Michael Farms, Inc. v. Lundgren (In re Lundgren)

503 B.R. 717
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Wisconsin
DecidedDecember 17, 2013
DocketBankruptcy No. 13-11962-13; Adversary No. 13-138
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 503 B.R. 717 (Michael Farms, Inc. v. Lundgren (In re Lundgren)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Wisconsin primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Michael Farms, Inc. v. Lundgren (In re Lundgren), 503 B.R. 717 (Wis. 2013).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION, FINDINGS OF FACT, AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

CATHERINE J. FURAY, Bankruptcy Judge.

Michael Farms, Inc. (“Plaintiff”) filed this adversary proceeding to determine the dischargeability of debt under 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(4). The Plaintiff’s claims are based on the alleged dissipation of assets held under a trust established by the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act, 1930, § 5(c)(4), as amended, 7 U.S.C.A. § 499e(c)(4) (“PACA”). The complaint alleges that Thomas J. Lundgren (“Debtor” or “Defendant”) was the sole officer, director, shareholder, and person in control of the assets of Spud City Sales, LLC (“Spud City”). Further, the complaint alleges that Spud City was a dealer and commission merchant subject to the provisions of PACA. It also alleges that between January 4, 2012, and October 8, 2012, the Plaintiff sold $123,596.00 of produce to Spud City for which the Plaintiff has never been paid, despite the fact that all of the invoices contained the statutory language required by PACA to enforce the Plaintiffs rights as a beneficiary to a statutory trust. The Plaintiff also claims that PACA shifts the liability for payment to the Defendant by placing him in a fiduciary capacity that is intended to ensure payment of Spud City’s debts. Finally, the Plaintiff asserts that the Defendant breached that fiduciary duty.

The Defendant filed a motion to dismiss. He claims that PACA does not impose fiduciary duties on him within the meaning of 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(4). Further, the Defendant asserts that the Plaintiff has pled insufficient facts to support a claim of defalcation under the Code. The Defendant does not, for the purpose of the instant motion, assert that the Plaintiff was paid for the commodities. The Plaintiff filed a response.

For the reasons set forth below, the Court will deny the motion to dismiss.

STANDARD FOR DISMISSAL

Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009), and Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007), state the standard of review for motions to dismiss under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b). “To survive a motion to dismiss, a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to ‘state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.’” Iqbal, 556 U.S. at [720]*720678, 129 S.Ct. 1937. Further, a “claim has facial plausibility when the plaintiff pleads factual content that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged.” Id. Finally, to survive a Rule 12(b)(6) motion, the factual allegations set forth in the complaint, taken as true, “must be enough to raise a right to relief above the speculative level.” Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955.

In the Seventh Circuit, the standard of review under Rule 12(b)(6) has been explained as follows: “First, a plaintiff must provide notice to defendants of her claims. Second, courts must accept a plaintiffs factual allegations as true, but some factual allegations will be so sketchy or implausible that they fail to provide sufficient notice to defendants of the plaintiffs claim. Third, in considering the plaintiffs factual allegations, courts should not accept as adequate abstract recitations of the elements of a cause of action or conclusory legal statements.” Brooks v. Ross, 578 F.3d 574, 581 (7th Cir.2009).

SECTION 523(a)(4)

Section 523(a)(4) of the Code provides:

A discharge under section 727 ... of this title does not discharge an individual debtor from any debt—
(4) for fraud or defalcation while acting in a fiduciary capacity....

A finding of nondischargeability under this section requires a showing that (1) a fiduciary relationship existed between the plaintiff and the defendant, and (2) fraud or defalcation was committed by the defendant in the course of the relationship. CFC Wireforms, Inc. v. Monroe (In re Monroe), 304 B.R. 349 (Bankr.N.D.Ill.2004). The issue of whether a defendant is a fiduciary under this section is a question of federal law, not a fact that can be pled. O’Shea v. Frain (In re Frain), 230 F.3d 1014 (7th Cir.2000). For the purposes of this section, the money or property supporting the debt must have been entrusted to the debtor. A fiduciary relationship in this context can be established either by an express trust or by a statutory trust that possesses the traditional hallmarks of an express trust. See Follett Higher Educ. Group, Inc. v. Berman (In re Berman), 629 F.3d 761, 767-69 (7th Cir.2011); In re McGee, 353 F.3d 537, 541 (7th Cir.2003); In re Marchiando, 13 F.3d 1111, 1115 (7th Cir.1994). The relevant hallmarks of an express trust are: (1) the trust res must be identified by the statute, (2) the statute must create independent fiduciary duties, (3) the statute must impose a trust on the funds prior to the act creating the debt, and (4) there must be “a difference of knowledge or power between fiduciary and principal which ... gives the former a position of ascendancy over the latter.” In re Marchiando, 13 F.3d at 1116; see In re McGee, 353 F.3d at 541.

PACA

PACA is codified in Title 7, Chapter 20A of the U.S.Code. The section applicable to this adversary proceeding is section 499e(c), that provides:

Trust on commodities and sales proceeds for benefit of unpaid suppliers, sellers, or agents; preservation of trust; jurisdiction of courts.
(2) Perishable agricultural commodities received by a commission merchant, dealer, or broker in all transactions, and all inventories of food or other products derived from perishable agricultural commodities, and any receivables or proceeds from the sale of such commodities or products, shall be held by such commission merchant, dealer, or broker in trust for the benefit of all unpaid suppli[721]*721ers or sellers of such commodities or agents involved in the transaction, until full payment of the sums owing in connection with such transactions has been received by such unpaid suppliers, sellers, or agents....

The Department of Agriculture also promulgated regulations to implement PACA. Those regulation are contained in 7 C.F.R. § 46.46.

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Bluebook (online)
503 B.R. 717, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/michael-farms-inc-v-lundgren-in-re-lundgren-wiwb-2013.