Jensen v. Captiva Limousine Service, Inc. (In re Rajkovic)

289 B.R. 197, 16 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 55, 2002 Bankr. LEXIS 1649
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedDecember 3, 2002
DocketBankruptcy No. 01-12500-9P7; Adversary No. 02-646
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 289 B.R. 197 (Jensen v. Captiva Limousine Service, Inc. (In re Rajkovic)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy 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
Jensen v. Captiva Limousine Service, Inc. (In re Rajkovic), 289 B.R. 197, 16 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 55, 2002 Bankr. LEXIS 1649 (Fla. 2002).

Opinion

ORDER ON MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

ALEXANDER L. PASKAY, Chief Judge.

The matters under consideration in this Chapter 7 case are two Motions for Summary Judgment, one filed by Diane Jensen (Trustee) and the other by Captiva Limousine Service, Inc. (Captiva). The Motions were filed in the above-captioned adversary proceeding commenced by the Complaint filed by the Trustee against Captiva. The claim asserted by the Trustee, in her Complaint, is based on the allegation that a transfer of $65,997.80 by Douglas Rajko-vic (Debtor) within one year of the commencement of the case was fraudulent; that at the time of the transfer, the Debtor was insolvent; and the Debtor received less than reasonable value in exchange for the transfer, and in fact, the Debtor received nothing from Captiva for the transfer. Based on the foregoing, the Trustee contends that the transfer is voidable as a fraudulent transfer, pursuant to Section 548[sic] of the Code.

In due course, Captiva filed its Answer to the Complaint in which it admitted some and denied some of the allegations set forth in the Complaint. In addition, Capti-[199]*199va also asserted an affirmative defense alleging that the funds it received from the Debtor were exempt pursuant to Fla. Stat. 440.22, thus, the Trustee has no right to the funds it received from the Debtor.

On October 2, 2002, Captiva filed “Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment,” contending that there are no genuine issues of material fact and that it is entitled to a judgment in its favor as a matter of law. In its Motion, Captiva also alleged that the Complaint is defective since it does not join an indispensable party, namely the Debtor. This last allegation should be construed as a Motion to Dismiss which, of course, is not properly included in a Motion for Summary Judgment. Moreover, the Debtor is not an indispensable party to a fraudulent transfer suit. Therefore, it is without merit and will not be considered. Simultaneously with the filing of its Motion for Summary Judgment, Captiva filed a Motion to Take Judicial Notice. In its Motion, Captiva requested that this Court take judicial notice of the facts contained in a Stipulation filed in Adv. Pro. No. 01-744, where the Trustee filed a Complaint against the Debtor challenging the Debtor’s right to a discharge.

On October 7, 2002, the Trustee also filed “Plaintiffs Motion for Summary Judgment.” In her Motion, while she concedes that based on a Stipulation of the facts with Captiva there are indeed no genuine issues of material fact, she contends that she is entitled to a judgment in her favor as a matter of law.

The following facts are indeed without dispute and as set forth in the Stipulation filed by the parties is as follows:

On July 3, 2001, the Debtor filed his voluntary Petition for Relief under Chapter 7, and Ms. Jensen was appointed as Trustee for the Debtor’s estate. On December 8, 2000, the Debtor received $100,000 as a settlement of his Worker’s Compensation claim. He failed to disclose his entitlement on his Statement of Financial Affairs (SOFA). On January 22 or 23, 2001, the Debtor transferred the sum of $65,997.80 to Captiva. It is further stipulated that the funds received were used to purchase a 2000 Krystal Koach Limousine. The funds transferred were from the Workers’ Compensation claim settlement.

Captiva was incorporated by the Debtor on October 30, 2001, and each of the Debt- or’s four children were issued 10 percent and the Debtor and his wife received 30 percent of the shares in Captiva. None of the children, or the Debtor’s wife gave any consideration for the shares they received. The limousine is titled in the name of Captiva, and there are no liens recorded on the title certificate issued to Captiva. The Stipulation also established the authenticity of certain documents relevant to the facts set forth in the Stipulation and the fact that the Debtor was represented by counsel in his Chapter 7 Case.

In support of her Motion, the Trustee contends that “there is no exception in the Bankruptcy Code under 11 U.S.C. Section 548 which provides that Plaintiff must prove a fraudulent transfer excludes from its scope transfers from of potentially ex-emptible assets.” She also refers to a comment by this Court in the adversary proceeding filed by her against the Debtor, “that the transfer, which was made by the Debtor, could have certainly warranted the conclusion that it was fraudulent and could be avoided by the Trustee.” The Trustee’s reliance on the statement quoted above is misplaced and has no relevance to the immediate matter under consideration. This is so because the adversary proceeding had nothing to do with the immunity vel non of the proceeds of the settlement of a workman’s compensation claim from [200]*200an attack to set aside the transfer of the funds as fraudulent. Thus, the observation by the Court was nothing more than dicta lacking any persuasive force concerning the issue before this Court.

It is evident from to foregoing that the ultimate and the only issue relevant to the two Motions for Summary Judgment under consideration is whether the Trustee’s voiding power under Section 548 can reach property which was claimable as exempt by the Debtor.

The claim of exemption of the funds in question is based on Fla. Stat. 440.22. It is beyond peradventure to say that by virtue of Section 522(b)(2)(a), Florida opted out of the specific federal exemptions and the citizens of Florida may only claim properties as exempt under the applicable local law. The settlement proceeds are claimed by the Debtor to be exempt pursuant to Fla. Stat. 440.22, which provides as follows:

440.22. Assignment and exemption from claims of creditors.

No assignment, release, or commutation of compensation or benefits due or payable under this chapter except as provided by this chapter shall be valid, and such compensation and benefits shall be exempt from all claims of creditors, and from levy, execution and attachments or other remedy for recovery or collection of a debt, which exemption may not be waived.

The term “due and payable” was construed by the Supreme Court of the State of Florida in the case of Broward v. Jacksonville Medical Center, 690 So.2d 589 (Fla.1997). Judge Grimes, speaking for the Supreme Court of Florida, held that the protection granted for Worker’s Compensation benefits is not limited to the benefits yet to be received, but extends to the benefits actually already received, provided the funds claimed as exempt are traceable to the Worker’s Compensation benefits. There is no question that the law as stated in Broward is the law of this State, and outside of bankruptcy, the funds in question could not have been reached by creditors of a debtor.

Unfortunately, Broward did not answer the question of whether or not the immunity granted to Worker’s Compensation benefits extends to funds, which were allegedly fraudulently transferred and now are in the possession and control of the transferee. The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals was called upon to consider the immunity granted to social security benefits by Section 407 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 407, in the case of Walker v. Treadwell,

Related

In re Apfel
565 B.R. 349 (E.D. Virginia, 2017)
In Re Harrelson
311 B.R. 618 (M.D. Florida, 2004)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
289 B.R. 197, 16 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 55, 2002 Bankr. LEXIS 1649, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jensen-v-captiva-limousine-service-inc-in-re-rajkovic-flmb-2002.