Matter of Kucharek

79 B.R. 393
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Wisconsin
DecidedOctober 30, 1987
Docket15-27927
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 79 B.R. 393 (Matter of Kucharek) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Wisconsin primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Matter of Kucharek, 79 B.R. 393 (Wis. 1987).

Opinion

79 B.R. 393 (1987)

In the Matter of Georgia Homola KUCHAREK, Debtor.
John L. CASTELLANI, Trustee, Plaintiff,
v.
Donald C. KOHNE, Defendant.

Bankruptcy No. 84-02968, Adv. No. 84-0479.

United States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Wisconsin.

October 30, 1987.

*394 Louis R. Jones, Jones and Feldner, Milwaukee, Wis., for trustee/plaintiff.

Thomas G.A. Herz, Michael, Best & Friedrich, Milwaukee, Wis., for defendant.

MEMORANDUM DECISION

C.N. CLEVERT, Chief Judge.

In this case the trustee in bankruptcy is attempting to set aside a pre bankruptcy real estate conveyance by the debtor pursuant to 11 U.S.C. §§ 547 and 548. He is also seeking a determination, pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 544(a)(3), that he has superior rights as a bona fide purchaser of another parcel of real estate in Green Lake County, Wisconsin, for which the unrecorded warranty deed identifying the debtor as grantee, remains in the defendant's possession. The trustee contends that granting Donald Kohne a mortgage on debtor's Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, homestead, approximately six months prior to bankruptcy, was an insider preference recoverable under 11 U.S.C. § 547(b)(4)(B) as well as a fraudulent transfer made with intent to hinder, delay and defraud creditors contrary to § 548(a)(1).

With respect to the real estate located in Green Lake County, Wisconsin,[1] the trustee contends that § 544(a)(1) entitles him to a declaratory judgment that he holds the *395 property free and clear of any right, interest or equitable lien claimed by Kohne. Kohne makes these claims as a result of his having paid all taxes and made all land contract payments.

The preference dispute,[2] focuses on whether Kohne is an insider within the meaning of § 547(b)(4)(B) and whether Kucharek was insolvent when the mortgage was given. The parties agree that Kucharek gave Kohne a mortgage on her Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, homestead; that Kohne benefitted from the transfer;[3] that the transfer was on account of an antecedent debt; that the transfer occurred more than ninety days but less than one year before the filing of Kucharek's bankruptcy petition; and, that Kohne was enabled to receive more than he would otherwise be entitled to had the transfer not been made.

The definition of insider is found in 11 U.S.C. § 101(30)[4] which states in part:

(30) "insider" includes —
(A) if the debtor is an individual —
(i) relative of the debtor or of a general partner of the debtor;
(ii) partnership in which the debtor is a general partner;
(iii) general partner of the debtor; or
(iv) corporation of which the debtor is a director, officer, or person in control. . . .

The legislative history for this section states that: "an insider is one who has a sufficiently close relationship with the debtor that his conduct is made subject to closer scrutiny than those dealing at arms length with the debtor." H.R.Rep. No. 595, 95th Cong., 1st Sess. 312 (1977), U.S. Code Cong. & Admin.News 1978, pp. 5787, 6269. The Bankruptcy Code rule of construction set forth in § 102(3) provides also that the term "includes" which is used in defining "insider" is not limiting. Considering this along with developing case law, Hunter v. Babcock (In re Babcock Dairy Co. of Ohio, Inc.), 70 B.R. 657, 15 Bankr. Ct.Dec. 1004 (Bankr.W.D.Ohio 1986); the Kepler v. Lemanski (In re Lemanski), 56 B.R. 981 (Bankr.W.D.Wis.1986); Jackson Purchase Production Credit Association v. Taylor (In re Taylor), 29 B.R. 5 (Bankr. W.D.Ky.1983); In re Montanino, 15 B.R. 307 (Bankr.D. New Jersey 1981) leaves little doubt that an insider may be a person or entity other than those enumerated in § 101(30), provided their relationship with the debtor fits within the meaning of the statute.

Having determined that a close relationship between a debtor and a transferee may support a finding that the transferee is an insider, I now must examine Kohne's relationship with Kucharek and the facts surrounding the giving of the mortgage to determine whether or not Kohne was an insider. The evidence before me firmly establishes that the debtor and Kohne have been very close friends since 1967 and that Kohne has involved himself in the debtor's financial affairs since as early as 1968. *396 Kohne and Kucharek met while they were employed by Huebsch Manufacturing and Kohne has visited Kucharek's home at least two or three times a month for more than fifteen years. Kohne is single with no dependents and Kucharek is divorced. During some of his visits to Kucharek's home, Kohne would do yard work and general maintenance.[5] Other times Kohne would discuss Kucharek's personal problems, such as roof leaks and ill health.

In 1968 Kohne learned that Kucharek did not have any savings or investments and that she was solely supported by her wages. At that time Kucharek was raising two sons and was concerned that she might have to sell her home and go on welfare in order to pay her ex-husband for his interest in the home. Kohne, therefore, loaned Kucharek $4,600 from his life insurance to make the payment.

Between 1968 and 1983 there were dozens of other loans from Kohne for which Kucharek never signed a promissory note or made a payment. Nonetheless, Kucharek did state that she intended to repay Kohne when she sold her home. Over the years Kohne developed a good relationship with Kucharek's parents. He entertained them when they visited Wisconsin and they invited him to visit them in New York.

In 1978 Kohne informed Kucharek's elderly mother, Stephie Homola, that he had found a piece of property in Green Lake, Wisconsin, that he wanted to buy. Homola then agreed to Kohne's request for a $5,000 loan. Next, on July 29, 1978, Kohne and Kucharek, as tenants in common, signed an offer to purchase the property known as Belle Mapps Court, Lot 17 of Robinhood Estates (1st Addition), on land contract for $27,000, with a $6,750 down payment. The offer to purchase was to be mailed to Kucharek's Whitefish Bay home, if accepted. This was apparently done because on October 12, 1978, Kucharek and Robinhood Estates, Inc., executed a five year land contract for purchase and sale of the property.[6]

According to Kucharek the land contract was in her name because her mother didn't have any proof that Kohne owed her $5,000. Kohne added that he travelled a lot and that placing Kucharek's name on the land contract would protect her mother's loan in the event of his death. Moreover, he indicated that it was his intention to give the Green Lake property to Kucharek upon his death.

A warranty deed for the Green Lake property was issued on April 10, 1984, naming Kucharek as grantee. But the deed was not recorded because Kohne stated that he wanted a law suit against Kucharek resolved beforehand.

The law suit arose from an automobile accident in June of 1982. Kucharek told Kohne what happened and that she didn't have any liability insurance.

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79 B.R. 393, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/matter-of-kucharek-wieb-1987.