Salomon v. Kaiser (In Re Kaiser)

32 B.R. 701, 1983 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17845
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedApril 11, 1983
Docket83 Civ. 1384 (HFW)
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 32 B.R. 701 (Salomon v. Kaiser (In Re Kaiser)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Salomon v. Kaiser (In Re Kaiser), 32 B.R. 701, 1983 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17845 (S.D.N.Y. 1983).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION

WERKER, District Judge.

This is an appeal from a judgment of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, Burton R. Lifland, Bankruptcy Judge. The judgment, dated January 17,1983, was entered following the consolidated trial of two adversary proceedings before Bankruptcy Judge Joel Lewittes on December 2, 3, 5, and 6, 1982.

On February 11,1981, Gerald Kaiser filed a voluntary petition in bankruptcy under chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code. Thereafter, Chester B. Salomon was appointed trustee of the debtor’s estate. The trustee commenced the first adversary proceeding in February 1982. That complaint, which was amended in September 1982, sought to prevent the discharge of the debtor pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 727(a)(2)(A) and (a)(4)(A) based upon the allegations that the debtor transferred certain of his property with the intent to hinder, delay or defraud his creditors within one year prior to the date of the filing of the petition and that the debtor knowingly made false statements under oath. The second adversary proceeding was commenced by the filing of a complaint on April 1,1982. This proceeding was brought against the debtor and Joan Kaiser, his wife, for the purpose of setting aside alleged fraudulent transfers made by the debtor traceable into a parcel of real property located at 6450 S.W. 102nd Street, Miami Florida (“the Florida premises”), title to which was held in the name of Joan Kaiser. 11 U.S.C. §§ 544(b), 548(a)(l)(2).

Following a consolidated trial of these adversary proceedings, Bankruptcy Judge Lewittes found that the conveyances made by the debtor were fraudulent and that the debtor’s statements were false oaths. Judge Lewittes resigned from the bench before a judgment was signed. The case was then assigned to Bankruptcy Judge Lifland who signed a judgment imposing a constructive trust upon the Florida property and denying the debtor’s discharge. It is from this judgment that the Kaisers appeal.

*703 Relying upon the Supreme Court’s decision in Northern Pipeline Construction Co. v. Marathon Pipeline Co., 458 U.S. 50, 102 S.Ct. 2858, 73 L.Ed.2d 598 (1982), appellants argue that the bankruptcy court lacked jurisdiction to enter the judgment after December 24, 1982, the expiration date of the second stay of the Supreme Court’s judgment holding that the broad grant of jurisdiction to bankruptcy courts contained in § 241(a) of the Bankruptcy Act of 1978 was unconstitutional. Id. 102 S.Ct. at 2880.

The Supreme Court held that its decision was to apply only prospectively and originally stayed its judgment until October 4, 1982. The stay was further extended until December 24, 1982. Northern Pipeline Construction Co. v. Marathon Pipeline Co.,U.S. -, 103 S.Ct. 199-200, 74 L.Ed.2d 160 (1982). The Court refused to extend the stay beyond December 24, 1982.

Since the expiration of the Northern Pipeline stay, the district courts have been adjudicating bankruptcy cases and proceedings pursuant to a uniform Emergency Rule for the Administration- of the Bankruptcy System, adopted in this district on December 15, 1982. The Bankruptcy Emergency Rule took effect upon the expiration of the Supreme Court’s stay. The Emergency Rule provides for various methods of review in the district courts of certain orders and judgments entered in the bankruptcy court in “related proceedings.” The Emergency Rule defines related proceedings as follows: “related proceedings are those civil proceedings that, in the absence of a petition in bankruptcy, could have been brought in a district court or a state court. Related proceedings include, but are not limited to, claims brought by the estate against parties who have not filed claims against the estate.” Emergency Rule ¶ (d)(3)(A). In related proceedings, a bankruptcy judge may not enter judgments or dispositive orders, but must submit findings, conclusions, and a proposed judgment or order to the district judge, unless the parties consent to entry of the judgment or order by the bankruptcy judge. Emergency Rule ¶ (d)(3)(B).

However, paragraph (d)(3)(A) of the Emergency Rule explicitly provides that “[rjelated proceedings do not include: ... proceedings to set aside preferences and fraudulent conveyances.” Under the Rule, the judgment entered against the debtor became effective upon entry by the clerk of the bankruptcy court, “unless stayed by the bankruptcy judge or a district judge.” Emergency Rule ¶ (d)(2). The stay imposed on the judgment by Bankruptcy Judge Lif-land was dissolved by him after the debtor failed to meet the conditions of the stay. Leave to continue the stay was denied by this court on April 5, 1983. However, at the hearing on April 5, this court ruled that Mr. Kaiser and his family could occupy the Florida property until a decision on the appeal was made.

In Q1 Corporation v. Reichenstein, 83 Civ. 0525 (E.D.N.Y. March 22, 1983), Judge Altimari concluded that the district court had jurisdiction over bankruptcy matters, including related proceedings, pursuant to Sections 404 and 405 of the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978 and 28 U.S.C. § 1471(a)(b). After concluding that the court had jurisdiction, Judge Altimari upheld the validity and application of the Emergency Rule to the related proceeding before him. Q1 Corporation v. Reichenstein, supra, at 16, 22-23. This court agrees with Judge Altimari’s well reasoned opinion.

The appellants argue that the Emergency Rule is unconstitutional insofar as it permits bankruptcy judges to set aside fraudulent conveyances upon their own authority. The court finds this argument to be without merit and finds the Emergency Rule’s provision in this regard to be valid.

Assuming arguendo that the proceedings in the bankruptcy court were related proceedings, this court would have approved the findings of Judge Lewittes and the judgment signed by Judge Lifland had they been submitted in the form of proposed findings and a proposed judgment pursuant to paragraph (d)(3)(B) of the Rule. See also paragraph (e)(2)(B) of the Rule.

*704 After review of the trial record and Judge Lewittes findings of fact and conclusions of law, the court finds that there was ample evidence to support Judge Lewittes finding that Gerald Kaiser engaged in fraudulent transfers of property for purposes of defrauding his creditors.

The record reveals that over the years Gerald and Joan Kaiser have resided on various properties title to which has been in the name of Joan Kaiser notwithstanding that Mr. Kaiser’s funds were used for acquisition, maintenance, and improvement.

In 1970, Mr. Kaiser paid $12,000 to his wife’s parents for the transfer into her name of title to property in Lawrence, New York. The debtor had been paying the mortgage on this property since 1968. Up to the time the property was sold in 1978, Mr.

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32 B.R. 701, 1983 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17845, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/salomon-v-kaiser-in-re-kaiser-nysd-1983.