Jubber v. Hiawatha Coal Proceeds (In re C.W. Mining Co. )

512 B.R. 672, 2014 WL 2808990, 2014 Bankr. LEXIS 2720
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Utah
DecidedJune 20, 2014
DocketBankruptcy No. 08-20105; Adversary No. 11-8001
StatusPublished

This text of 512 B.R. 672 (Jubber v. Hiawatha Coal Proceeds (In re C.W. Mining Co. )) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Utah primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jubber v. Hiawatha Coal Proceeds (In re C.W. Mining Co. ), 512 B.R. 672, 2014 WL 2808990, 2014 Bankr. LEXIS 2720 (Utah 2014).

Opinion

FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW IN SUPPORT OF ORDER DENYING TRUSTEE’S MOTION FOR PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT, GRANTING DEFENDANTS’ CROSS-MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT, AND DISMISSING DEFENDANTS’ RULE 56(d) MOTION AS MOOT

R. KIMBALL MOSIER, Bankruptcy Judge.

Once again we are addressing Kenneth A. Ruston’s (Trustee)1 argument that he is entitled to recover the full market value of more than a million tons of coal that C.W. Mining Company (Debtor) did not mine. This matter has been remanded to this Court to further address the Trustee’s claims that coal the Debtor did not mine is property of the bankruptcy estate, or a proceed, product or profit of property of the bankruptcy estate. The basic issue on remand is fairly straight forward. The Trustee argues that because the Debtor had the exclusive right to mine the coal from property it leased, any coal mined from the leased property and its proceeds is property of the estate. Stated another way, the Trustee argues that he may seek recovery of the coal that was not mined by the Debtor, as opposed to seeking actual damages the Debtor may have sustained by another’s removal of the coal.

The following motions are before the Court:

[676]*676(a) The Trustee’s Motion For Partial Summary Judgment, Docket No. 155 (Trustee’s Motion);
(b) Cross-Motion of Coal Purchasers for Summary Judgment, Docket No. 168 (Coal Purchasers’ Motion), filed by Defendants Intermountain Power Authority, Tennessee Valley Authority, and Commonwealth Coal Services, Inc. (collectively, Coal Purchasers);
(c) COP et al.’s Motion for Partial Summary Judgment, Docket No. 173, (COP Defendant’s Motion) filed by Defendants C.O.P. Coal Development Company (COP), Fidelity Funding Company, Security Funding, Inc., and Standard Industries, Inc. (collectively, COP Defendants);
(d) Hiawatha Coal Company, Ine.’s Cross-Motion for Partial Summary Judgment, Docket No. 164 (Hiawatha’s Motion), filed by Defendant Hiawatha Coal Company, Inc. (Hiawatha); and
(e) Coal Purchasers’ Motion in the Alternative to Defer Decision on Motion of Trustee for Partial Summary Judgment Pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P.56(d), Docket No. 170 (Rule 56(d) Motion).

I. JURISDICTION

The jurisdiction of this Court is properly invoked under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1334 and 157(a). This is a proceeding to determine property of the estate under 11 U.S.C. § 541 and is a core proceeding within the meaning of 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2), and this Court may enter a final order. Venue is proper under the provisions of 28 U.S.C. §§ 1408 and 1409.

II. INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW SET FORTH IN PRIOR ORDERS

The Court hereby adopts and incorporates herein by reference its prior findings of fact and conclusions of law set forth in the following prior decisions and orders of the Court in this bankruptcy case (the “Incorporated Findings and Conclusions”):

• Memorandum Decision Denying Hiawatha Coal Company, Inc.’s Motion for Partial Summary Judgment, Granting the Chapter 7 Trustee’s Cross Motion for Summary Judgment and Striking the Trial Dates of May 27 and 28, 2009, entered May 8, 2009. See Adv. Proc. 08-2338, Docket No. 51;
• Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law and Order on Objection to C.O.P. Coal Development Company’s Cure Claim under March 1997 Coal Operating Agreement (Claim No. 26), C.O.P’s Proof of Claim No. 9 and Trustee’s First, Third and Fourth Claims For Relief Against C.O.P. In Adversary Proceeding # 09-2248, entered November 10, 2009. See Case No. 08-20105, Docket No. 1000;
• Amended Memorandum Decision Granting in Part and Denying in Part Trustee’s Motion for Partial Summary Judgment as to UEI Receivable and Avoidance of Liens, entered December 8, 2009. See Adv. Proc. No. 09-2047, Docket No. 173;
• Order and Judgment Arising from Trial on November 16, 17, 23, and 24, 2009, entered February 12, 2010. See Adv. Proc. 08-2338, Docket No. 139;
• Amended Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law and Order Arising from Trial On December 10, 2010 and January 12, 14, and 19, 2010, entered March 2, 2010. See Adv. Proc. OS-2338, Docket No. 151;
• Second Amended Order Granting Trustee’s Remedy Claim Under Section 550(a) as Against Hiawatha, entered March 2, 2010. See Adv. Proc. 08-2338, Docket No. 152;
[677]*677• Amended Memorandum Decision Denying COP Coal Development Company’s Motion to Require the Trustee to Assume or Reject Lease and Granting Trustee’s Motion to Extend Time for Trustee to Assume or Reject Executo-ry Contracts or Unexpired Leases of the Debtor, entered April 23, 2009. See Case No. 08-20105, Docket No. 588;
• Statement of Undisputed Facts and Conclusions of Law in Support of Order Granting Summary Judgment, entered July 29, 2011. See Misc. Adv. Proc. 11-8001, Docket No. 91; and
• Order Granting Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment in Hiawatha Coal Proceeding, Denying Motion of Trustee for Partial Judgment, Granting Motion for Summary Judgment filed by COP, Granting Motion for Summary Judgment filed by Commonwealth, Intermountain Power Agency, Nevada Power Company, entered July 29, 2011. See Misc. Adv. Proc. 11-8001, Docket No. 92.
III. MATERIAL FINDINGS OF FACT

The following are selected findings of fact from the foregoing Incorporated Findings and Conclusions which the Court deems material to this matter.

A. The Debtor Obtains the Exclusive Right to Mine Coal From the Bear Canyon Mine

In March 1997, the Debtor and COP entered into a Coal Operating Agreement (Coal Operating Agreement). The Coal Operating Agreement granted the Debtor “exclusive authority to operate and control” certain tracts of land, commonly known as the Bear Canyon Mine (Mine), for a term of 25 years “for purposes reasonably incident to the mining and removal of coal.” Much of the land identified in the Coal Operating Agreement was leased from the federal government by COP and the remainder was owned in fee by COP. The Coal Operating Agreement did not purport to transfer any ownership or fee title in the tracts of land. Exercising this exclusive authority, the Debtor mined coal from the both the federal land and the COP fee land until 2008.

Standard Industries, Inc.

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512 B.R. 672, 2014 WL 2808990, 2014 Bankr. LEXIS 2720, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jubber-v-hiawatha-coal-proceeds-in-re-cw-mining-co-utb-2014.