KHI Liquidation Trust v. Wisenbaker Builder Services, Inc. (In re Kimball Hill, Inc.)

480 B.R. 894, 2012 WL 4867409, 2012 Bankr. LEXIS 4827
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Illinois
DecidedOctober 12, 2012
DocketBankruptcy No. 08-bk-26779; Adversary No. 10-ap-00824
StatusPublished
Cited by23 cases

This text of 480 B.R. 894 (KHI Liquidation Trust v. Wisenbaker Builder Services, Inc. (In re Kimball Hill, Inc.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
KHI Liquidation Trust v. Wisenbaker Builder Services, Inc. (In re Kimball Hill, Inc.), 480 B.R. 894, 2012 WL 4867409, 2012 Bankr. LEXIS 4827 (Ill. 2012).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION

TIMOTHY A. BARNES, Bankruptcy Judge.

The matter before the court is the Motion To Dismiss the Second Amended Adversary Complaint To Avoid and Recover Avoidable Transfers and Disallow Claims (the “Motion To Dismiss ”) [Docket No. 51] of Wisenbaker Builder Services Ltd. and Wisenbaker Builder Services, Inc. (collectively “Wisenbaker ” or “Defendants ”).

JURISDICTION

Jurisdiction and authority are central issues in this proceeding and are considered and discussed at length below. Putting aside the specific challenge, in general, the federal district courts have “original and exclusive jurisdiction” of all cases under title 11 of the United States Code (the “Bankruptcy Code ”). 28 U.S.C. § 1334(a). The federal district courts also have “original but not exclusive jurisdiction” of all civil proceedings arising under the Bankruptcy Code, or arising in, or related to cases under title 11. 28 U.S.C. § 1334(b). District courts may, however, refer these cases to the bankruptcy judges for their districts. 28 U.S.C. § 157(a). In accordance with section 157(a), the District Court for the Northern District of Illinois has referred all of its bankruptcy cases to the Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois. N.D. Ill. Internal Operating Procedure 15(a) (“IOP 15(a) ”).

A bankruptcy judge to whom a case has been referred may enter final judgment on any core proceeding arising under the Bankruptcy Code, or arising in a case under the Bankruptcy Code. 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(1). A motion to avoid a preferential transfer under section 547 of the Bankruptcy Code arises in a case under title 11 and is specified as a core proceeding. 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(F); Burtch v. Seaport Capital, LLC (In re Direct Response Media, Inc.), 466 B.R. 626, 646 (Bankr.D.Del.2012). A motion to avoid and recover a fraudulent conveyance under sections 544(b), 548, and 550 of the Bankruptcy Code arises in a case under title 11 and is also specified as a core proceeding. 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(H); DBSI, Inc. v. Swenson (In re DBSI, Inc.), 466 B.R. 664, 665-66 (Bankr.D.Del.2012).

[896]*896Accordingly, at this point, the court would conclude that final judgment is within the scope of this court’s authority. Given the nature of the Motion, however, the court will reserve judgment on this issue until having considered and discussed the parties’ arguments.

THE MATTERS BEFORE THE COURT

In considering the Motion, the court has considered the transcript of the arguments of the parties at the November 9, 2011 hearing (the “Hearing ’’j.1 and has reviewed and considered the Motion itself, any exhibits submitted in conjunction therewith, as well as:

(1) The Complaint To Avoid and Recover Avoidable Transfers and Disallow Claims (the “Original Complaint”) [Docket No. 1];
(2) The Amended Complaint To Avoid and Recover Avoidable Transfers and Disallow Claims (the “First Amended Complaint”) [Docket No. 20];
(3) The court’s Memorandum Opinion dated June 2, 2012 (the “Original Memorandum Opinion ”) [Docket No. 47];
(4) The Second Amended Complaint to Avoid and Recover Avoidable Transfers and Disallow Claims (the “Second Amended Complaint ”) [Docket No. 50];
(5) KHI Liquidation Trust’s Response in Opposition to Motion by Defendants Wisenbaker Builder Services, Inc. and Wisenbaker Builder Service Ltd. To Dismiss the Second Amended Adversary Complaint To Avoid and Recover Avoidance Transfers and Disallow Claims (the “Response ”) [Docket No. 57];
(6) Defendants’ Reply to KHI Liquidation Trust’s Response in Opposition to Motion by Defendants Wisen-baker Builder Services, Inc. and Wisenbaker Builder Service Ltd. To Dismiss the Second Amended Adversary Complaint To Avoid and Recover Avoidable Transfers and Disallow Claims (the “Reply ”) [Docket No. 58];
(7) KHI Liquidation Trust’s Statement of Supplemental Authority in Opposition to Defendants’ Motion To Dismiss [Docket No. 64];
(8) Defendants’ Submission of Supplemental Authority [Docket No. 67]; and
(9) KHI Liquidation Trust’s Response to Defendants’ Submission of Supplemental Authority [Docket No. 69].

Though the foregoing items together do not constitute an exhaustive list of the filings in the above-captioned adversary proceeding, the court has taken judicial notice of the contents of the docket in this matter. See Levine v. Egidi, No. 93C188, 1993 WL 69146, at *2 (N.D.Ill. March 8, 1993), In re Fin. Partners, 116 B.R. 629, 635 (Bankr.N.D.Ill.1989) (Sonderby, J.) (authorizing a bankruptcy court to take judicial notice of its own docket).

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

While the court finds that the question before it should be and is determinable as a matter of law, not fact, the court believes a further consideration of the procedural history underlying this matter is appropriate. In the course of that consideration, the court has noted the following:

(1) On April 23, 2008 (the “Petition Date ”). Kimball Hill, Inc. and 29 of [897]*897its affiliates (collectively, the “Debtors ”) filed voluntary petitions for bankruptcy relief.
(2) Shortly after the Petition Date, the court entered an order providing for the joint administration of all of the cases pursuant to Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 1015.
(3) During the course of the above-captioned, jointly-administered bankruptcy cases, Wisenbaker filed proofs of claim in six of the individual cases, those of Kimball Hill Homes Austin, L.P., Kimball Hill Homes Dallas, L.P., Kimball Hill Homes Houston, L.P., Kimball Hill Homes San Antonio, L.P. and Kim-ball Hill, Inc. (the “Wisenbaker Debtors ”).
(4) On March 12, 2009, the court confirmed the Joint Plan of Kimball Hill, Inc. and its Debtor Subsidiaries (the “Joint Plan ”). The Joint Plan created a liquidation trust (the “Liquidation Trust ”) into which certain estate assets, claims, and rights— including those of the Wisenbaker Debtors — were transferred. The Joint Plan also reserved the causes of action owned by any of the affiliates — again, including those of the Wisenbaker Debtors — for adjudication by the Liquidation Trust. While the Joint Plan did not expressly substantively consolidate the cases of the Debtors, as discussed below, it nonetheless had that effect.
(5) On March 24, 2009, the Joint Plan went effective. On that date, U.S.

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Bluebook (online)
480 B.R. 894, 2012 WL 4867409, 2012 Bankr. LEXIS 4827, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/khi-liquidation-trust-v-wisenbaker-builder-services-inc-in-re-kimball-ilnb-2012.