Ingersoll v. Kriseman (In Re Ingersoll)

124 B.R. 116, 1991 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2665, 1991 WL 16831
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedFebruary 4, 1991
Docket89-1565-CIV-T 17C
StatusPublished
Cited by57 cases

This text of 124 B.R. 116 (Ingersoll v. Kriseman (In Re Ingersoll)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ingersoll v. Kriseman (In Re Ingersoll), 124 B.R. 116, 1991 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2665, 1991 WL 16831 (M.D. Fla. 1991).

Opinion

APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA

KOVACHEVICH, District Judge.

This cause is before the Court on appeal from the denial of the Debtor’s discharge for bankruptcy pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 727(a)(2) and (a)(4) entered on October 5, 1989, by Chief Bankruptcy Judge Alexander L. Paskay. 106 B.R. 287.

STANDARD OF APPELLATE REVIEW

Findings of fact by the Bankruptcy Court will not be set aside unless clearly erroneous. Bankruptcy Rule 8013; In re *119 Downtown Properties, Ltd., 794 F.2d 647 (11th Cir.1986). However, appellant is entitled to an independent, de novo review of all conclusions of law and the legal significance accorded to the facts. In re Owen, 86 B.R. 691 (M.D.Fla.1988).

FACTS

In 1975, the Debtor, James H. Ingersoll, Jr. and his wife acquired a one-half interest in Lot 132 and 133 of Crystal Downs property located in Benzie County, Michigan. In 1982, they also acquired a one-half interest in Lot 131 of the Crystal Downs property. Pursuant to the purchase of Lots 132 and 133, the Debtor executed a mortgage securing the payment of a $58,000 promissory note. This note required semi-annual installment payments. The final payment was due on June 1, 1984 and the mortgage was finally satisfied on November 28, 1984.

The Debtor became acquainted with the appellee, Donald D. Kriseman, in 1980 when he together with his father, James H. Ingersoll, Sr., and two others purchased the stock of a company known as Modern Wholesale Hardware, Inc., in Pinellas County, Florida. Incident to the purchase of Modern, the Debtor made a personal guarantee payment to the appellee for a lease agreement, a consulting agreement and a promissory note.

In 1982, the Debtor’s father, Mr. Inger-soll, Sr., formed a real estate investment and development corporation known as Hinchliff Corporation. Nine Hundred Twenty (920) shares of Hinchliff shares were issued to Mr. Ingersoll, Sr. and eighty (80) shares were issued to the Debtor. Through Hinchliff Corporation, Mr. Inger-soll, Sr. loaned the Debtor and/or Modern Wholesale a total of $500,000 in 1983 and 1984, and $225,000 in 1985.

On January 1, 1984, the Debtor and his wife entered into an agreement to transfer Lots 132 and 133 of the Crystal Downs property to Mr. Ingersoll, Sr. The Debtor also agreed to transfer his eighty (80) shares of Hinchliff stock back to his father. Despite the agreement to transfer Lots 132 and 133, the Debtor still maintained his five-bedroom summer home on this property. He continued to pay the mortgage payments, maintenance expenses, taxes and insurance on this property. Also on January 1, 1984, the Debtor submitted a mortgage loan application to the First National Bank of Clearwater in which he assigned a value of $200,000 to his supposed ownership interest in the Crystal Downs property. In 1985 and 1986, the Debtor also claimed a deduction for payment of real estate taxes on this Crystal Downs property.

The Hinchliff land trust was executed on February 28, 1984. The title to property known as Lighthouse Towers, Condominiums, Unit # 2006, was vested in the Debt- or as Truster under the land trust. The Debtor was also listed as one of the three beneficiaries of the land trust.

In October of 1984, Mr. Ingersoll, Sr. transferred title to a 1979 Lincoln Towncar to the Debtor. On his application for certification of title and/or vehicle registration and on the motor vehicle sales and use tax report, the Debtor described this transaction as a gift. The certificate of title issued by the State of Florida also showed the Debtor to be the owner of the vehicle. It is an undisputed fact that from October of 1984 through the date in which he filed his bankruptcy Petition, that the Debtor had uninterrupted use of the automobile for personal and business matters.

On November 28, 1984, the First National Bank of Clearwater received a financial statement from the Debtor, in which he claimed that his shares in Hinchliff Corporation were worth $4,000. The Debtor also valued his 1979 Lincoln Towncar at $6,000.

Modern Wholesale Hardware and four related companies filed voluntary Chapter 11 Petitions for Relief on August 1, 1985. The Debtor signed these petitions as president. Modern and the Debtor also defaulted under the consulting agreement and lease agreement with the Appellee, Donald Kriseman. After sending the Debtor many notices of default and demands for payment of financial obligations, the Appellee filed suit on September 5, 1985 against the Debtor and others for breach of the lease agreement. On April 23, 1987, Final Judg *120 ment was entered for the Appellee and against the Debtor in the amount of $668,-872.12.

On November 1, 1985, a quitclaim deed allegedly transferring ownership of Lots 132 and 133 of the Crystal Downs property from the Debtor and his wife to his father, Mr. Ingersoll, Sr., was signed by the Debt- or and notarized. However, the deed was not recorded until January 29, 1988, thirty-two days prior to the Debtor’s filing of the Petition for Relief.

The Debtor filed a Voluntary Petition for Relief under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code on February 28, 1988. Under his schedules and statement of affairs, the Debtor lists his joint ownership with his wife in a 1976 Buick station wagon as the only automobile in which he has an interest. The Debtor also listed his homestead as his only interest in real property. Despite being issued eighty (80) shares of Hinchliff Corporation stock in 1982, the Debtor responded that he did not have any stock or interest in any incorporated or unincorporated companies.

At trial, Judge Paskay denied the Debtor discharge for bankruptcy under 11 U.S.C. § 727(a)(2)(A) and (a)(4)(A). The Bankruptcy Court denied discharge under § 727(a)(2)(A) of the Bankruptcy Code based on its finding that the Debtor had transferred the Crystal Downs property within one (1) year of the date of the filing of the Petition in order to hinder, delay or defraud the Appellee. The court also denied discharge pursuant to § 727(a)(4)(A) upon finding that the Debtor’s failure to disclose his ownership interest in the 1979 Lincoln Towncar was a material omission which was intended to conceal his ownership of the automobile from the Appellee.

ISSUES

I.WHETHER THE BANKRUPTCY COURT ERRED IN FINDING THAT THE DEBTOR TRANSFERRED PROPERTY WITHIN ONE YEAR OF THE DATE OF THE FILING OF THE PETITION WITH THE INTENT TO HINDER, DELAY, OR DEFRAUD HIS CREDITOR.

II.WHETHER THE BANKRUPTCY COURT ERRED IN FINDING THAT THE DEBTOR KNOWINGLY AND FRAUDULENTLY MADE A MATERIAL FALSE OATH IN FAILING TO DISCLOSE HIS INTEREST IN A 1979 LINCOLN TOWNCAR ON HIS SCHEDULE OF ASSETS.

III.WHETHER THE BANKRUPTCY COURT ERRED IN DENYING THE DEBTOR’S MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION.

DISCUSSION

The Appellee objected to the Debtor’s discharge for bankruptcy based on 11 U.S.C.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
124 B.R. 116, 1991 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2665, 1991 WL 16831, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ingersoll-v-kriseman-in-re-ingersoll-flmd-1991.