J. P. Castagna, Inc. v. Castagna, No. Cv920523960 (Apr. 7, 1995)

1995 Conn. Super. Ct. 3634, 14 Conn. L. Rptr. 56
CourtConnecticut Superior Court
DecidedApril 7, 1995
DocketNo. CV920523960
StatusUnpublished

This text of 1995 Conn. Super. Ct. 3634 (J. P. Castagna, Inc. v. Castagna, No. Cv920523960 (Apr. 7, 1995)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Connecticut Superior Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
J. P. Castagna, Inc. v. Castagna, No. Cv920523960 (Apr. 7, 1995), 1995 Conn. Super. Ct. 3634, 14 Conn. L. Rptr. 56 (Colo. Ct. App. 1995).

Opinion

[EDITOR'S NOTE: This case is unpublished as indicated by the issuing court.]MEMORANDUM OF DECISION CT Page 3635 In its present posture, this is an action under the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act. C.G.S. §§ 52-552a to 52-552l.

The sole defendant now is Constance B. Castagna. Her husband, John P. Castagna, Sr., was the original defendant in this case. As of July 1, 1992, John P. Castagna, Sr. was indebted to the plaintiff. John P. Castagna, Sr. and Constance B. Castagna were joint owners of a property located in Clinton, Connecticut. On July 14, 1992, John P. Castagna, Sr. transferred to Constance B. Castagna "all of his interest in said property without consideration and with the intent of avoiding the plaintiff's debt and hindering its collection." Amended Complaint, Count 2, ¶ 7.

This action began by a complaint dated August 12, 1992. At that time John P. Castagna, Sr., was the sole defendant.

On August 6, 1993, the defendant John P. Castagna, Sr. filed a voluntary petition in bankruptcy. On February 10, 1994 he received a discharge order. In May or June of 1993, the plaintiff amended its complaint, adding Constance B. Castagna as a defendant, and alleging this cause of action under the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act. [115 — 117] At that time, plaintiff filed a lis pendens in the Clinton Land Records relating to this action. Plaintiff did not effect a prejudgment remedy against the Clinton property.

The action against the original defendant, John P. Castagna, Sr. has been withdrawn because of his bankruptcy discharge. [119] The defendant Constance B. Castagna has moved for summary judgment claiming "that the plaintiff is seeking to set aside a conveyance of real property as a fraudulent conveyance, when the plaintiff had no valid lien against the property before the underlying debt was discharged in bankruptcy." Defendant Constance B. Castagna's Motion for Summary Judgment. [126]1

Correct analysis of the situation here begins with Section 524 of the Bankruptcy Code. The pertinent part provides as follows as follows:

(a) A discharge in a case under this title — CT Page 3636

(2) operates as an injunction against the commencement or continuation of an action, the employment of process, or an act, to collect, recover or offset any such debt as a personal liability of the debtor, whether or not discharge of such debt is waived;

(e) Except as provided in subsection (a)(3) of this section, discharge of a debt of the debtor does not affect the liability of any other entity on, or the property of any other entity for, such debt.

The language of that section is clear, the bankruptcy discharge does not effect the liability of any other entity or person for the debts discharged in bankruptcy.

"Together, the language of these sections reveals that Congress sought to free the debtor of his personal obligations while ensuring that no else reaps a similar benefit."

Green v. Welsh, 956 F.2d 30, 33 (2 Cir. 1992).2 Kathy B. Enterprises, Inc. v. United States, 779 F.2d 1413 (9th Cir. 1986), "involve[d] the Internal Revenue Service's attempts to collect taxes from the recipient of a delinquent taxpayer's fraudulent conveyance." 779 F.2d 1414. The delinquent taxpayer had fraudulently conveyed the assets of his accounting business to Kathy B. Enterprises, Inc. [Kathy B.]. Kathy B. was in the medical supply business and "had never engaged in the accounting business." Id. Immediately upon receipt of the assets of the accounting business, Kathy B. sold those assets to an accounting firm. Under the terms of the sale, Kathy B. was to be paid in installments by the accounting firm.

