Kilbourne v. CitiMortgage, Inc. (In re Kilbourne)

507 B.R. 219
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Ohio
DecidedMarch 19, 2014
DocketBankruptcy No. 07-53240; Adversary No. 13-02280
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 507 B.R. 219 (Kilbourne v. CitiMortgage, Inc. (In re Kilbourne)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kilbourne v. CitiMortgage, Inc. (In re Kilbourne), 507 B.R. 219 (Ohio 2014).

Opinion

ORDER DENYING DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO DISMISS THE ADVERSARY PROCEEDING COMPLAINT

C. KATHRYN PRESTON, Bankruptcy Judge.

This cause came on for consideration of Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss the Adver[221]*221sary Proceeding Complaint (Doc. 10) (“Motion”), the Plaintiffs’ Response in Opposition (Doc. 12) (“Response”), and Defendant’s Reply Brief in Support of its Motion (Doc. 13) (“Reply”).

The Court has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1334 and General Order 05-02, entered by the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, referring all bankruptcy matters to this Court. Venue in this Court is proper pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1408 and 1409. This is a core proceeding pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(A) and (O).

I. Standard of Review

When considering a motion to dismiss under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) 1, the facts articulated in the complaint must be taken in a light most favorable to the plaintiff and accepted as true. Bovee v. Coopers & Lybrand CPA, 272 F.3d 356, 360-61 (6th Cir.2001). A motion to dismiss should be granted if the complaint lacks some factual context sufficient to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face. Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007). “While a complaint attacked by a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss does not need detailed factual allegations, a plaintiffs obligations to provide the ‘grounds’ of his ‘entitlement to relief requires more than labels and conclusions, and a formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action will not do.” Id. at 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955. The Court need not accept as true legal conclusions or unwarranted factual inferences. Bovee, 272 F.3d at 361. Therefore, the Plaintiff must allege facts (which should be taken as true) sufficient to suggest that a breach of duty or obligation occurred. Bell Atlantic Corp., 550 U.S. at 555-56, 127 S.Ct. 1955.

Typically, the Court is restricted to the pleadings when deciding a motion to dismiss attacking the legal sufficiency of the allegations contained in the complaint. However, in addition to the allegations of the complaint, the Court may also consider other materials integral to the complaint, public records, and other materials appropriate for judicial notice. Bovee, 272 F.3d at 360-61; New England Health Care Employees Pension Fund v. Ernst & Young, LLP, 336 F.3d 495, 501 (6th Cir.2003), cert. den’d, 540 U.S. 1183, 124 S.Ct. 1424, 158 L.Ed.2d 87 (2004); Wyser-Pratte Management Co., Inc. v. Telxon Corp., 413 F.3d 553, 560 (6th Cir.2005).

II. Factual and Procedural Background

On or around November 24, 2003, Plaintiffs executed a note and mortgage (“Mortgage Loan”) with ABN AMRO Mortgage Group, Inc. (“ABN AMRO”). On April 30, 2007, Plaintiffs filed a voluntary petition under Chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code. Plaintiffs’ Chapter 13 plan was confirmed on December 3, 2007, and pursuant to the confirmed plan, payments on the Mortgage Loan were to be made by “conduit” through the Chapter 13 Trustee. Shortly thereafter, Defendant CitiMortgage, Inc. (“CitiMortgage”) became successor in interest by merger to ABN AMRO, and began servicing the Mortgage Loan. On December 17, 2012, the Court entered an order deeming the Mortgage Loan current (“Deem Mortgage Current Order”). The Deem Mortgage Current Order directed CitiMortgage to adjust the Mortgage Loan balance to reflect the balance delineated in the original amortization schedule as of [222]*222November 2012. It farther ordered that any amounts in excess of that balance would be discharged. On December 27, 2012, the Court entered an order granting Plaintiffs a discharge pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 1328(a), and the bankruptcy case was closed on March 26, 2013. Upon Plaintiffs’ motion, the Court reopened Plaintiffs’ bankruptcy case on July 5, 2013. On August 19, 2013, Plaintiffs, purportedly on behalf of themselves and others similarly situated, filed their Class Action Complaint (“Complaint”), thereby commencing this adversary proceeding.

The Complaint alleges that CitiMort-gage has violated the discharge injunction imposed by § 524 of the Bankruptcy Code. Specifically, Plaintiffs allege that on February 22, 2013, CitiMortgage’s collection department sent a letter to Plaintiffs attempting to collect “delinquency expenses” in the amount of $427.61, which were posted to Plaintiffs’ Mortgage Loan account during the pendency of their bankruptcy. According to the Complaint, Plaintiff Mr. Kilbourne contacted a representative of CitiMortgage and explained that any such fees had been discharged, and therefore, CitiMortgage was not permitted to collect on the fees. However, the representative responded that CitiMortgage was within its rights to collect on the fees. On March 28, 2013, counsel for Plaintiffs sent a letter requesting that CitiMortgage cease and desist with any further collection of the fees. CitiMortgage did not respond to the letter. On May 22, 2013, Plaintiffs refinanced the Mortgage Loan with another bank. The payoff statement provided by CitiMortgage indicated a June 1, 2013 Mortgage Loan payoff balance of $121,524, which included delinquency expenses of $1,612.50 and late charges of $427.61. Nonetheless, the Plaintiffs went forward with the refinancing.

III. Discussion

The Motion seeks dismissal of the Complaint on procedural grounds, asserting that Plaintiffs fail to state a claim upon which relief can be granted because there is no private right of action for violations of the discharge injunction under § 524. Therefore, CitiMortgage argues, this matter is not permitted to proceed as an adversary proceeding, but rather must be brought by motion as a contested matter in the main bankruptcy case.

A. No Private Right of Action.

In support of its position, CitiMortgage cites Pertuso v. Ford Motor Credit Co., 233 F.3d 417 (6th Cir.2000). In Pertuso, discharged Chapter 7 debtors filed a complaint in district court alleging that Ford Motor Credit violated the discharge injunction. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court’s dismissal of the complaint, holding that 11 U.S.C. §

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Bluebook (online)
507 B.R. 219, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kilbourne-v-citimortgage-inc-in-re-kilbourne-ohsb-2014.