Richardson v. Checker Acquisition Corp. (In re Checker Motors Corp.)

463 B.R. 858
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Michigan
DecidedJanuary 12, 2012
DocketBankruptcy No. GK 09-00358; Adversary Nos. 11-80015, 11-80016, 11-80018, 11-80019
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 463 B.R. 858 (Richardson v. Checker Acquisition Corp. (In re Checker Motors Corp.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy 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
Richardson v. Checker Acquisition Corp. (In re Checker Motors Corp.), 463 B.R. 858 (Mich. 2012).

Opinion

OPINION REGARDING DEFENDANTS’ MOTIONS TO DISMISS COMPLAINTS WITH PREJUDICE AND PLAINTIFF’S MOTIONS FOR LEAVE TO FILE AMENDED COMPLAINTS

JAMES D. GREGG, Chief Judge.

I.JURISDICTION

This court has jurisdiction over this bankruptcy case. 28 U.S.C. § 1334. This case and all related proceedings have been referred to this court for decision. 28 U.S.C. § 157(a); Local Rule 83.2(a) (W.D. Mich.). These adversary proceedings are statutory core proceedings because the plaintiff seeks to determine, avoid or recover fraudulent conveyances or preferences. 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(F) and (G).

Notwithstanding the recent Supreme Court decision, Stern v. Marshall, — U.S. -, 131 S.Ct. 2594, 180 L.Ed.2d 475 (2011), this court tentatively believes it is constitutionally authorized to enter final orders in these adversary proceedings. See Tibbie v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (In re Hudson), 455 B.R. 648, 656-57 (Bankr.W.D.Mich.2011) (the Stem decision is extremely narrow; “[ejxcept for the types of counterclaims addressed in Stem v. Marshall, a bankruptcy judge remains empowered to enter final orders in all core proceedings”). However, at this juncture in these adversary proceedings, no final order is contemplated or now necessary and the issue addressed by Stern may be revisited in the future.

II.ISSUES

Do the complaints filed by Thomas Richardson, as Liquidating Trustee of Checker Motors Corporation (and not individually) (“Plaintiff’), plead sufficient plausible facts to survive the defendants’ motions to dismiss? Should one or more of the Plaintiffs complaints be dismissed for failure to state a cause of action? Fed. R. BankR.P. 7012 (incorporating by reference Fed. R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6)). Should the Plaintiff be permitted to amend his originally filed complaints to augment the factual underpinnings of his various asserted causes of action?

III.PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On January 16, 2009, Checker Motors Corporation (“Debtor”) filed a voluntary petition for relief under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. On January 23, 2009, the United States Trustee appointed the Committee of Unsecured Creditors (“Committee”).

On November 22, 2010, the Debtor filed its Plan of Liquidation (“Plan”) and a proposed Disclosure Statement. The Disclosure Statement was approved at a hearing on January 7, 2011. The Plan contemplated that all remaining assets of the Debtor, including avoidance actions under Chapter 5 of the Bankruptcy Code1, would be assigned to a Liquidating Trust for the benefit of the creditors of the bankruptcy estate.

On December 29, 2010, the Committee filed a motion seeking approval of a stipu[861]*861lation of the Debtor and the Committee to approve the granting of standing to the Committee to pursue avoidance actions under Chapter 5 of the Bankruptcy Code pending the possible appointment of a Liquidating Trastee under the Debtor’s Plan. On January 11, 2011, this court entered an order granting the Committee the requested standing. On January 12, 2011, this court entered its order approving the Disclosure Statement. (Base case, Dkt. No. 566.)

On January 14, 2011, the Committee filed the four separate adversary proceedings against Checker Acquisition Corp. (“CAC”), Allan R. Tessler (“Tessler”), Christopher Markin (“C. Markin”), and David Markin (“D. Markin”) (collectively “Defendants”) which are now pending. All of the complaints sought to avoid and recover fraudulent transfers pursuant to §§ 548, 544(b), and 550, and the Michigan Fraudulent Transfer Act, Mich. Comp. L. Ann. § 566.31, et seq. The complaints against Tessler, C. Markin, and D. Markin also sought to avoid and recover preferential transfers pursuant to §§ 547 and 550.

On March 11, 2011, a confirmation hearing was held. On March 31, 2011, an order was entered confirming the Debtor’s Plan with modifications. In accordance with the confirmation order, the Committee’s avoidance actions were assigned to the Liquidating Trust established under the Debtor’s Plan, and the Plaintiff succeeded to the Committee’s standing to pursue the four pending adversary proceedings.

On February 17, 2011, the Defendants filed their respective motions to dismiss. Relying upon Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6), they each asserted that the Plaintiffs respective complaint failed to meet the Supreme Court’s new stringent pleading standard. See, Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009); Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007). The Defendants all assert the complaints are fatally defective because they contain no more than formulaic recitations of the statutory elements for avoidance of fraudulent and preferential transfers. Of course, the Plaintiff opposes the motions to dismiss. A hearing on the motions to dismiss was held on May 23, 2011. While not conceding that the complaints are deficient, the Plaintiff requests, both orally and in writing, that he be permitted to amend the complaints. No written motion to amend was filed prior to the May 23, 2011, hearing. Written motions to amend were first filed after the court took the Defendants’ dismissal motions under advisement.2

During July 2011, while the Defendants’ motions to dismiss remained under advisement, the Plaintiff filed written motions for leave to file amended complaints, with attached proposed amended complaints. (A.P. 11-80015, 11-80016, and 11-80018, Dkt. Nos. 12; A.P. 11-80019, Dkt. No. 13.) This court issued a notice of hearing regarding the motions to amend for September 9, 2011. (A.P. 11-80015,11-80016, and 11-80018, Dkt. Nos. 13; A.P. 11-80019, Dkt. No. 14.) The Defendants timely filed objections, claimed reservations of rights, and requested an adjournment of the hearing. (A.P. 11-80015, 11-80016, and 11-80018, Dkt. Nos. 16; A.P. 11-80019, Dkt. No. 17.) Over objection by the Plaintiff, the hearing was rescheduled by the court.

At the adjourned October 21, 2011, hearing, this court expressed concerns because the Plaintiff failed to file written motions to amend prior to the first hearing on the [862]*862Defendants’ motions to dismiss. The Plaintiffs delay resulted in two hearings. This court, therefore, ordered the Defendants’ attorneys to file an itemization of attorney fees and expenses covering the time period from the conclusion of the first hearing on May 23, 2011, to the conclusion of the October 21, 2011, hearing. The plaintiff’s attorney was given an opportunity to object to the reasonableness of the Defendants’ asserted attorney’ fees.3

A. General Substance of the Original Complaints.

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Bluebook (online)
463 B.R. 858, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/richardson-v-checker-acquisition-corp-in-re-checker-motors-corp-miwb-2012.