Ruthe v. Dohring (In re Dohring)

245 B.R. 262, 46 Fed. R. Serv. 3d 408, 2000 Bankr. LEXIS 155
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Texas
DecidedJanuary 14, 2000
DocketBankruptcy No. 399-33188-RCM-13; Adversary No. 99-3358
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 245 B.R. 262 (Ruthe v. Dohring (In re Dohring)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ruthe v. Dohring (In re Dohring), 245 B.R. 262, 46 Fed. R. Serv. 3d 408, 2000 Bankr. LEXIS 155 (Tex. 2000).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

ROBERT McGUIRE, Chief Judge.

On January 10, 1999, came to be heard the Motion of debtor Silvio Dohring (“Defendant” or “Debtor”) to dismiss the above-styled adversary proceeding. Lori Lynette Ruthe (“Plaintiff’) opposed such dismissal. This Court has jurisdiction over this core proceeding under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1334 and 157(b)(2)(I). The foregoing and following are the Court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law under Bankruptcy Rule 7052.

Background

The Bankruptcy Rule 4007 deadline for filing a § 523 complaint in this case was August 3,1999. On July 23,1999, Plaintiff filed an adversary proceeding to determine the dischargeability of two debts under § 523; one, an assault and battery judgment under § 523(a)(6), and the other, a § 523(a)(15) count. Thereafter, on July 23, 1999, Plaintiff had a summons issued. The summons was not served on the Defendant or his attorney until sometime on or after September 10, 1999. The Plaintiffs Certificate of Service attesting that the summons was served is dated September 13, 1999. Debtor received his discharge on September 3, 1999. On October 4, 1999, Defendant filed a motion to quash summons, objection to adversary proceeding, motion to dismiss the adversary proceeding., and answer subject thereto.

The Issues

The first stated basis of the motion to dismiss is that since the Debtor received his discharge, the § 523 adversary is moot.

Debtor misconstrues the effect of a discharge. A discharge, when issued, specifically excludes from its effect any timely § 523 complaints.

The summons, as served, was expired and therefore service of it was a nullity and should be quashed.

The next issue is whether Plaintiff should be permitted to obtain an alias summons under Bankruptcy Rule 7004(e), and serve same, notwithstanding 120 days had elapsed since the filing of the complaint, contrary to F.R.C.P. 4(m) incorporated in Bankruptcy Rule 7004 by 7004(a).

In the present matter, the Plaintiffs attorney did not state why the summons was not served on the Defendant within 10 days of issuance. In September, upon discovering that the summons was not served, Plaintiffs attorney simply served the expired summons. When asked why she did [264]*264not get a new summons, as she would have been entitled to by Bankruptcy Rule 7004(e), she stated that she did not realize that there was a need for a new summons.

Case Law Prior to 19931

(.December 1, 1996 in Bankruptcy)

Prior to 1993, a finding of good cause was a requisite to a court’s extending time of service. See McDonald, v. United States, 898 F.2d 466, 467 (5th Cir.1990) (“Rule 4(j) requires dismissal of a defendant who has not been served within one hundred and twenty days after the complaint is filed unless ‘good cause’ is shown.”).2 In the Fifth Circuit, “good cause” had been equated with excusable neglect. Id. Inadvertence, mistake or ignorance of counsel did not establish good cause. Id.; see also McGinnis v. Shalala, 2 F.3d 548 (5th Cir.1993). A reasonable basis for noncompliance within the time specified had to be shown. See Parson v. Cole (In re Cole), 142 B.R. 140 (Bankr.N.D.Tex.1992) (citing McDonald). The preclusion of suit due to a statute of limitations problem or actual notice of the suit by opposing counsel was not determinative of good cause. See McDonald, 898 F.2d at 468; McGinnis, 2 F.3d at 551.

Case Law Subsequent to 1993 Amendments

Effective December 1, 1996 in Bankruptcy

See footnote 1.

A finding of good cause is no longer necessary for a court to extend the time of service. The 1993 Amendments to Fed. R.Civ.P. 4(m) now reads:

Time Limit for Service. If service of the summons and complaint is not made upon a defendant within 120 days after the filing of the complaint, the court, upon motion or on its own initiative after notice to the plaintiff, shall dismiss the action without prejudice as to that defendant or direct that service be effected within a specified time; provided that if the plaintiff shows good cause for the failure, the court shall extend the time for service for an appropriate period. This subdivision does not apply to service in a foreign country pursuant to subdivision (f) or (j)(l).

The Advisory Committee Notes on the 1993 amendment to Fed.R.Civ.P. 4(m) state, in part:

Subdivision (m). This subdivision retains much of the language’ of the present subdivision (j).
The new subdivision explicitly provides that the court shall allow additional time if there is good cause for the plaintiffs failure.to effect service in the prescribed 120 days, and authorizes the court to relieve a plaintiff of the consequences of an application of this subdivision even if there is no good cause shown. Such relief formerly was afforded in some cases, partly in reliance on Rule 6(b). Relief may be justified, for example, if the applicable statute of limitations would bar the refiled action, or if the defendant is evading service or conceals a defect in attempted service. E.g., Ditkof v. Owens-Illinois, Inc., 114 F.R.D. 104 (E.D.Mich.1987).

(emphasis added). Allowing an extension without a finding of “good cause” is within the discretion of the trial court “even when a plaintiff fails to show good cause.” See Thompson v. Brown, 91 F.3d 20, 21 (5th Cir.1996), citing, among other cases, Petrucelli, 46 F.3d 1298, 1304 (3rd Cir.1995).

[265]*265In Barr v. Barr (In re Barr), 217 B.R. at 680, the court stated:

Several bankruptcy courts have taken the position asserted by the Plaintiff that the expiration of the bar date or statute of limitations justifies granting a plaintiff additional time to effectuate proper service. [In re] Deresinski, 214 B.R. [35] at 38 [(Bkrtcy.M.D.Fla.1997)]; Smith v. Hamrah (In re Hamrah), 174 B.R. 109, 112 (Bankr.W.D.Mo.1994). Other courts have taken the position that this is only one factor that a court should consider, and that this fact alone does not require a court to extend the time for service of process. Panaras v. Liquid Carbonic Indus., Carp., 94 F.3d 338, 341 (7th Cir.1996); Petrucelli [v. Bohringer], 46 F.3d [1298] at 1305-06 [(3rd Cir.1995)]. The Ninth Circuit has not yet taken a position on this issue.

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Bluebook (online)
245 B.R. 262, 46 Fed. R. Serv. 3d 408, 2000 Bankr. LEXIS 155, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ruthe-v-dohring-in-re-dohring-txnb-2000.