Norman v. Norman (In Re Norman)

32 B.R. 562, 1983 Bankr. LEXIS 5571
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Missouri
DecidedAugust 22, 1983
Docket18-30677
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 32 B.R. 562 (Norman v. Norman (In Re Norman)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Norman v. Norman (In Re Norman), 32 B.R. 562, 1983 Bankr. LEXIS 5571 (Mo. 1983).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

JOEL PELOFSKY, Bankruptcy Judge.

Robert David Norman filed a Chapter 13 petition on November 18, 1980. His principal creditor was his former wife who held a judgment arising out of a dissolution of marriage. The judgment was obtained in 1978 and affirmed on appeal. Norman v. Norman, 604 S.W.2d 680 (Mo.App.1980). Debtor scheduled her as holding an unse *565 cured claim and proposed payment at 10% of the allowed claim.

On January 19, 1981 Mrs. Norman filed objections to confirmation of the plan contending that the plan was not filed in good faith, that she held a secured claim and that the creditors would receive more in liquidation than under the plan. Debtor responded denying these contentions. Mrs. Norman filed a proof of claim to which debtor objected. Debtor then moved to amend his plan increasing the amount to be paid to unsecured creditors.

On April 20, 1981, Mrs. Norman filed a Motion to Dismiss alleging that debtor was not eligible to be a Chapter 13 debtor as his unsecured debts exceeded the amount allowed by statute, Section 109(e) of the Code, and for various other reasons. In the interim Mrs. Norman was taking action in the state court to collect her judgment against the supersedeas bond, posted in part by debtor’s parents. Debtor filed a Motion seeking to hold her and her attorney in contempt for the collection efforts. Mrs. Norman filed a Complaint to Lift the Stay to allow her to collect against the bond. Hearings were held on the pending pleadings and actions.

During the course of those proceedings Mrs. Norman proposed to call the state trial court judge as a witness to explain the judgment. Debtor objected. The objection was sustained. In re Norman, 12 B.R. 512 (Bkrtcy.WD Mo.1981). After hearing the evidence this Court held that attempts to collect on the supersedeas bond against the sureties, debtor’s parents, were not barred by the automatic stay. In re Norman, 13 B.R. 894, 897-98 (Bkrtcy. WD Mo.1981). This Court also concluded that part of the award in the state trial court was a property settlement and dischargeable. In re Norman, 13 B.R. at 899-900.

Thereafter lengthy evidentiary hearings were held on the issues raised by Mrs. Norman’s motions and on confirmation. The parties filed extensive briefs. The preliminary issue is whether debtor is eligible to be in Chapter 13. The answer to that rests upon a determination of the amount of unsecured debt which debtor owes.

I

A person may be a debtor under Chapter 13 of the Code if, on the date of the filing of the petition, the individual has regular income and owes “noncontingent, liquidated, unsecured debts of less than $100,000 and noncontingent, liquidated, secured debts of less than $350,000 ...” Section 109(e) of the Code, Title 11, U.S.C. The requirements are strictly construed. If the debtor does not meet them he is not eligible and the case must be converted or dismissed. Matter of Prince, 5 B.R. 432 (Bkrtcy. WD N.Y.1980); In re Flaherty, 10 B.R. 118 (Bkrtcy. ND Ill.1981); In re Cronkleton, 18 B.R. 792 (Bkrtcy. SD Ohio 1982).

The Court is required only to consider noncontingent debts. Mrs. Norman argues that debtor must include debts for which he is personally liable and also debts as to which he may have liability growing out of his partnership in Ferguson Drugs. Compare In re Kelsey, 6 B.R. 114 (Bkrtcy. SD Tex.1980). The partnership is not in bankruptcy and is solvent. Partners in Missouri are jointly and severally liable for partnership debts. Section 358.150, R.S.Mo. 1969. But it also appears that a partnership creditor must satisfy his claim from partnership assets before gaining access to the assets of the individual partners. Plattner v. People's Bank of Salisbury, 71 S.W.2d 75 (Mo.App.1934); Wilbur Waggoner v. Bumiller, 542 S.W.2d 32 (Mo.App.1976). Kelsey, supra, based upon Texas law is distinguishable. Debtor’s liability for the debts of the partnership being contingent, they need not be considered in determining debt- or’s eligibility to be a Chapter 13 debtor.

Mrs. Norman’s claim is based upon the judgment in her favor arising out of the dissolution of marriage action. Judgments of the courts of appeal or circuit courts of the state are liens upon “real estate of the person against whom they are rendered ...” Sections 511.350 and 511.440, R.S.Mo. 1959. In addition a perfected execution, placing collateral in the hands or control of *566 the creditor, results in the debt being secured or satisfied to the value of the collateral seized. Vittert Construction and Investment Company v. Wallcovering Contractors, Inc., 473 S.W.2d 799 (Mo.App.1971); State ex rel Mather v. Carnes, 551 S.W.2d 272 (Mo.App.1977). See also Section 400.9-305, R.S.Mo.1969.

Debtor owns real estate in his own name. The judgment, therefore, is a lien against such property provided it is not avoidable under Section 522(f)(1) of the Code. The value of the property is to be determined as of the date of filing for that is when eligibility to be a Chapter 13 debtor must be determined. The value “is to be set at that amount which would [be] obtained from the most commercially reasonable disposition practicable under the circumstances ... [S]uch value would be the fair market value”. In re Schiavoni, 19 B.R. 51, 52 (Bkrtcy. ED Penn.1982).

The real property in Ava, Missouri, consists of a house and five acres of land. It was valued at $45,000 in the schedules with a secured debt of $24,495.13. Debtor claimed his full Section 522(d)(1) exemption against the property. Taking debtor’s value that leaves $13,000 to creditors. Mrs. Norman holds the lien. It is not avoidable since it impairs no exemption and she is secured to at least that amount.

The debt to Mrs. Norman was scheduled, in round figures, at $81,500 and allowed by the trustee, in round figures, at $91,000. The balance of the unsecured debt was approximately $19,000. If Mrs. Norman’s claim is secured at a minimum of $13,000, then the amount of unsecured debt is less than $100,000 and debtor is eligible to be in Chapter 13. The Motion to Dismiss for lack of eligibility is OVERRULED.

II

Debtor proposes to pay allowed secured claims outside the plan and to pay the trustee the sum of $37,504.87 for distribution to unsecured creditors. He determines this amount by valuing his assets on a liquidation basis in accordance with the test established in Section 1325(a)(4) of the Code which provides that a plan may be confirmed, if, inter alia,

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Bluebook (online)
32 B.R. 562, 1983 Bankr. LEXIS 5571, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/norman-v-norman-in-re-norman-mowb-1983.