Rizack v. Starr Indemnity & Liability Company

CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Florida.
DecidedApril 10, 2020
Docket19-01289
StatusUnknown

This text of Rizack v. Starr Indemnity & Liability Company (Rizack v. Starr Indemnity & Liability Company) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Florida. primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rizack v. Starr Indemnity & Liability Company, (Fla. 2020).

Opinion

TAGGED OPINION GEER, yy * * 2 tugs a Ba % AlN ge & ALS ¥ 4 ORDERED in the Southern District of Florida on April 10, 2020.

tmuf YN Opie

Laurel M. Isicoff Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge

UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA www.flsb.uscourts.gov In re: Chapter 11 Cases GRANDPARENTS.COM, INC., et al.,! Case No. 17-14711-LMI Debtors. (Jointly Administered)

JOSHUA RIZACK, as Liquidating Trustee, Plaintiff, Adv. Case No.: 19-01289-LMI Vv. STARR INDEMNITY & LIABILITY COMPANY, Defendant.

ORDER GRANTING IN PART AND DENYING IN PART STARR INDEMNITY & LIABILITY COMPANY’S MOTION TO DISMISS

! The Debtors in these jointly administered cases are (i) Grandparents.com Inc., and (ii) Grand Card LLC (Case No. 17-14704-LMI), which are jointly referred to herein as the “Debtor”.

THIS CAUSE came before the Court for a hearing on November 20, 2019, upon the Motion to Dismiss Adversary Complaint (“Motion to Dismiss”) filed by Defendant Starr Indemnity & Liability Company’s (“Starr” or “Defendant”)2; the Response filed by Plaintiff Joshua Rizack, as Liquidating Trustee (“Trustee” or

“Plaintiff”)3; and the Defendant’s Reply4. After reviewing the referenced pleadings, the supplemental authority filed by the parties5, having heard the argument of counsel, considering the record and for the reasons set forth below, the Court denies in part and grants in part the Motion to Dismiss. I. Jurisdiction and Venue This Court has jurisdiction over this adversary proceeding pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§157(b) and 1334(b), and Administrative Order 2012-25 of the United

States District Court, Southern District of Florida. Additionally, this Court has jurisdiction over this action pursuant to Sections 11.1 and 12.1(b) of the First Amended Joint Plan of Liquidation (the “Plan”) (ECF #183) and Paragraph 26(ii)

2 Starr Indemnity & Liability Company’s Motion To Dismiss Adversary Complaint Filed By Liquidating Trustee Joshua Rizack (ECF #20).

3 Liquidating Trustee’s Response To Starr Indemnity & Liability Company’s Motion To Dismiss (ECF #23).

4 Starr Indemnity & Liability Company’s Reply In Further Support Of Its Motion To Dismiss Adversary Complaint (ECF #29).

5 Liquidating Trustee’s Notice Of Supplemental Authority In Further Support Of His Response (DE 23) To Starr Indemnity & Liability Company’s Motion To Dismiss (DE 20) (ECF #38); Starr Indemnity & Liability Company’s Notice Of Supplemental Authority (ECF #39); Starr Indemnity & Liability Company’s Second Notice Of Supplemental Authority (ECF #41); and Liquidating Trustee’s Amended Second Notice Of Supplemental Authority In Further Support Of His Response (DE 23)To Starr Indemnity & Liability Company’s Motion To Dismiss (DE 20) (ECF #48).

2 of the Order Confirming the Debtor’s First Amended Chapter 11 Plan of Liquidation (the “Confirmation Order”) (ECF #228) entered on September 20, 2019. The Court is authorized to hear and enter final orders in this matter pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(F), (H) and (O).

