LDB Media, LLC v. Gravitas Leasing, LLC (In re LDB Media, LLC)

497 B.R. 332
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedSeptember 12, 2013
DocketCase No. 8:12-bk-02560-MGW; Adv. No. 8:12-ap-00715-MGW
StatusPublished

This text of 497 B.R. 332 (LDB Media, LLC v. Gravitas Leasing, LLC (In re LDB Media, LLC)) 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
LDB Media, LLC v. Gravitas Leasing, LLC (In re LDB Media, LLC), 497 B.R. 332 (Fla. 2013).

Opinion

Chapter 11

MEMORANDUM OPINION ON VALIDITY OF SECURITY INTERESTS

Michael G. Williamson, United States Bankruptcy Judge

Gravitas Leasing claims to have a security interest in satellite news trucks (and [334]*334other vehicles) that the Debtor uses to operate its cable news channel, as well as the equipment located in the news trucks. But Gravitas did not note its interest on the titles to the vehicles until sometime during the 90-day period before the Debt- or filed this case. And neither Gravitas’ security agreement nor its UCC-1 financing statement specifically lists the equipment in the news trucks or identifies the equipment by category (i.e., “all equipment”), although these documents do specifically refer to other equipment. The Court must now decide whether the Debt- or can avoid Gravitas’ interest in the vehicles as a preferential transfer under Bankruptcy Code § 547 and whether Gravitas otherwise has a security interest in the equipment located in the news trucks.

It is undisputed that Gravitas did not perfect its interest in the vehicles until sometime during the preference period and that perfection of the security interest was a transfer of an interest in the Debt- or’s property on account of an antecedent debt. So there is no question the liens on the vehicles are avoidable as a preferential transfer. To the extent the equipment on the news trucks is deemed a fixture (referred to as an accession), the lien on the equipment is avoidable for the same reason. To the extent the equipment is not a fixture (or accession), however, then Gravitas does not have a security interest in it because the parties’ security agreement (or, for that matter, Gravitas’ financing statement) does not reasonably identify the equipment as collateral. Accordingly, the Court concludes that Gravitas does not have a valid security interest in the news trucks or the equipment located in them.

Background

The Debtor operates a 24-hour local news channel in Sarasota County, Florida. In early 2009, the Debtor borrowed $400,000 from the Sarasota Herald Tribune Division of NYT Management Services. The Debtor executed a $400,000 note in favor of the Tribune to memorialize its obligation to repay that loan. The Debtor’s obligations under that note were secured by certain assets it used in the operation of its cable news channel. The Tribune recorded a UCC-1 to perfect its interest in the assets identified in the parties’ security agreement. The Tribune subsequently assigned the $400,000 note and its rights under the parties’ security agreement to Gravitas Leasing.

Just over a year later, the Debtor entered into a consolidated and renewed promissory note in favor of Gravitas in the amount of $400,000. Like the original note, the renewed note was secured by certain assets the Debtor used to operate its cable news channel. Two weeks after the Debtor executed the renewed promissory note, Gravitas recorded a UCC-1 financing statement to perfect its security interest in its collateral. Gravitas’ UCC-1 financing statement described its collateral as specified equipment and vehicles:

All that personal property, equipment and vehicles described on Exhibit “B” attached hereto and made a part hereof.

Attached to the UCC-1 was a list of collateral. Included on that list of collateral were nine vehicles — including four that were identified as some sort of news truck — and a variety of equipment.

The Debtor apparently defaulted on the renewed promissory note in July 2011. As a consequence, Gravitas sued the Debtor in state court to recover on the note and foreclose its security interest in the collateral. Ultimately, Gravitas obtained a $434,804.54 final summary judgment on January 23, 2012. A foreclosure sale (for the collateral) was scheduled for February 27, 2012. Three days before the foreclosure sale, the Debtor filed for bankruptcy.

[335]*335The Debtor then filed this adversary-proceeding objecting to the $454,424.25 secured claim that Gravitas filed in this bankruptcy case. The basis of that claim was “money loaned,” and the basis for perfection of the security interest was a “UCC-l/Judgment.” In Count I of the complaint, the Debtor objects to Gravitas’ claim because it failed to attach any documentation showing that the claim is secured. In Count II, the Debtor seeks to avoid the perfection of Gravitas’ security interest as a preferential transfer. Gravitas later amended its claim to attach a variety of documents it says demonstrates the existence of a valid security interest in the trucks and the equipment located in them.

But Gravitas’ amended claim has not mooted out any of the issues in this proceeding. The Debtor still claims Gravitas does not have a lien on the vehicles (including news trucks) because the hens are avoidable preferences. And the Debtor says Gravitas does not have a validly perfected security interest in any equipment located in the news trucks because it is not properly described in Gravitas’ financing statement. So this Court must now determine whether (i) Gravitas’ liens on the Debtor’s vehicles (including the news trucks and any equipment affixed to them) can be avoided as preferential transfers; and (ii) Gravitas has a security interest in any of the equipment contained in the news trucks.

Conclusions of Law1

The first issue can be resolved fairly easily. Ordinarily, a security interest is perfected by filing a financing statement.2 There is an exception, however, for motor vehicles.3 A security interest in motor vehicles is perfected by the secured party noting its interest on the certificate of title for the vehicle.4 Neither party disputes that Gravitas was required to note its interest on the certificates of title to the news trucks to perfect its interest in those vehicles.

And neither party disputes that Gravitas did not note its interest on the certificates of title for those vehicles until sometime during the 90-day period before this case was filed. Bankruptcy Code § 547, of course, authorizes the Debtor to avoid any transfer of an interest in its property made within the 90-day period before filing bankruptcy if the transfer was made for the benefit of a creditor and on account of an antecedent debt.5 On its face, Gravitas’ perfection of its security interest in the vehicles appears to be a clear preferential transfer. Gravitas, however, argues for an equitable exception to the rule that preferential transfers may be avoided.

The sole basis for the proposed exception is the fact that Gravitas did not note its interest on the title to the news truck until the 90-day before this case was filed because the Debtor, itself, was not listed on the titles to the vehicles until then. Even though the Debtor apparently bought the vehicles sometime in 2009, for one reason or another it never had the titles to those vehicles changed to reflect its ownership interest in them. Gravitas says this is significant because it noted its interest on the titles as soon as (perhaps [336]*336the same day that) the Debtor had them issued in its name.

The Court, however, is less certain of the significance of that point.

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Related

State v. Woodward
675 P.2d 1007 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1983)
In Re Wak Ltd., Inc.
147 B.R. 607 (S.D. Florida, 1992)
Goodrich Silvertown Stores v. Pratt Motor Co.
269 N.W. 464 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1936)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
497 B.R. 332, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ldb-media-llc-v-gravitas-leasing-llc-in-re-ldb-media-llc-flmb-2013.