler) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Vermont primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Shuler, 117 B.R. 96, 1990 Bankr. LEXIS 1533, 1990 WL 105035 (Vt. 1990).

Opinion

ORDER DENYING OBJECTION TO EXEMPTION

FRANCIS G. CONRAD, Bankruptcy Judge.

This contested matter1 is before us on Ashline’s objection to Debtor’s claimed homestead exemption in proceeds of a promissory note originally made payable to Debtor from J.T. Martell (Martell). Ash-line claims a State Court trustee process judgment against Martell divested Debtor of any interest in the note. We hold the note is property of the estate and not subject to any interest or lien of Ashline because Ashline failed to obtain the required execution on the trustee process judgment.

On June 21, 1989, Debtor filed a voluntary petition under Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. §§ 101, et seq. In Schedule B-4 of Debtor’s petition a second mortgage from Martell was listed as being available to fund a $7,000 “wild card” exemption. 12 Vt.Stat.Ann. § 2740(7).2 Debtor did not list as an estate asset Martell’s promissory note to Debtor in the amount of $25,000, plus interest.

After hearing, the parties agreed the matter could be submitted on briefs. Although no stipulation of facts was filed we [98]*98are able to ascertain, the salient facts necessary for a determination from the parties' briefs and pleadings.

The objection springs from the Bankruptcy Code and is coiled in a lawsuit filed by Ashline against Debtor to recover damages for Debtor’s default on a $130,000 promissory note running to Ashline. Karl C. Ashline v. Richard J. Shuler, Chittenden Superior Court, Docket No. S1249-87 CnC.

Accompanying the State Court action, Ashline moved for, and obtained trustee process on all goods, credits, and effects of Debtor held by Martell. Ashline received a pre-judgment Order for trustee process against Martell.

Although represented by counsel Debtor did not file an answer to Ashline’s complaint. Ashline moved for, and received, a default judgment for $140,748.98, plus interest, attorney’s fees, and costs. This judgment is recorded properly in the Burlington City Clerk’s Office, but it was never personally served on Debtor.

Before the default judgment was issued the Superior Court issued an Order of approval and summons to the trustee for Martell that was served on Martell. Following Vermont’s Civil Procedure, Martell filed his trustee disclosure under oath in which two promissory notes were listed as personal property owing to Debtor. The first note, dated May 11, 1987, was a demand note in the amount of $2,500. The second note, also dated May 11,1987, was a $25,000 installment promissory note. The first payment under this second note is not due until June 1, 1992.

After the default judgment was entered, Ashline filed a motion for the determination of amounts owing on the trustee process judgment against Martell. At or about the same time, Martell brought a separate civil action against Debtor alleging that the debt due Debtor, as evidenced by the notes, was offset in whole or in part by certain agreements between Debtor and Martell. John T. Martell v. Richard J. Shuler, Chittenden Superior Court Docket No. S429-88 CnC. We are not sure if Martell was exercising his rights as a trustee under 12 Vt.Stat.Ann. § 3078 or whether this was a separate declaratory judgment action. Our decision is based on post-judgment activities or lack thereof of Ash-line, and therefore, we don’t believe this last factual distinction is significant.

The Superior Court consolidated the two actions and held a non-jury trial. Debtor, represented by counsel, testified at the hearing about the notes in question. On August 9, 1988, the Superior Court filed an Opinion and Order in which it determined that the two notes were payable in full by Martell and directly to Ashline. This Opinion and Order was not appealed.

Martell paid Ashline the proceeds of the $2,500 note but has not acknowledged any payment on the second note. Martell and Ashline have since agreed to place an amount of money equal to the amount of the second note’s principal plus accrued interest in escrow pending our ruling on Ashline’s objection to the claimed exemption.

By the objection Ashline seeks an order from us holding that the claimed exemption may not be funded by the proceeds of the Martell note because, in Ashline’s view, the Superior Court Order against Martell extinguished any interest Debtor had in the note. Debtor does not dispute the judgment. Debtor points out, however, that prior to any property being taken to satisfy the trustee process judgment it must be preceded by an execution. No post-judgment execution took place in this matter.

Within the Ashline/Debtor State Court case Ashline started a trustee action against Martell. Martell, however, initiated his own separate civil action to determine the amount Martell owed Debtor. The Order signed by the Superior Court Judge makes a finding that because of the conduct of Debtor and Martell during the transaction out of which the promissory note arose, and a merger at closing, all differences between Martell and Debtor were reconciled. We interpret this to mean Martell owed Debtor the full amount on the promissory note.

After the above finding, the Superior Court Judge then entered an opinion and [99]*99order in favor of Ashline and against Mar-tell who was directed to pay Ashline according to the note in question. This opinion and order was not appealed.

The first payment on the note in question is not due until June 1, 1992. We interpret the State Court’s opinion and order that “Martell ... shall pay Ashline according to the note in question” as the requisite finding required by 12 Vt.Stat.Ann. § 3078.3

Ashline argues that the judgment it obtained against Martell was enough to vest the note in Ashline and to wrest it away from Debtor. Hence, on bankruptcy day it was not property of the estate. We disagree.

We have several reasons for our disagreement with Ashline's position. Any of them support our placement of the promissory note at issue in the bankruptcy estate under 11 U.S.C. § 541(a).4

First, in every action to enforce a judgment in Vermont, unless a Court directs otherwise, a writ of execution must issue. V.R.Civ.P. 69.5 Rule 69 makes no exception for trustee process actions. Thus, we conclude an execution must issue to enforce a trustee process judgment. The execution may issue directly or derivatively from the judgment debtor’s execution. The rule, although not cross-referenced to a statute, appears to derive from 12 Vt.Stat.Ann. § 3080 which states;

When a person is adjudged a trustee on account of money due the defendant at the time judgment is rendered, the court shall determine the amount which the trustee shall pay on such judgment, and execution may issue directly against the goods, chattels or estate of the trustee for the same. When execution issues against the defendant, the amount of the judgment against the trustee shall be certified thereon.

Id., (emphasis ours). This section provides for alternative writs of execution against the trustee, that is, against either the trustee directly or by certification on the defendant’s execution, but it nevertheless provides for some form of execution. See, Spring v.

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Related

In re Shuler
130 B.R. 430 (D. Vermont, 1991)

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Bluebook (online)
117 B.R. 96, 1990 Bankr. LEXIS 1533, 1990 WL 105035, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-shuler-vtb-1990.