Venue is proper in this district pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§1408 and 1409(a). II. Factual Allegations The Plaintiff filed his four count Complaint (ECF #1) on July 31, 2019. Count I seeks to avoid an allegedly fraudulent transfer pursuant to 11 U.S.C. §548(a)(1)(B)6 and 726.106(1)7; Count II seeks to avoid an allegedly fraudulent transfer pursuant to 11 U.S.C. §5448 and Fla. Stat. §726.106(1);

6 “(a) The trustee may avoid any transfer (including any transfer to or for the benefit of an insider under an employment contract) of an interest of the debtor in property, or any obligation (including any obligation to or for the benefit of an insider under an employment contract) incurred by the debtor, that was made or incurred on or within 2 years before the date of the filing of the petition, if the debtor voluntarily or involuntarily—(B)(i) received less than a reasonably equivalent value in exchange for such transfer or obligation; and (ii)(I) was insolvent on the date that such transfer was made or such obligation was incurred, or became insolvent as a result of such transfer or obligation; (II) was engaged in business or a transaction, or was about to engage in business or a transaction, for which any property remaining with the debtor was an unreasonably small capital; (III) intended to incur, or believed that the debtor would incur, debts that would be beyond the debtor’s ability to pay as such debts matured; or (IV) made such transfer to or for the benefit of an insider, or incurred such obligation to or for the benefit of an insider, under an employment contract and not in the ordinary course of business.” 11 U.S.C. §548(a)(1)(B).

7 “(1) A transfer made or obligation incurred by a debtor is fraudulent as to a creditor whose claim arose before the transfer was made or the obligation was incurred if the debtor made the transfer or incurred the obligation without receiving a reasonably equivalent value in exchange for the transfer or obligation and the debtor was insolvent at that time or the debtor became insolvent as a result of the transfer or obligation.” Fla. Stat. §726.106(1).

8 “(a) The trustee shall have, as of the commencement of the case, and without regard to any knowledge of the trustee or of any creditor, the rights and powers of, or may avoid any transfer of property of the debtor or any obligation incurred by the debtor that is voidable by—(1) a creditor that extends credit to the debtor at the time of the commencement of the case, and that obtains, at such time and with respect to such credit, a judicial lien on all property on which a creditor on a simple contract could have obtained such a judicial lien, whether or not such a creditor exists; (2) a creditor that extends credit to the debtor at the time of the commencement 3 Count III seeks to recover property transferred or the value of such property pursuant to 11 U.S.C. §5509 and Fla Stat. §§726.10810 and 726.10911; and Count IV Objects to Defendant’s Claim. The Complaint alleges that Starr and Debtor entered into a Strategic Alliance

Agreement (“SAA”) on January 8, 201312. Pursuant to the SAA, Starr was

of the case, and obtains, at such time and with respect to such credit, an execution against the debtor that is returned unsatisfied at such time, whether or not such a creditor exists; or (3) a bona fide purchaser of real property, other than fixtures, from the debtor, against whom applicable law permits such transfer to be perfected, that obtains the status of a bona fide purchaser and has perfected such transfer at the time of the commencement of the case, whether or not such a purchaser exists.

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

Related

Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly
550 U.S. 544 (Supreme Court, 2007)
Ashcroft v. Iqbal
556 U.S. 662 (Supreme Court, 2009)
Brown v. NOVA INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC.
903 So. 2d 968 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 2005)
Invo Florida, Inc. v. Somerset Venturer, Inc.
751 So. 2d 1263 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 2000)
Lewis v. Guthartz
428 So. 2d 222 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1982)
Comptech Intern., Inc. v. Milam Commerce Park, Ltd.
753 So. 2d 1219 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1999)
HTP, Ltd. v. Lineas Aereas Costarricenses
685 So. 2d 1238 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1996)
In Re Enron Corp.
327 B.R. 526 (S.D. New York, 2005)
Kipperman v. Onex Corp.
411 B.R. 805 (N.D. Georgia, 2009)
EBC I, Inc. v. America Online, Inc.
356 B.R. 631 (D. Delaware, 2006)
Tiara Condominium Ass'n v. Marsh & McLennan Companies
110 So. 3d 399 (Supreme Court of Florida, 2013)
United States Fire Insurance Co. v. ADT Security Services, Inc.
134 So. 3d 477 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 2013)
Brooks v. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Florida, Inc.
116 F.3d 1364 (Eleventh Circuit, 1997)
Bencomo Enters. v. United Specialty Ins. Co.
345 F. Supp. 3d 1401 (S.D. Florida, 2018)
Bakst v. Bank Leumi, USA (In re D.I.T., Inc.)
561 B.R. 793 (S.D. Florida, 2016)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
Rizack v. Starr Indemnity & Liability Company, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rizack-v-starr-indemnity-liability-company-flsb-2020.