McClarty v. Hatchett (In re Hatchett)

588 B.R. 472
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Michigan
DecidedApril 18, 2018
DocketCase No. 17-45163-MBM; Adv. P. No. 17-04700-MBM
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 588 B.R. 472 (McClarty v. Hatchett (In re Hatchett)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McClarty v. Hatchett (In re Hatchett), 588 B.R. 472 (Mich. 2018).

Opinion

Marci B. McIvor, United States Bankruptcy Judge

This matter is before the Court on a Motion to Dismiss filed by the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS"). Plaintiff/Trustee's adversary complaint alleges that debtor, Laurestine Hatchett, used her assets to pay federal tax liabilities owed by her husband, Elbert Hatchett, and/or his law firm. The Trustee claims that the payments constitute fraudulent transfers under 11 U.S.C. §§ 544(a) and (b), and seeks to recover the payments for Debtor's bankruptcy estate. The IRS asserts that the Trustee's claims are barred by sovereign immunity. For the reasons stated in this Opinion, the Motion to Dismiss is denied.

I. Factual Background

In December, 2014, debtor Laurestine Hatchett's children, Ayanna and Franklin Hatchett, were appointed co-conservators of Debtor based on Debtor's mental disability.

In December, 2014, Debtor's husband, Elbert Hatchett, and their daughter, Ayanna, were appointed Debtor's co-guardians.

In early 2015, a Florida condominium owned 50/50 by Debtor and her son, was sold for $335,000. The sale was approved by the probate court.

After payment of property taxes, closing costs, and recorded liens (including an uncontested *476IRS tax lien against Debtor of $16,589.56), Debtor was entitled to net proceeds of $122,827.09.

Debtor's son/co-conservator, Franklin Hatchett, turned Debtor's proceeds over to Debtor's husband/co-guardian, Elbert Hatchett, who deposited the funds into an account in the name of his law firm, defendant Hatchett, DeWalt & Hatchett. Some portion of those proceeds (between $75,000 and $104,000) were used to pay the IRS for tax liabilities owed by Elbert Hatchett and/or his law firm.

On April 6, 2017, an involuntary Chapter 7 petition was filed against debtor Laurestine Hatchett.

On June 6, 2017, an Order for Relief was entered by the Court.

On October 6, 2017, the Trustee filed the present adversary complaint against Elbert Hatchett, his law firm, and the IRS, seeking to avoid and recover the tax payments made to the IRS. The Trustee asserts that the money used to pay the tax liabilities of Elbert Hatchett and his law firm belong to Debtor's bankruptcy estate, and the payments constitute fraudulent transfers pursuant to 11 U.S.C. §§ 544(a) and (b).

On December 8, 2017, the IRS filed the present Motion to Dismiss the Trustee's complaint. The IRS asserts that as an agency of the federal government, it has sovereign immunity and cannot be sued by the Trustee.

On February 9, 2018, the Trustee filed a response to the IRS's motion. The Trustee asserts that pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 106(a), Congress waived sovereign immunity as to actions brought by a bankruptcy trustee under § 544 of the Bankruptcy Code, and that the IRS's Motion to Dismiss must be denied.

On March 13, 2018, the IRS filed a reply to the Trustee's response.

On April 17, 2018, the Court heard oral argument on the Motion to Dismiss. The Motion was denied on the record, and the Court indicated that this written Opinion would follow.

II. Standard for Dismissal under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1)

A Motion to Dismiss under Rule 12(b)(1) (made applicable to bankruptcy proceedings by Fed. R. Bankr. P. 7012 ) challenges a federal court's subject matter jurisdiction. A defendant may move to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(1) if the complaint does not allege sufficient grounds to establish subject matter jurisdiction on its face, or by factually contesting the plaintiff's allegations that subject matter jurisdiction exists. Establishing jurisdiction in an action against the United States includes establishing that there has been a waiver of sovereign immunity. U.S. v. Dalm, 494 U.S. 596, 608, 110 S.Ct. 1361, 108 L.Ed.2d 548 (1980). "Under settled principles of sovereign immunity, 'the United States, as sovereign, 'is immune from suit, save as it consents to be sued ... and the terms of its consent to be sued in any court define that court's jurisdiction to entertain the suit.' ' " Id. (citations and quotations omitted).

III. Analysis

A. Overview of the Relevant Statutes

1. 11 U.S.C. § 544(b)(1) and 11 U.S.C. § 548

Fraudulent transfers can be avoided under two different sections of the Bankruptcy Code: 11 U.S.C. § 548, which creates a body of federal fraudulent transfer law, and 11 U.S.C. § 544 (b), which gives the trustee power to avoid a fraudulent transfer by the debtor if the transfer would be voidable by one of the debtor's creditors under state law. Specifically, *477§ 544(b)(1) permits a trustee to step into the shoes of an actual creditor who has a fraudulent transfer remedy under other "applicable law" (i.e. a state fraudulent transfer statute) and exercise that creditor's remedies on behalf of the bankruptcy estate. 11 U.S.C. § 544

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Bluebook (online)
588 B.R. 472, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcclarty-v-hatchett-in-re-hatchett-mieb-2018.