Matter of Lorandos

58 B.R. 519
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Ohio
DecidedMarch 14, 1986
DocketBankruptcy No. 3-84-02624, Adv. No. 3-85-0029
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 58 B.R. 519 (Matter of Lorandos) 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
Matter of Lorandos, 58 B.R. 519 (Ohio 1986).

Opinion

58 B.R. 519 (1986)

In the Matter of Vincent Paul LORANDOS, Debtor.
George W. LEDFORD, Chapter 13 Trustee, Plaintiff,
v.
GENERAL MOTORS ACCEPTANCE CORP., Defendant/Third Party Plaintiff,
v.
Vincent Paul LORANDOS, Debtor/Third Party Defendant.

Bankruptcy No. 3-84-02624, Adv. No. 3-85-0029.

United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Ohio, W.D.

March 14, 1986.

George W. Ledford, Englewood, Ohio, plaintiff-Chapter 13 trustee.

Daniel A. Nagle, Kettering, Ohio, for defendant, third party plaintiff.

Charles B. Fox, Dayton, Ohio, for debtor, Fox & Assoc. Co., L.P.A.

DECISION GRANTING PLAINTIFF'S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT AND DENYING DEFENDANT'S MOTION TO DISMISS

THOMAS F. WALDRON, Bankruptcy Judge.

This is a case arising under 28 U.S.C. § 1334(a) and having been referred to this court is determined to be a core proceeding under 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(A), (F) and (K), in which the plaintiff, Chapter 13 Trustee, *520 seeks to avoid as a preference the security interest granted to the defendant, General Motors Acceptance Corp. (hereinafter GMAC), in the debtor's automobile and to determine the validity, extent and priority of the defendant's lien on the automobile. This matter is before the court on plaintiff's complaint and motion for summary judgment; defendant's answer and counterclaim against the plaintiff and third party complaint against the debtor; the joint stipulations of the parties; the transcript from the hearing on Relief from Stay held November 7, 1985, which all parties agreed would be considered by the court in connection with this issue; the answer of the debtor/third party defendant to "answer, counterclaim against the plaintiff and third party complaint against the debtor" of defendant/third party plaintiff GMAC; the defendant's motion to dismiss the trustee's complaint; and the various memoranda of the parties.

The facts have been stipulated as follows:

1. On September 27, 1984, Vincent Paul Lorandos, the debtor, entered into a retail installment sales contract (the security agreement) with GMAC, the defendant, under which GMAC lent the debtor the money to purchase a used 1982 Buick Century automobile and the debtor granted the defendant a security interest in that automobile.

2. On September 27, 1984, the debtor took physical possession of the automobile.

3. On October 25, 1984, a Certificate of Title was issued to the debtor; the defendant's lien was noted thereon that same day.

4. On November 28, 1984, the debtor filed a Chapter 13 petition in bankruptcy.

5. On November 28, 1984, the value of the automobile was $6,575.00; the net claim owed to the defendant as of that date was $8,513.88 — the defendant having an unsecured claim for $1,938.88.

The plaintiff asserts that all the elements of a preference under 11 U.S.C. § 547 have been established, and as a consequence the defendant no longer has a secured claim — its entire claim being unsecured. The defendant asserts in its answer and subsequent motion that the action be dismissed for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted [Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6)]. Further, to the extent that matters outside the pleading have been presented by the parties and not excluded by the court after reasonable opportunity to present all material made pertinent to such motion by Fed.R.Civ.P. 56 was provided to all parties pursuant to Pre-Trial Order # 1 entered November 8, 1985, the court treats the motion to dismiss as a motion for summary judgment since this issue has been joined, argued and briefed by the parties and it is apparent from the various pleadings that GMAC had sufficient notice of the substance of the complaint, Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 47, 78 S.Ct. 99, 102, 2 L.Ed.2d 80 (1957); Westlake v Lucas, 537 F.2d 857, 858 (6th Cir. 1976); Omaha National Bank v. T & T Parts Warehouse, Inc. (In re T & T Parts Warehouse, Inc.), 39 B.R. 399, 400 (Bankr. W.D.Mi.1984), and the defendant's constant position, though set forth in different words in various pleadings and memoranda, is that GMAC has a properly perfected security interest not subject to attack as a preference and therefore not an unsecured claim. For the reasons set forth in this decision, the court denies the motion of the defendant as either a motion to dismiss or a motion for summary judgment.

Additional arguments by the defendant presented in the form of a counterclaim, a third party complaint against the debtor, and a failure to join a necessary party under Fed.R.Civ.P. 19 (although unidentified, the court presumes the defendant sought to join the debtor, who is presently a party in this proceeding), are more properly the subject of objections to be raised at the confirmation hearing, and if refiled will be heard at that time.

Based on all the evidence and arguments presented in connection with the pending motions the court finds there are no genuine issues of material fact, Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c). The legal issue presently before the *521 court is whether the transfer of the security interest to GMAC constitutes a preference that can be avoided by the trustee under 11 U.S.C. § 547(b). In order for a transfer to be found preferential, the plaintiff must establish by a preponderance of the evidence the following elements:

(b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, the trustee may avoid any transfer of an interest of the debtor in property —
(1) to or for the benefit of a creditor;
(2) for or on account of an antecedent debt owed by the debtor before such transfer was made;
(3) made while the debtor was insolvent;
(4) made —
(A) on or within 90 days before the date of the filing of the petition; or
. . . .
(5) that enables such creditor to receive more than such creditor would receive if —
(A) the case were a case under chapter 7 of this title;
(B) the transfer had not been made; and
(C) such creditor received payment of such debt to the extent provided by the provisions of this title.

11 U.S.C. § 547(b). Sportfame of Ohio, Inc. v. Wilson Sporting Goods Co. (In re Sportfame of Ohio, Inc.), 40 B.R. 47, 54 (Bankr.N.D.Ohio 1984); Hunter v. S.K. Austin Co. (In re Beck), 25 B.R. 947, 951 (Bankr.N.D.Ohio 1982).

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Bluebook (online)
58 B.R. 519, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/matter-of-lorandos-ohsb-1986.