Jones v. Mann (In Re Jones)

277 B.R. 816, 2001 Bankr. LEXIS 1924, 2001 WL 1855310
United States Bankruptcy Court, M.D. Georgia·Decided July 20, 2001·No. 16-50001·Published·Cited by 2 cases

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

JAMES D. WALKER, Jr., Bankruptcy Judge.

This matter comes before the Court on Defendant Richard Milam’s Motion to Dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure claiming that Debtor David Eugene Jones’s Complaint fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. After considering the pleadings, evidence and applicable authorities, the Court enters the following findings of fact and conclusions of law in compliance with Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 7052.

Findings of Fact

On March 2, 2001, Debtor filed a complaint with this Court alleging, among other things, that the criminal prosecution of Debtor by Richard Milam (“Defendant Mi-lam”) of the Towaliga Judicial Circuit in Monroe County Superior Court under Ga. Code Ann. § 16-8-15 is improper and that such prosecution should be enjoined by this Court. The complaint alleges that the prosecution is an action to collect a debt on behalf of J. Dale Mann and Dodd’s Builder’s Supply (“DBS”) and that such prosecution was commenced in bad faith. The complaint further alleges that because this action is to collect a debt it is a violation of Section 524(a) of the Bankruptcy Code as it pertains to discharge injunctions.

The following facts were provided by Debtor in his complaint. Debtor, along with his brother, operated a home construction business. As part of that business, they had a revolving account with *818 DBS for supplies. At various times during 1999, Debtor owed over $100,000. However, by the end of 1999, Debtor owed approximately $8,000, which he was unable to pay. Thereafter, DBS filed a material-man’s lien for the amount it was owed against Mr. J. Dale Mann, a homeowner whose home was built by Debtor and his brother with supplies purchased at DBS. Mr. Mann had contracted with Debtor and his brother to construct a home for him and had paid them the full amount under the contract for their services, which was approximately $64,800.

Debtor states that the lien against Mr. Mann was not valid, because under Ga. Code Ann. § 44-14-361 et seq. a lien against a homeowner who receives the benefit of materials must be filed within ninety days. DBS, having a revolving account with Debtor and his brother, applied the funds it received in such a way as to enable the debt to fall within the ninety day deadline, without regard to whether the supplies purchased were actually used on Mr. Mann’s home within the ninety days. Debtor alleges that the $8,000 debt was not for supplies used on Mr. Mann’s home.

Thereafter, Mr. Mann filed suit against the company owned by Debtor and his brother in the Magistrate Court of Monroe County, Georgia for conversion and requested $8,478.23. On February 22, 2000, Mr. Mann obtained a judgement against the company. Mr. Mann also filed suit in the same court asking the court to pierce the corporate veil of the company to collect on the judgement from Debtor and his brother. However, the suit was stayed and Mr. Mann was not able to collect any money due to Debtor’s filing for bankruptcy on April 3, 2000. 1

On July 17, 2000, Debtor’s debts, including the $8,000 debt to DBS, were discharged pursuant to a discharge injunction order issued by this Court. The order provided that “The discharge prohibits any attempt to collect from the debtor a debt that has been discharged.” In re Jones, 279 B.R. 370 (Bankr.M.D.Ga.2000).

Having been unsuccessful in collecting any money on the debt, Mr. Mann consulted with DBS and together they spoke with a detective at the Monroe County Sheriffs Office. DBS and Mr. Mann then swore out warrants claiming that Debtor had engaged in a scheme to defraud them in violation of Ga.Code Ann. § 16-8-15. 2 Subsequently on August 8, 2000, a Special Presentment was made to a Monroe County Grand Jury and the Superior Court for Monroe County issued a Bill of Indictment charging Debtor with violating Ga.Code Ann. § 16-18-15. Defendant Milam is the prosecutor of this case.

Conclusions of Law

The purpose of a Rule 12(b)(6) motion is to determine whether the plaintiffs complaint states a legally sufficient claim for relief. 5A Charles Alan Wright & Arthur R. Miller, Federal Practice and Procedure § 1356 (2d ed. 1990 & Supp.2000). Because a Rule 12(b)(6) motion tests the fa *819 cial sufficiency of the complaint, typically it must be analyzed in conjunction with Rule 8, which provides that a claim for relief must simply contain “a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 8(a)(2). A court evaluating a Rule 12(b)(6) motion must focus its analysis on the face of the complaint, but it may also consider any attachments to the complaint, matters of public record, orders, and items appearing in the record. Watson v. Bally Mfg. Corp., 844 F.Supp. 1583, 1535 n. 1 (S.D.Fla.1993), aff'd. mem., 84 F.3d 438 (11th Cir.1996). Additionally, any documents referenced in the complaint that are central to the plaintiffs case may be considered. In re Sunbeam Sec. Litig., 89 F.Supp.2d 1326, 1335 (S.D.Fla.1999).

The Supreme Court has articulated the following standard for evaluating a Rule 12(b)(6) motion:

In appraising the sufficiency of the complaint we follow, of course, the accepted rale that a complaint should not be dismissed for failure to state a claim unless it appears beyond doubt that the plaintiff can prove no set of facts in support of his claim which would entitle him to relief.

Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 45-46, 78 S.Ct. 99, 2 L.Ed.2d 80 (1957). As this standard indicates, the complaint must be construed in the light most favorable to the plaintiff, and the facts as alleged must be accepted as true. Kirby v. Siegelman, 195 F.3d 1285, 1289 (11th Cir.1999). However, the district court is not required to accept as true the plaintiffs conclusions of law. Solis-Ramirez v. United States Dep’t of Justice, 758 F.2d 1426, 1429 (11th Cir.1985). If the facts alleged in the complaint would allow the plaintiff to recover under any possible theory, the motion must be denied, regardless “of whether they would allow recovery under the particular theory pleaded by the plaintiff. Linder v. Portocarrero, 963 F.2d 332

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Jones v. Mann (In Re Jones), 277 B.R. 816, 2001 Bankr. LEXIS 1924, 2001 WL 1855310 (Ga. 2001).

277 B.R. 816 (Jones v. Mann (In Re Jones)) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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