Jarvis v. Wells Fargo Financial

310 B.R. 330, 2004 Bankr. LEXIS 757, 2004 WL 1238013
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Ohio
DecidedJanuary 15, 2004
Docket19-10488
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 310 B.R. 330 (Jarvis v. Wells Fargo Financial) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jarvis v. Wells Fargo Financial, 310 B.R. 330, 2004 Bankr. LEXIS 757, 2004 WL 1238013 (Ohio 2004).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND DECISION

RICHARD L. SPEER, Bankruptcy Judge.

This cause comes before the Court after a Trial on three separate, but related pleadings: the Plaintiffs/Debtors’ Complaint for Declaratory Judgment and for Violation of Stay; a Crossclaim filed by the Defendant, the First National Bank of Pandora, against Wells Fargo Financial Leasing, Inc., Assignee of Telmark, LLC; and a Third-Party Complaint filed by the First National Bank of Pandora against KJA Jarvis Swine, LLC. With the exception of Jarvis Swine, all of the Parties with an interest in this matter were represented by legal counsel.

At the Trial, the Parties stipulated that the Plaintiffs’ Complaint for Violation of Stay had been resolved. As it concerns their Complaint for Declaratory Judgment, the Debtors seek a determination as to the validity and relative priority of competing claims in certain property utilized by the Debtors in the operation of their business so as to enable them to properly formulate a plan of reorganization. The resulting Crossclaim and third-party complaint filed by Pandora Bank raise, for all practical purposes, this exact same matter. In addressing this matter, the Court, so as to simplify matters in the ensuing discussion, will refer to the Parties as follows:

the Plaintiffs/Debtors, Kenneth and Jeannine Jarvis will be referred to collectively as the “Debtors;”
the Defendant, Third-Party Plaintiff and Cross-Claimant, the First National Bank of Pandora, will be referred to as the “Pandora Bank;”
the Defendant and Cross-Defendant, Wells Fargo Financial Leasing, Inc., As-signee of Telmark, LLC, will be referred to as “Wells Fargo;”
the Third-Party Defendant, KJA Jarvis Swine, LLC, will be referred to as “Jarvis Swine;” and
the Defendant, Telmark, LLC, will be referred to as “Telmark.”

FACTS

With respect to the matter raised in the Parties’ pleadings, these facts are not in dispute. The Debtors operate a hog raising business. As a part of their business operations, the Debtors own a parcel of real property, approximately three acres in size. (Plaintiffs’ Ex. No. 3). On September 20, 2000, the Debtors executed in favor of Pandora Bank, two open-end mortgages on their real property as security for Pandora Bank making, under two separate promissory notes, loans totaling $242,800.00. On October 12, 2000, these mortgages were duly recorded under Ohio law so as to make them effective against any subsequent bona fide purchaser. See O.R.C. § 5301.23 and § 5301.25.

As a part of their hog operation, the Debtors formed a Limited Liability Company known as Jarvis Swine. The sole members of Jarvis Swine were the Debtors, and the Debtors’ daughter, Allison Hiser. Jarvis Swine, however, had no interest in the real property the Debtors utilized in their hog operation; nor was Jarvis Swine, as a business entity, ever used in the day-to-day operations of the Debtors’ hog business. In this regard, the evidence shows that Jarvis Swine was nev *334 er adequately capitalized to functionally operate as business entity.

However, despite the lack of adequate capitalization, the Debtors, in order to expand their hog operation, caused Jarvis Swine to enter a lease agreement with Telmark, the basis of which was to have Telmark finance the construction of two primary structures: (1) a 20-crate farrowing building; and (2) a 60' x 32' addition to a hog gestation building which included reroofing the existing building whose original dimension was 150' x 32'. 1 Construction on these structures began on or around May 1, 2001, and continued for some time thereafter, with a “sales agreement” concerning construction on the structures being issued as late as December 20, 2001. (T.M. Exs. E & G). The structures themselves are one full story in height, are set in a sturdy concrete foundation, and are hooked up to utilities.

Telmark executed its lease for the construction of the farrowing and gestation buildings on April 17, 2002, with the Debtors and their daughter, Ms. Hiser, signing the lease in their capacity as members of Jarvis Swine. The terms of this lease provided that, commencing May 1, 2002, Jarvis Swine would make 143 consecutive monthly payments to Telmark in the amount of$l, 191.00. (Ex. T.M. B). Notably lacking in the lease, was any provision allowing Jarvis Swine or the Debtors to buy the structures at the end of the lease term for a nominal amount. Instead, the lease provided three options at its termination: (1) renewal; (2) purchase of the buildings at a fair market value; or (3) repossession of the structures by the lessor. As it regards the later, the testimony elicited at the Trial revealed that, as with other leases issued by Telmark of a similar nature, this option is exercised with some regularity.

To protect its lease interest, Telmark filed a UCC financing statement which set forth both the farrowing and gestation buildings as security for the lease; also, set forth therein was a short description of the Debtors’ realty. This financing statement, which was filed on October 24, 2001, named as the debtors both Jarvis Swine and the Debtors in their personal capacity. (Ex. T.M. F). Also, as additional security for the lease, the Debtors, in their individual capacity, granted to Telmark a mortgage interest in the improvements financed by Telemark; this mortgage was dated October 10, 2001, and then recorded on October 15, 2001. (Ex. T.M. D). Later, this mortgage was assigned to Wells Fargo, who is the real party defending in the present action, with the notice of the assignment being recorded on March 27, 2003. (Pandora Ex. # 9).

On December 31, 2002, the Debtors filed a petition in this Court for relief, as family farmers, under Chapter 12 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. Prior to filing, Pandora Bank had, through the filing of certificates of judgment, obtained separate liens against the Debtors’ property: a lien for $153,029.52 dated December 23, 2002; a lien for $69,569.27 dated December 23, 2002; and a lien solely against Mr. Jarvis’ interest in the property for $79,530.74 dated December 10, 2002. On June 30, 2003, the Debtors initiated the instant action seeking a determination as to the status of the respective Defendants’ interest in their real property so as to enable them to properly put forth a plan of reorganization.

DISCUSSION

At issue in this case is the validity and priority of certain liens. Therefore, in ac *335 cordance with 28 U.S.C. §§ 157(a)/ (b)(2)(K) and 28 U.S.C. § 1334, this is a core proceeding over which this Court has the jurisdictional authority to enter final orders.

Based upon the above facts, Wells Fargo seeks to be treated as a lessor for purposes of 11 U.S.C. § 365.

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Bluebook (online)
310 B.R. 330, 2004 Bankr. LEXIS 757, 2004 WL 1238013, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jarvis-v-wells-fargo-financial-ohnb-2004.