New Products Corp. v. Tibble (In re Modern Plastics Corp.)

577 B.R. 270
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Michigan
DecidedSeptember 22, 2017
DocketCase No: 1:16-CV-370
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 577 B.R. 270 (New Products Corp. v. Tibble (In re Modern Plastics Corp.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
New Products Corp. v. Tibble (In re Modern Plastics Corp.), 577 B.R. 270 (W.D. Mich. 2017).

Opinion

OPINION

JANET T. NEFF, United States District Judge

This is an appeal from a judgment, in an adversary proceeding in the Bankruptcy Court of the Western District of Michigan. Modern Plastics Corporation ceased operations in 2008 and filed a petition for relief under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code in January 2009. The assets in the estate included 12 acres of real estate in Benton Harbor, Michigan, on which sat Modern Plastics’ offices, warehouse, and a manufacturing facility (the “Property”). Appel-lee Thomas Tibbie was appointed as the trustee for the bankruptcy estate. Appellant New Products is a creditor of Modern Plastics. In 2013, New Products brought an adversary action against Tibbie, claiming that he breached his fiduciary duties by, among other things, failing to protect, maintain, and insure the Property, and by failing to object to excessive tax assessments against the Property. The bankruptcy court dismissed New Products’ action after determining that Tibbie did not breach any fiduciary duties during the relevant time period. New Products appeals the dismissal of its action. Having considered the parties’ briefs and the record, the Court finds that oral argument is unnecessary. For the reasons discussed herein, the Court affirms the judgment of the bankruptcy court.

I. Background

When Modern Plastics filed for bankruptcy, the Property was encumbered by over $1.6 million in liens. Approximately $1.3 million of that amount was owed to Bank of America (“BOA”). The remaining portion was owed to state and local taxing authorities. In addition, the building on the Property was in need of maintenance and repair. The roof of the building was leaking, resulting in pools of standing water in the facility. There were also significant environmental concerns. An internal assessment by BOA estimated that clean-up costs could exceed $500,000.1 (Siravo Dep., PageID.5367.)

A broker informed BOA that the “highest and best” use for the Property would be a redevelopment site, due to the age and condition of the building and the poor market for old industrial buildings in the area. (PageID.4158.) Similarly, an appraisal procured by BOA in March 2008 opined that redeveloping the Property would be “the only alternative to provide an adequate return on investment.” (Pa-geID.498.) The appraisal valued the Property at $1,050,000. (PageID.450.)

Shortly before the petition for bankruptcy, a developer offered to purchase the Property for $650,000. BOA agreed to this sale. After the petition for bankruptcy, Tibbie sought approval of the sale from the bankruptcy court. The proposed sale included a $10,000 carve-out for the estate, but the sale was not finalized. In August 2009, Tibbie attempted to sell the Property to the same party for $590,000, including a $20,000 carve-out for the estate. BOA agreed to this sale as well, but the buyer did not exercise its option to purchase the Property.

When Modern Plastics filed its bankruptcy petition, it notified BOA and Tibbie that the Property was not insured. BOA initially maintained casualty insurance on the Property, but after consulting with Tibbie in November 2010, BOA decided not to continue paying for insurance coverage, Steven Siravo, BOA’s loan officer in charge of Modern Plasties’ account, told Tibbie that the bank was not willing to put any more of its money into the Property, (PageID.416.)

During Tibbie’s tenure as trustee, the condition of the building on the Property deteriorated substantially as a result of vandalism, theft, and a lack of maintenance. Large quantities of metal and other materials, including structural components of the building, were taken away and sold for scrap. One scrapper worked on the site for eight hours a day, five days a week, for seven months. Eventually, the roof of the building collapsed. During this time, Tibbie made no effort to secure or maintain the Property, and BOA took no action to exercise control over it.

New Products, which has offices and a manufacturing facility located across the street from the Property, initially held an unsecured claim against Modern Plastics for $19,113.82. In March 2013, it purchased the loan documents between BOA and Modern Plastics for $225,000, after much of the deterioration to the Property had already occurred. Soon thereafter, Tibbie filed a report deeming the Property to be abandoned.2 New Products subsequently brought an adversary action against the estate, Tibbie, and Tibbie’s surety, Federal Insurance Company, seeking to recover any diminution in value of the Property during Tibbie’s tenure as trustee, under the theory that Tibbie had breached his fiduciary duties to the estate and its creditors. Following several motions for summary judgment and a bench trial focused on the value of the Property, the bankruptcy court ruled in favor of the defendants. New Products filed a motion for relief from judgment, and the bankruptcy court denied its motion. New Products appeals the bankruptcy court’s rulings to this Court.

II. Standard

The bankruptcy court’s conclusions of law are reviewed de novo. Rowell v. Chase Manhattan Auto. Fin. Corp. (In re Rowell), 359 F.Supp.2d 645, 647 (W.D. Mich. 2004). “Under a de novo standard of review, the reviewing court decides an issue independently of, and without deference to, the trial court’s determination.” Menninger v. Accredited Home Lenders (In re Morgeson), 371 B.R. 798, 800 (6th Cir. BAP 2007).

The Court applies the clearly erroneous standard when reviewing the bankruptcy court’s findings of fact. Stamper v. United States (In re Gardner), 360 F.3d 551, 557 (6th Cir. 2004). “A finding of fact is clearly erroneous ‘when although there is evidence to support it, the reviewing court on the entire evidence is left with the definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been committed.’ ” Riverview Trenton R.R. Co. v. DSC, Ltd. (In re DSC, Ltd.), 486 F.3d 940, 944 (6th Cir. 2007) (quoting Anderson v. City of Bessemer City, N.C., 470 U.S. 564, 573, 105 S.Ct. 1504, 84 L.Ed.2d 518 (1985)).

III. Analysis

A. The bankruptcy court properly limited New Products’ claim to the period of time from March 4, 2013 to January 6, 2014.

The bankruptcy court held that New Products did not have standing as an unsecured creditor to assert a claim for breach of fiduciary duty, and did not have standing as a secured creditor until March 4, 2013, the date that BOA assigned the loan documents to New Products. (7/23/2015 Mem. Decision & Order, Pa-geID.1431.) Consequently, the court limited New Products’ claim against Tibbie to the period of time running from the date that New Products acquired the loan documents until the date that the court approved the abandonment of the Property.

New Products contends that it obtained BOA’s rights to pursue a claim against Tibbie.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
577 B.R. 270, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/new-products-corp-v-tibble-in-re-modern-plastics-corp-miwd-2017.