Overland Park Dodge, Inc. v. Graff (In Re Graff)

7 B.R. 426, 3 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 421, 1980 Bankr. LEXIS 4014
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Kansas
DecidedNovember 28, 1980
Docket19-10190
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 7 B.R. 426 (Overland Park Dodge, Inc. v. Graff (In Re Graff)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Overland Park Dodge, Inc. v. Graff (In Re Graff), 7 B.R. 426, 3 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 421, 1980 Bankr. LEXIS 4014 (Kan. 1980).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

BENJAMIN E. FRANKLIN, Bankruptcy Judge.

The debtor, Gregory Scott Graff, filed a petition and plan under Chapter 13 of Title 11, United States Code, On December 20, 1979.

The plaintiff, Overland Park Dodge, Inc., alleges that on or about June 17, 1978, the defendant, Gregory Scott Graff, executed and delivered to the plaintiff, a retail installment contract for the purchase of a 1978 Dodge Van B--100, Vehicle I.D. # B21BF8X167350; that in July, 1978, the defendant transferred the vehicle and willfully and maliciously converted the same in violation of 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(4) and § 523(a)(6), leaving a balance due and owing of $6,385.28.

The plaintiff herein rejected the plan pursuant to his claim filed on February 6, 1980; and on June 6,1980, plaintiff filed its Complaint to Determine Dischargeability of Debt.

Under the amended plan of the defendant filed herein on March 28, 1980, the creditor, Overland Park Dodge, Inc., was to be paid 10% of its claim as an unsecured creditor.

After the hearing on May 27,1980, on the plaintiff’s objection to confirmation of the plan, the Court took the same under advisement.

On July 21, 1980, the Court orally stated that the plan was confirmed subject to the issuance of a written opinion in this adversary proceeding.

At all of the court hearings, the appearances were as follows: Andrew D. Lyons appearing on behalf of the defendant-debt- or, Gregory Scott Graff; Mark C. Owens, appearing on behalf of the plaintiff, Overland Park Dodge, Inc.; and Joseph H. McDowell, appearing as trustee.

There is no dispute that if this proceeding was under Chapter 7 of Title 11 U.S.C., this debt would be nondischargeable.

*428 ISSUES INVOLVED

1. WHETHER OR NOT CONGRESS INTENDED A COMPLAINT TO DETERMINE DISCHARGEABILITY OF A DEBT TO BE CONSIDERED IN A CHAPTER 13 PROCEEDING.

2. WHETHER OR NOT THE PLAN HEREIN SHOULD BE CONFIRMED.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

11 U.S.C. §§ 1325(a)(3) and 1325(a)(4) state as follows:

“(a) The court shall confirm a plan if-
(3) the plan has been proposed in good faith and not by any means forbidden by law;
(4) the value, as of the effective date of the plan, of property to be distributed under the plan on account of cash allowed unsecured claim is not less than the amount that would be paid on such claim if the estate of the debtor were liquidated under chapter 7 of this title on such date; ”

The plaintiff contends that under the Chapter 13 plan of the defendant, the plaintiff will receive less than it would if liquidated under Chapter 7, due to the fact that the debt would be nondischargeable under 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(4) & (6); and therefore, the plan should not be confirmed (11 U.S.C. § 1325(a)(4)).

This Court concurs with the holding In the Matter of Robert L. Marlow and Sandra K. Marlow, 3 Bkrtcy. 305, 6 BCD 77 (Bkrtcy.N.D.Ill.1980), where it was stated on page 78:

“A careful reading of the statute, however, fails to sustain the argument. The language of Section 1325(a)4 refers only to what a creditor would be paid on a claim if the estate is liquidated in Chapter 7. It looks only at the distributive provisions. The Court need not consider the possibility that American has a non-dischargeable debt.”

In In re McBride, 4 Bkrtcy. 389, CCH Bankruptcy Law Reporter, ¶ 67,658, (Bkrtcy.) it is stated, in quoting from In re Keckler, 3 Bkrtcy. 155, CCH Bankruptcy Law Reporter, ¶ 67,367 (Bkrtcy.N.D.Ohio 1980):

“Congress surely was aware that Chapter 13 would make certain persons eligible for discharge of certain debts that would be nondischargeable debts under Chapter 7.”

Further, the Court cites in support of its findings that the dischargeability of debts need not be considered in a Chapter 13 proceeding, 11 U.S.C. § 1328(a)(2) as follows:

“(a) As soon as practicable after completion by the debtor of all payments under the plan, unless the court approves a written waiver of discharge executed by the debtor after the order for relief under this chapter, the court shall errant the debtor a discharge of all debts provided for by the plan or disallowed under section 502 of this title, except any debt-
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(2) of the kind specified in section 523(a)(5) of this title.” (emphasis added)

Section 523(a)(5) states in part as follows:

“(a) A discharge under section 727, 1141, or 1328(b) of this title does not discharge an individual debtor from any debt-
* * * * * *
(5)to a spouse, former spouse, or child of the debtor, for alimony to, maintenance for, or support of both spouse or child, in connection with a separation agreement, divorce decree, or property settlement agreement, ...”

Section 523(a)(5) of Title 11 refers to payments of alimony and support to spouse, former spouse, child support in connection with separation agreement, divorce decree or property settlement. In this case, neither of the foregoing would apply; therefore, it cannot be considered as nondis-chargeability in Chapter 13 proceeding and cannot prevent confirmation of the plan for the reason alleged by the plaintiff above.

*429 The facts alleged in the Complaint herein are such that if this were a Chapter 7 case, the indebtedness would be nondischargeable.

The Court; after examining the petition filed herein, finds that the claim of Overland Park Dodge, Inc. was unsecured in that its lien was never perfected and therefore, should be treated as any other' unsecured indebtedness in determining if the plan meets all of the requirements of 11 U.S.C. § 1325(a).

Section 1325(a) provides as follows:

“(a) The court shall confirm a plan if-
(1) the plan complies with the provisions of this chapter and with other applicable provisions of this title;

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Bluebook (online)
7 B.R. 426, 3 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 421, 1980 Bankr. LEXIS 4014, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/overland-park-dodge-inc-v-graff-in-re-graff-ksb-1980.