Lomas Mortgage USA, Inc. v. Elmore (In Re Elmore)

94 B.R. 670, 20 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 1589
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, C.D. California
DecidedDecember 14, 1988
DocketBankruptcy LAX 85-51356-SB
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 94 B.R. 670 (Lomas Mortgage USA, Inc. v. Elmore (In Re Elmore)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, C.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lomas Mortgage USA, Inc. v. Elmore (In Re Elmore), 94 B.R. 670, 20 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 1589 (Cal. 1988).

Opinion

OPINION DENYING RELIEF FROM STAY AND SETTING FURTHER HEARING

SAMUEL L. BUFFORD, Bankruptcy Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

Creditor Lomas Mortgage USA, Inc. (“Lomas”) brings this motion for relief from the automatic stay imposed by Bankruptcy Code § 362,11 U.S.C. § 362 (1979 & Supp.1988), on the grounds that it lacks adequate protection of its interest in the residence of debtor Merle Elmore (“El-more”), because of Elmore’s failure to make 18 regular monthly mortgage payments after the confirmation of his Chapter 13 plan.

The Court holds that, because the property is not declining in value, Lomas is not entitled to adequate protection of its inter *671 est. In consequence, relief from stay on these grounds is denied. However, the Court sets a further hearing to give Lomas an opportunity to seek relief from stay for cause.

II. FACTS

Debtor Elmore filed this Chapter 13 case on March 14, 1985. Like a substantial majority of Chapter 13 debtors who appear before this Court, Elmore filed this case principally to save his residence from foreclosure. In fact, the only creditors of the estate are Lomas, the Chapter 13 trustee and Elmore’s legal counsel in this case.

Elmore’s residence in Los Angeles is encumbered by a first deed of trust, recorded on February 9,1983, given to The Lomas & Nettleton Company, predecessor in interest to Lomas. The deed of trust supports a promissory note in the amount of $62,000, which provides for interest at the rate of 12% per annum, and monthly payments in the amount of $637.98. On the date of filing, the debtor was behind by ten payments to Lomas, and owed arrearages totaling $7,612.80.

At the time of filing of this bankruptcy case, Elmore submitted a Chapter 13 statement, which showed that he had an income of $1,857 per month. The statement further showed that, after the payment of living expenses, $458 were available for the payment of creditors under the plan. The plan provides for the payment of $318.22 per month to the standing Chapter 13 trustee for distribution to the creditors provided for by the plan.

Elmore’s Chapter 13 plan was confirmed by the Court on April 29, 1985. The plan provides for the repayment of the arrear-ages to Lomas over a period of 36 months, with interest on the arrearages at the rate of 12% per annum. The Chapter 13 trustee’s records indicate that all of the payments under the plan have now been made: the final payment was made on November 28, 1988.

While Elmore has completed his plan payments to the Chapter 13 trustee, he ceased making monthly mortgage payments in July, 1987 and has failed to make at least 18 post-confirmation mortgage payments. He now owes at least $70,728.41 to Lomas. 1 In fact, the arrearages now owed exceed those at the time that this case was filed. 2 In consequence, Lomas has brought this motion for relief from stay, based on lack of adequate protection.

At the hearing on this motion, Elmore offered to pay $5,000 toward the arrearag-es. This is apparently more than $9,000 short of the payments required to bring current the postpetition arrearages.

III. ANALYSIS

The filing of a bankruptcy case creates an estate, which is comprised of all legal and equitable interests of the debtor in property as of the commencement of the case (with certain exceptions not relevant in this case). Bankruptcy Code § 541(a), 11 U.S.C. . § 541(a) (1979 & Supp.1988). In a Chapter 13 case, this estate also includes all such property acquired during the pend-ency of the case, and the debtor’s earnings from services performed during the pend-ency of the case. Bankruptcy Code § 1306(a), 11 U.S.C. § 1306(a) (Supp.1988). Elmore’s residence, which is at issue in this motion for relief from stay, came into this estate when Elmore filed this bankruptcy case.

The filing of a bankruptcy case also imposes against all creditors an automatic stay under Bankruptcy Code § 362, 11 U.S.C. § 362 (1979 & Supp.1988), which prohibits essentially all debt enforcement *672 actions against the debtor or property of the estate. The relevant portion of section 362(a) states:

Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, a [bankruptcy] petition ... operates as a stay, applicable to all entities, of—
[[Image here]]
(4) any act to create, perfect, or enforce any lien against property of the estate;
(5) any act to create, perfect, or enforce against property of the debtor any lien to the extent that such lien secures a claim that arose before the commencement of the case under this title....

Section 362(b) provides thirteen exceptions to the automatic stay. Lomas does not claim the benefit of any of these exceptions, and none appears to be applicable. Thus when Elmore filed this case, section 362(a) stayed the action of Lomas to foreclose its security interest in Elmore’s residence.

The automatic stay is one of the fundamental debtor protections provided by the Bankruptcy Code, and takes effect at the moment of filing of the bankruptcy petition. Watson v. City National Bank (In re Watson), 78 B.R. 267, 269-70 (Bankr.C. D.Cal.1987); In re Stucka, 77 B.R. 777, 782 (Bankr.C.D.Cal.1987); In re Davis, 74 B.R. 406, 410 (Bankr.N.D.Ohio 1987). Its purpose is to give the debtor a breathing spell from the debtor’s creditors. It stops all collection efforts, all foreclosure actions, and all harassment against a debtor. See H.R.Rep. No. 595, 95th Cong., 1st Sess. 340 (1977), reprinted in 1978 U.S.Code Cong. & Admin.News 5963, 6296-97.

Lomas claims entitlement to relief from the automatic stay imposed by section 362(a). Relief from stay is authorized by section 362(d), which provides:

On request of a party in interest and after notice and a hearing, the court shall grant relief from the stay provided under subsection (a) of this section such as by terminating, annulling, modifying, or conditioning such stay—
(1) for cause, including the lack of adequate protection of an interest in property of such party in interest; or
(2) with respect to a stay of an act against property under subsection (a) of this section, if—
(A) the debtor does not have an equity in such property; and
(B) such property is not necessary to an effective reorganization.

In substance, section 362(d) permits relief from stay for foreclosure on real estate on two grounds: (1) no debtor equity in property unnecessary for an effective reorganization, and (2) “cause”.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

MARIE A JACKSON
D. Arizona, 2024
Clifton C. Brown, II
E.D. Arkansas, 2019
In re: Maryetta C. Marks
Ninth Circuit, 2012
In Re Juvennelliano
464 B.R. 651 (D. Delaware, 2011)
In Re McNeely
366 B.R. 542 (N.D. West Virginia, 2007)
In Re Gilpin
209 B.R. 490 (W.D. Missouri, 1997)
In Re Mathews
208 B.R. 506 (N.D. Alabama, 1997)
In Re Elmira Litho, Inc.
174 B.R. 892 (S.D. New York, 1994)
In Re Club Associates
107 B.R. 385 (N.D. Georgia, 1989)
In Re Smith
104 B.R. 695 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 1989)
In Re Raymond
99 B.R. 819 (S.D. Ohio, 1989)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
94 B.R. 670, 20 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 1589, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lomas-mortgage-usa-inc-v-elmore-in-re-elmore-cacb-1988.