Okla. Heritage Bank v. Ward (In re Ward)

589 B.R. 424
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Oklahoma
DecidedAugust 20, 2018
DocketCase No. 18-11141-SAH; Adv. No. 18-01056
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 589 B.R. 424 (Okla. Heritage Bank v. Ward (In re Ward)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Okla. Heritage Bank v. Ward (In re Ward), 589 B.R. 424 (Okla. 2018).

Opinion

Sarah A. Hall, United States Bankruptcy Judge

The following are before the Court for consideration:

1. Complaint Objecting to Dischargeability of Debt [Doc. 1] (the "Complaint"), filed by plaintiff Oklahoma Heritage Bank on July 2, 2018;
2. Motion to Dismiss for Failure to State a Claim, with Brief in Support, and Notice of Opportunity for Hearing [Doc. 7] (the "Motion to Dismiss"), filed by debtor and defendant Gayland Grant Ward on August 1, 2018; and
3. Plaintiff Oklahoma Heritage Bank's Objection to Motion to Dismiss for Failure to State a Claim with Brief in Support [Doc. 8] (the "Response"), filed on August 15, 2018.

BACKGROUND

Debtor and defendant Gayland Grant Ward ("Ward") is a former long-term employee of plaintiff Oklahoma Heritage Bank ("Bank"). From March 2006 to May 2015, Ward served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Bank. After his employment ended, Bank uncovered questionable loan practices by Ward during his tenure as an officer and, in January 2016, filed suit against him in state court. Ward filed his chapter 7 bankruptcy petition in March 2018, which stayed the state court litigation. Bank then filed this adversary proceeding seeking a determination that debts owed by Ward as a result of his misconduct are nondischargeable.

In its Complaint, Bank sets forth two causes of action regarding nondischargeability of debts. First, Bank argues Ward's debts are nondischargeable pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2)(A)1 based on false representations and fraud. Second, Bank argues *427Ward's debts are excepted from discharge pursuant to Section 523(a)(4) as a result of Ward's defalcation in a fiduciary capacity. Ward filed his Motion to Dismiss, arguing Bank's Complaint fails to state a claim under either Section 523(a)(2)(A) or Section 523(a)(4), and Bank filed its Response. The Court has reviewed the Complaint, Motion to Dismiss, Response, and applicable law, and for the reasons set forth below, GRANTS the Motion to Dismiss IN PART AND DENIES IT IN PART.

JURISDICTION

The Court has jurisdiction to hear this Complaint pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1334(b), and venue is proper pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1409. Reference to the Court of this matter is proper pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 157(a), and this is a core proceeding as contemplated by 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(I). The parties consent to entry of judgment by this Court.

STANDARDS GOVERNING RULE 12(b)(6) MOTIONS TO DISMISS

A plaintiff must frame a complaint with enough factual matter to suggest that he or she is entitled to relief. Fed. R. Civ. P. 8.; Fed. R. Bankr. P. 7008 ; Robbins v. Okla. ex rel. Okla. Dep't of Human Servs., 519 F.3d 1242, 1247 (10th Cir. 2008). If it appears a plaintiff has not met this requirement, a defendant may file a motion to dismiss the complaint for failure to state a claim pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) (" Rule 12(b)(6)") (made applicable here by Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 7012 ). In Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, the Supreme Court ruled that a complaint "does not need detailed factual allegations," but it must contain "enough facts to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face." 550 U.S. 544-45, 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007) (emphasis added). Thus, in Twombly, the Supreme Court formulated a "plausibility standard" for evaluating whether a complaint survives a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss.

The Tenth Circuit has described the Supreme Court's plausibility standard as a middle ground that lies somewhere between "heightened fact pleading" and "formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action." Robbins, 519 F.3d at 1247. In other words, the "allegations must be enough that, if assumed to be true, the plaintiff plausibly (not just speculatively) has a claim for relief." Robbins, 519 F.3d at 1247. See also Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009) ("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."); Ridge at Red Hawk, L.L.C. v. Schneider, 493 F.3d 1174, 1177 (10th Cir. 2007) (complaint must give the court reason to believe that plaintiff has a reasonable likelihood of mustering factual support for claims raised).

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589 B.R. 424, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/okla-heritage-bank-v-ward-in-re-ward-okwb-2018.