Iola State Bank v. Coberley (In re Coberley)

20 B.R. 557, 1982 Bankr. LEXIS 4000
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Kansas
DecidedJune 3, 1982
DocketBankruptcy No. 81-20459; Adv. No. 81-0244
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 20 B.R. 557 (Iola State Bank v. Coberley (In re Coberley)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Iola State Bank v. Coberley (In re Coberley), 20 B.R. 557, 1982 Bankr. LEXIS 4000 (Kan. 1982).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

BENJAMIN E. FRANKLIN, Bankruptcy Judge.

This matter came on for trial on January 27, 1982, upon a Complaint to Determine the Dischargeability of three debts, under 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2)(A). Plaintiff, The Iola State Bank, appeared by its vice-president, Roger D. Parson, and its attorney, John R. Toland of Toland & Thompson. Defendants/debtors, Jesse and Cindy Co-berley, appeared in person and by their attorney, Blake Hudson of Hudson, Hudson & Mullies. The trustee, F. Stannard Lentz, did not appear.

FINDINGS OF FACT

After hearing testimony of witnesses, reviewing the exhibits, briefs, pleadings and the file herein, this Court finds as follows:

1. That this Court has jurisdiction over the parties and the subject matter; and that venue is proper.

2. That the Coberleys filed a petition for relief under Chapter 7 of Title 11 United States Code on May 19, 1981; and on October 22,1981, they received a discharge, subject to the Court’s determination of the dischargeability of the three debts at issue herein.

3. That the first debt was incurred on July 9, 1980, when The Iola State Bank (hereinafter referred to as ISB) loaned the Coberleys $2,600.00. They used the proceeds to buy a 1979 24-foot gooseneck trailer from Boyd Trailer Sales; and they granted ISB a security interest in the same. ISB did not file a notice of security interest to perfect its lien; rather, it asked Boyd Trailer Sales to see that its lien was noted on the title. The lien was never noted on the title because Boyd was never able to produce a title for the 1979 trailer. On July 24, 1981, Boyd let the Coberleys exchange the 1979 trailer for a 1980 Hale 20-foot trailer, which had good title. Neither Boyd or the Coberleys told ISB about the switch of trailers; and neither Boyd or the Cober-leys had I SB’s lien noted on the 1980 trailer. Instead, on the same date of the switch of trailers, the Coberleys borrowed $2,800.00 from Security State Bank, and granted it a security interest in the 1980 trailer. Security’s lien was noted on the title of the 1980 trailer. ISB subsequently repeatedly asked the Coberleys to bring the title to the 1979 trailer into the bank, so that the bank could make sure its lien was noted on the title. The Coberleys ignored these requests. Not until March or April of 1981, when Mr. Parson confronted Jesse Coberley at home, did Jesse Coberley tell ISB that he had a different trailer than the one shown on ISB’s security agreement.

4. That the second debt was incurred on September 15, 1980, when ISB loaned the Coberleys $3,146.64 and took a security interest in a used 1976 Ford pick-up truck. Mr. Parson noted the lien on the back of the title, and instructed Jesse Coberley to mail the title into the Motor Vehicle Department for recording. Coberley never mailed it in.

5. That the third debt was incurred on January 27, 1981, when ISB loaned the Co-berleys $5,880.00 and took a 45-day promissory note and a security interest in a purchase order. Parson had to get approval from the bank’s discount committee because the two previous notes were then delinquent. Jesse Coberley told Parson that he needed the money for operating expenses, [559]*559because 30 to 45 day delays in payments on purchase orders had created a cash flow problem for his company. Jesse Coberley assured Parson that once payment came in on the pledged purchase order, he could pay this note and bring the other two notes current. Jesse Coberley also told Parson that the purchase order had been received through Wade Coberley, his father, who was acting as a broker in the transaction. Parson called Wade Coberley, who verified the order. Wade Coberley also promised Parson that he would see that payment on the order was made directly to ISB. After the 45 days passed, Parson asked Jesse Co-berley when ISB could expect payment. Jesse Coberley then told Parson that the order had been cancelled. Wade Coberley told Parson that if Jesse Coberley would deliver the goods, he would accept them. Then Jesse Coberley admitted to Parson that he had never manufactured the order, and did not have the materials to manufacture the order.

CONCLUSIONS OP LAW

Plaintiff, ISB, objects to the discharge-ability of three separate and distinct debts under 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2)(A). That section states:

“§ 523. Exceptions to discharge.
(a) A discharge under section 727, 1141, or 1328(b) of this title does not discharge an individual debtor from any debt—
* *****
(2) for obtaining money, property, services, or an extension, renewal, or refinance of credit, by—
(A) false pretenses, a false representation, or actual fraud, other than a statement respecting the debtor’s or an insider’s financial condition; ...”

Pursuant to Bankruptcy Rule 407, which continues in effect under the Code, the creditor objecting to a discharge has the burden of proving the facts essential to the objection. The creditor must make out a prima facie case. Johnson v. Bockman, 282 F.2d 544 (10th Cir. 1960).

The Ninth and Seventh Circuits adopted a five element test for determining when a debt was nondischargeable under § 17a(2) of the old Act. Matter of Nelson, 561 F.2d 1342 (9th Cir. 1977); Carini v. Matera, 592 F.2d 378 (7th Cir. 1979).1 Although this Circuit has not adopted the test, it is a useful guideline. The objecting creditor must prove five elements:

1. That the debtor made the representation;
2. That at the time made, the debtor knew the representation was false;
3. That the debtor made the representation with the intent to deceive the creditor;
4. That the creditor reasonably relied on the representation; and,
5. That the creditor sustained damage as a proximate cause.

I.

With respect to the July 9,1980 loan, ISB contends that the Coberleys defrauded it of its security interest in the 1979 trailer. This Court finds that ISB failed to make out a prima facie case under § 523(a)(2)(A).

The evidence established that at the time of the loan, the Coberleys intended to and did, grant ISB a security interest in the 1979 trailer. Through no fault of the Coberleys, the seller was unable to produce a title for the 1979 trailer, so they prudently accepted the seller’s offer to exchange the 1979 trailer for a trailer with good title. Although the Coberleys should have apprised ISB of these subsequent events, their negligent or even willful failure to do so is not evidence of an intent to deceive at the time the loan was made. The fraud and the intent to deceive must occur at the inception of the loan; subsequent bad acts are not actionable. Therefore, the debt to ISB for the July 9, 1980 loan is discharged.

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Bluebook (online)
20 B.R. 557, 1982 Bankr. LEXIS 4000, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/iola-state-bank-v-coberley-in-re-coberley-ksb-1982.