Sometime after the fraudulent transfer, the IRS assessed back taxes against the taxpayer. He filed a petition in bankruptcy and later received a discharge in bankruptcy. "[T]he IRS tried to collect the tax debt by seizing the proceeds Kathy B. was receiving for the sale of taxpayer's business. To do this, the IRS levied against Kathy B.'s Arizona bank account and against the accounting firm that purchased the business." "Kathy B. filed suit in the federal district court to enjoin the IRS's collection efforts." Id. CT Page 3637

The district court held for the IRS. Kathy B. appealed claiming "that the bankruptcy court's discharge of the taxpayer's liability for the taxes also discharges the liability that fraudulent transferees of the taxpayer had for that debt under state law." Id.

The court held the IRS could collect in this manner. It held that the language of § 524(e) was clear. The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld the district court stating: "We see no reason to infer an exception to clear statutory language for the benefit of recipients of fraudulent conveyances." Kathy B. Enterprises, Inc. v. United States,779 F.2d 1413, 1415 (9th Cir. 1986).

A similar result was reached in Dixon v. Bennett,531 A.2d 1318 (Md.App. 1987). In that case, plaintiff, an unsecured creditor, brought an action pursuant to the Maryland Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act. The defendants were the alleged fraudulent transferees. The debtor, one Rice, was indebted to the plaintiff. Rice received a discharge in bankruptcy. Shortly thereafter, plaintiff brought an action against the defendants, Rice's alleged fraudulent transferees. The trial court found that [plaintiff] was "`precluded from individually suing to set aside a fraudulent conveyance subsequent to the debtors discharge in bankruptcy.'" Id., 531 A.2d 1326.

The Maryland Court of Special Appeals, therefore, found "it necessary to discuss briefly the effect of the debtor's discharge on [plaintiff's] right to bring a cause of action against the fraudulent transferee . . . ." Id.

The discharge provision of the Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. § 524, consistent with fundamental bankruptcy policy, provides the debtor with a fresh start free from the burdens of preexisting liabilities. Under § 524, the discharge only (i) extinguishes personal liability of the debtor; and (ii) prevents creditors whose claims arose pre-bankruptcy from any actions to impose personal liability on the debtor. 11 U.S.C. § 524 (1978). Section 524(e) expressly provides that the `discharge of a debt of the debtor does not affect the liability of any other entity on, or the property of any other entity for, such debt.' § 524(e).

Under § 16 of the Bankruptcy Act of 1898, Ch. 541, 30 CT Page 3638 Stat. 544 (1898), the limitation of discharge provision restricted actions to those against co-debtors, guarantors, or other sureties. The language of § 524(e) of the 1978 Bankruptcy Code reveals a congressional intent to broaden the rights of creditors, by preserving their actions against third parties and their property, and to restrict the effect of a discharge solely to a release of the personal liability of the debtor.

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Kathy B. Enterprises, Inc. v. United States
779 F.2d 1413 (Ninth Circuit, 1986)
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34 B.R. 191 (D. Vermont, 1983)
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531 A.2d 1318 (Court of Special Appeals of Maryland, 1987)
Augeri v. C. F. Wooding Co.
378 A.2d 538 (Supreme Court of Connecticut, 1977)
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Gaudio v. Gaudio
580 A.2d 1212 (Connecticut Appellate Court, 1990)
Farrell v. Farrell
650 A.2d 608 (Connecticut Appellate Court, 1994)
Pinsky v. Duncan
907 F.2d 17 (Second Circuit, 1990)
Green v. Welsh
956 F.2d 30 (Second Circuit, 1992)
Edmonson v. Leesville Concrete Co.
498 U.S. 809 (Supreme Court, 1990)
Connecticut v. Doehr
498 U.S. 809 (Supreme Court, 1990)

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Bluebook (online)
1995 Conn. Super. Ct. 3634, 14 Conn. L. Rptr. 56, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/j-p-castagna-inc-v-castagna-no-cv920523960-apr-7-1995-connsuperct-1995.