MBNA America Bank, N.A. v. Hostetter (In Re Hostetter)

320 B.R. 674, 2005 WL 418812
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Indiana
DecidedFebruary 23, 2005
Docket13-23569
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 320 B.R. 674 (MBNA America Bank, N.A. v. Hostetter (In Re Hostetter)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Indiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
MBNA America Bank, N.A. v. Hostetter (In Re Hostetter), 320 B.R. 674, 2005 WL 418812 (Ind. 2005).

Opinion

JUDGMENT DETERMINING DISCHARGEABILITY OF INDEBTEDNESS

J. PHILIP KLINGEBERGER, Bankruptcy Judge.

This adversary proceeding was commenced by a complaint filed by the plaintiff MBNA America Bank, N.A. (“MBNA”) against Deborah Anne Hostetter (“Hostet-ter”) on May 17, 2004. Hostetter is the debtor in a Chapter 7 case filed under case number 04-60973 in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Hammond Division. The record establishes that a copy of both the summons and complaint was served upon both Deborah Anne Hostetter and upon her Chapter 7 counsel Walter E. Melion, as evidenced by the returns of service of process filed on May 27, 2004 and June 28, 2004. The record also establishes that no appearance has been filed on behalf of Hostetter, and that Hostetter has not filed an answer or other response to the complaint.

The Court entered an order on August 8, 2004 directing MBNA to file a motion for default judgment. Entry of default was made by the Clerk of the Court on the same date, and on October 15, 2004, MBNA, by counsel, filed a motion for default judgment. On December 8, 2004, pursuant to Fed.R.Bankr.P. 7055/Fed. R. Civ. P. 55(b)(2), the Court held a telephonic conference with MBNA’s counsel to discuss the nature of proof required in order *678 to make certain that the allegations of the complaint and the motion for default judgment were established by appropriate evidence. On December 9, 2004, MBNA filed a Memorandum in Support of Motion for Entry of Default. The case is now before the Court for review of the motion for default judgment.

MBNA asserts that Hostetter’s debt to it is excepted from discharge pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2)(A).

The Court has jurisdiction over this adversary proceeding pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1334(a), 28 U.S.C. § 157(a) and N.D.Ind. L.R. 200.1. This adversary proceeding is a “core proceeding” as defined by 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(I), and thus this Court has jurisdiction to enter a final judgment on the complaint.

I. Standards for Review of Motions for Default Judgment

The basic procedural provision with respect to judgment by default is provided by Fed.R.Civ.P. 55(b)(2), made applicable to adversary proceedings by Fed.R.Bankr.P. 7055. That provision in pertinent part states:

(b) Judgment. Judgment by default may be entered as follows:
(2) By the Court. In all other cases the party entitled to a judgment by default shall apply to the court therefor: ... If, in order to enable the court to enter judgment or to carry it into effect, it is necessary to take an account or to determine the amount of damages or to establish the truth of any averment by evidence or to make an investigation of any other matter, the court may conduct such hearings or order such references as it deems necessary and proper ...

The fact that a plaintiff is entitled to an entry of default does not entitle the plaintiff to the entry of judgment by default. As explained in In re Sanchez, 277 B.R. 904, 907 (Bankr.N.D.Ill.2002):

Rule 7055(b)(2) Fed.R.Bankr.P. governs default judgments entered by a bankruptcy court. A movant is not entitled to default judgment as a matter of right even though the debtor is in default under Rule 55(a) [Fed. R.Bankr.P. 7055(a)]. Lewis v. Lynn, 236 F.3d 766, 767 (5th Cir.2001). Panels in this Circuit have eschewed traditional notions disfavoring default judgments. Stafford v. Mesnik, 63 F.3d 1445, 1450 (7th Cir.1995); Profile Gear Corp. v. Foundry Allied Industries, Inc., 937 F.2d 351, 354 (7th Cir.1991); Matter of State Exchange Finance Co., 896 F.2d 1104, 1106 (7th Cir.1990). However, in the bankruptcy context, where a debtor has a presumptive right to a discharge, default judgment motions should not be granted unless the movant shows that its debt is nondischargeable as a matter of law. Valley Oak Credit Union v. Villegas, 132 B.R. 742, 746 (9th Cir. BAP 1991) (court must determine whether plaintiff is entitled to judgment); In re McArthur, 258 B.R. 741, 746 (Bankr.W.D.Ark.2001) (noting that bankruptcy courts have taken a conservative approach and sometimes refrain from granting default judgment motions which deprive debtor of discharge).
Thus, the issue here is whether Plaintiff has shown at least prima facie facts meeting the legal requirements to except a debt from discharge under § 523(a)(2)(A).

As explained by the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel of the Ninth Circuit in Valley Oak Credit Union v. Villegas, 132 B.R. 742, 746 (9th Cir. BAP 1991):

*679 The court has wide discretion in determining whether to enter a default judgment under Rule 55. See generally 10 C. Wright, A. Miller and M. Kane, Federal Practice and Procedure Civil 2d § 2685 (1983). Similarly, a trial court has broad discretion as to the nature of the hearing that it will hold pursuant to Rule 55(b)(2) in determining whether to enter a default judgment. This language of the rule itself confirms the discretion of the trial court to hold such hearings “as it deems necessary and proper.” Fed. R.Civ.P. 55(b). This provides the trial court with discretion to require, at a hearing under Rule 55(b)(2), some proof of the facts that are necessary to a valid cause of action or to determine liability. See Peerless Industries, Inc. v. Herrin Illinois Café, Inc., 593 F.Supp. 1339, 1341 (E.D.Mo.1984), aff 'd without opinion 774 F.2d 1172 (8th Cir.1985); Wright, Miller and Kane, at § 2688.

Because of the impact of a nondischarge-ability action on the “fresh start” arising from the entry of an order of discharge pursuant to 11 U.S.C.

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Bluebook (online)
320 B.R. 674, 2005 WL 418812, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mbna-america-bank-na-v-hostetter-in-re-hostetter-innb-2005.