Michael A. Grassmueck, Inc. v. General Motors Acceptance Corp. (In re Smith)

88 B.R. 297, 19 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 338, 1988 Bankr. LEXIS 1026
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Oregon
DecidedJune 13, 1988
DocketBankruptcy No. 686-08463; Adv. No. 687-5122
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 88 B.R. 297 (Michael A. Grassmueck, Inc. v. General Motors Acceptance Corp. (In re Smith)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Oregon primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Michael A. Grassmueck, Inc. v. General Motors Acceptance Corp. (In re Smith), 88 B.R. 297, 19 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 338, 1988 Bankr. LEXIS 1026 (Or. 1988).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

ALBERT E. RADCLIFFE, Bankruptcy Consultant.

This matter comes before the court on plaintiffs and defendant, Southwestern Motors, Inc.’s (Southwestern’s) cross-motions for summary judgment. This is a preference action initiated by the trustee to avoid the defendants’ security interest in an automobile. The parties’ affidavits, exhibits and memoranda reveal the following undisputed facts:

1. On or before April 15, 1986, Daniel and Phyllis Thomas traded in a 1984 Dodge Aries automobile (the car) to Southwestern. At that time, the car was subject to a valid perfected security interest held by United States National Bank (USNB).

2. On April 15, 1986, Southwestern satisfied the security interest of USNB by paying to USNB the sum of $4,774.94 in [299]*299order to be in a position to sell the car to a retail customer.

3.On June 21, 1986, Southwestern sold the car to the debtors under a retail installment sales contract which was subject to defendant, General Motors Acceptance Corporation’s (GMAC) approval. As part of the sale, the debtors traded in a 1979 Oldsmobile. The debtors took possession of the car this same date.

4. On June 24, 1986, GMAC approved the sale. Southwestern assigned the sales, contract to GMAC, with GMAC reserving a right of recourse in the event of the debtors’ default.

5. On June 27, 1986, Southwestern prepared its dealer’s package of title transactions for the week ending June 27, 1986.

6. In that package, among other things, was the title to the car which included an application for title transfer and written powers of attorney executed by the Thom-ases and the debtors. The package also included a check for $176 which represented title transfer fees for nine separate automobiles, including the car.

7. On either June 30 or July 1,1986, the package was delivered to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The $176 check was stamped July 1, 1986. The application for title transfer for the car was not stamped at that time. After receipt, Deena Rutledge, a DMV employee, examined the application regarding the car and noted that the application was not in proper form because the debtors’ power of attorney accompanying it related to the wrong vehicle, that is, it related to the Oldsmobile which the debtors had traded-in, rather than the car which they had purchased.

8. On July 2 or 3, 1986, Ms Rutledge contacted Southwestern by telephone and advised about the improper power of attorney. She returned the application to Southwestern.

9. On July 10, 1986, Southwestern submitted the correct power of attorney and the application was then processed in due course.

10. On July 31, 1986, the debtors filed their petition for relief herein under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code,

H- Plaintiff is the duly appointed and acting trustee herein,

12. The debtors defaulted on the purchase contract by failing to pay the monthly payment due in October, 1986. Upon default, the contract and security interest was reassigned by GMAC to Southwestern.

ISSUES

11 U.S.C. § 547 provides in pertinent part as follows:
(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; ...
(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.
(c) The trustee may not avoid under this section a transfer- ...
(3) that creates a security interest in property acquired by the debtor-
(A) to the extent such security interest secured new value that was-
(i) given at or after the signing of a security agreement that contains a description of such property as collateral;
(ii) given by or on behalf of the secured party under such agreement;
(iii) given to enable the debtor to acquire such property; and
[300]*300(iv) in fact used by the debtor to acquire such property; and
(B) that is perfected on or before 10 days after the debtor receives possession of such property; ...

The plaintiff seeks to avoid the creation of any purchase money security interest in the car in favor of defendants on the basis that such security interest was created and perfected within 90 days prior to the filing of the petition herein as provided for in 11 U.S.C. § 547(b)(4)(A) but perfected more than 10 days after the debtor received possession of the car as allowed in 11 U.S.C. § 547(c)(3).

Southwestern argues that their security interest in the car was perfected when the application for transfer of title was originally received by the DMY on July 1, 1986, within the 10 days provided for in 11 U.S.C. § 547(c)(3), thus, the plaintiff may not avoid the creation and perfection of the security interest. In the alternative, Southwestern argues that even if its lien is avoidable, it should be subrogated to the security interest in the car formerly held by USNB which it paid. Finally, Southwestern urges that even if its motion for summary judgment is denied and it is not entitled to subrogation, that the plaintiff is still not entitled to summary judgment as the plaintiff has not pled nor proven one of the elements of its prima facie case, that Southwestern has received more than it would receive if the security interest had not been created and Southwestern shared in the distribution of this Chapter 7 estate. 11 U.S.C. § 547(b)(5).

DISCUSSION

The Oregon statute regarding perfection of security interests in vehicles as it existed prior to the amendment by the Oregon Legislature in 1987 1 is O.R.S. 803.095. The statute provides in pertinent part as follows:

(5) Except as provided in subsection (6) of this section (dealing with vehicles held as inventory, not applicable here) or ORS 820.510

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Bluebook (online)
88 B.R. 297, 19 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 338, 1988 Bankr. LEXIS 1026, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/michael-a-grassmueck-inc-v-general-motors-acceptance-corp-in-re-orb-1988.