Sanders v. Crespin (In re Crespin)

551 B.R. 886
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. New Mexico
DecidedJune 15, 2016
DocketCase No. 14-13751-j7; Adv. No. 15-01028-j
StatusPublished
Cited by27 cases

This text of 551 B.R. 886 (Sanders v. Crespin (In re Crespin)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. New Mexico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sanders v. Crespin (In re Crespin), 551 B.R. 886 (N.M. 2016).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

ROBERT H. JACOBYITZ, United States Bankruptcy Judge

Plaintiffs/Creditors, David and Dorie Sanders, object to the dischargeability of debt pursuant to 11 U.S.C. §§ 523(a)(2)(A), (4) and (6). The heart of the dispute relates to a 1997 Patriot Home, Serial # 2PTX906B/ATX (the “Mobile Home”) that Mr. and Mrs. Sanders purchased from Defendants/Debtors, Edward D. Crespin and Janis M. Crespin, and what Mr. and Mrs. Crespin said, or did not say, to Mr. and Mrs. Sanders during that transaction. After consideration of the evidence, arguments of counsel and applicable law, the Court has determined that the debt Mr. and Mrs. Crespin owe Mr. and Mrs. Sanders arising out of that transaction is non-dischargeable pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2)(A) and that a state court judgment fixes the amount of the debt.

Procedural History

The Underlying Bankruptcy Case

On December 31, 2014, Mr. and Mrs. Crespin filed their voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code. See Bankruptcy Case No. 14-13751-j7, Docket No. 1. On February 26, 2015, Green Tree Servicing, LLC (“Green Tree”) filed a Motion for Relief from the Automatic Stay (the “Motion for Relief from Stay”). See Motion for Relief from Stay, Bankruptcy Case No. 14 — 13751—j7, Docket No. 15. In the Motion for Relief from Stay, Green Tree alleged that Mr. and Mrs. Crespin were $3,516.16 in arears on an $84,478.75 obligation evidenced by a promissory note secured by a mortgage and security agreement that encumbered both the Mobile Home and certain real property.1 See id. at p. 3. On April 3, 2015, the Court entered a Default Order granting the Motion for Relief from Stay, and allowing Green Tree to enforce its [890]*890rights under its mortgage and security agreement. See Bankruptcy Case No. 14-13751 — j7, Docket No. 18. On April 21, 2015, the Court entered an order granting Mr. and Mrs. Crespin a discharge under 11 U.S.C. § 727. See Bankruptcy Case No. 14-13751~j7, Docket No. 20. A week later, Mr. and Mrs. Crespin’s bankruptcy case was closed, leaving this adversary proceeding as the lone pending matter associated with the bankruptcy case.

The Adversary Proceeding

On March 27, 2015, Mr. and Mrs. Sanders initiated this adversary proceeding by filing the Complaint to Determine Dis-chargeability of Debt Pursuant to 11 U.S.C. §§ 523(a)(2), (4) and (6) (the “Complaint”). See Docket No. 1. Mr. and Mrs. Crespin timely filed an answer to the Complaint. See Docket No. 5. On July 10, 2015, Mr. and Mrs. Crespin consented to the Court hearing and finally determining all issues in this adversary proceeding. See Consent or Refusal to Consent to the Bankruptcy Court Hearing and .Determining Claims, Docket No. 11.

FINDINGS OF FACT

In accordance with Fed. R, Civ. P 52(a)(1), made applicable by Fed.' R. Bankr.P. 7052, the Court finds the following facts.

Jennifer Montoya owned the Mobile Home before she sold it to Mr. and Mrs. Crespin. The Mobile Home was personal property. It was not affixed to the land. On February 6, 1997, she executed and delivered to Green Tree Financial Servicing Corporation a Universal Note (the “Note”) in the original principal amount of $109,617.59. See Exhibit 1. To service the Note, Ms. Montoya also executed a Line of Credit Mortgage (the “Mortgage and Security Agreement”) encumbering both the Mobile Home and real property she owned located in Rio Rancho, New Mexico2 (the “Real Property”). See Exhibit 2. The Mortgage and Security Agreement provides that “[t]he total unpaid balance secured by this mortgage at any one time shall not exceed a maximum principal amount of [$109,617.59], plus interest, plus any amounts dispersed under the terms of this mortgage to protect the security of this mortgage or to perform any of the covenants contained in this mortgage with interest' on such disbursement.”

On July 24, 2001, Ms. Montoya and Mr. and Mrs. Crespin entered into a Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) providing for Mr. and Mrs. Crespin to purchase the Mobile Home and the Real Property from Ms. Montoya subject to the Mortgage and Security Agreement.3 Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, Mr. and Mrs. Crespin made a down payment of $2,000.00 to Ms. Montoya and agreed to assume the Note. A few days later, Ms. Montoya, Mr. and Mrs. Crespin, and Con-seco Finance. Servicing Corporation executed an Assumption-Agreement for Land-and-Home Loan and Related Mort[891]*891gage (the “Assumption Agreement”). See Exhibit 7. Pursuant to the Assumption Agreement, Mr. and Mrs. Crespin purchased the Mobile Home and the Real Property4 from Ms. Montoya subject to the Mortgage and Security Agreement. Mr. and Mrs. Crespin also assumed Ms. Montoya’s obligations under the Note, which then had a total principal balance of $106,083.80.

Sometime prior to 2006, Green Tree became the owner and holder of the Note. Mr. and Mrs. Crespin decided to sell the Mobile Home in late 2006 after residing there approximately six years. At that time, Mrs. Crespin contacted Green Tree and inquired into how she could obtain a release of the lien against the Mobile Home granted in the Mortgage and Security Agreement. A representative of Green Tree informed Mrs. Crespin that the lien against the Mobile Home would be released only upon payment in full of the balance of the Note secured by both the Mobile Home and Real Property. Mr. and Mrs. Crespin planned to obtain a construction loan large enough not only to build their dream home on the Real Property, but also to pay off the balance of the Note and obtain a release of the Mortgage and Security Agreement. However, Mr. and Mrs. Crespin had poor credit and needed to substantially improve their credit score to have any realistic chance of obtaining a construction loan. They intended to retain a company to help them repair their credit. Mr. and Mrs. Crespin believed they would be able to repair their credit, obtain the construction loan, and free up title to the Mobile Home. However, Mr. and Mrs. Crespin did not attempt to obtain a construction loan or improve their credit score before listing the Mobile Home for sale for $45,000.00 in a local classified publication.

Around late December 2006, Mr. and Mrs. Sanders saw Mr. and Mrs. Crespin’s classified advertisement and were interested in purchasing the Mobile Home. Mrs. Sanders contacted Mr. Crespin and set a time for Mr. and Mrs. Sanders to view the Mobile Home. Mr. and Mrs. Sanders met Mr. and Mrs. Crespin at the Mobile Home and Mr. and Mrs. Crespin gave Mr. and Mrs. Sanders a tour. At this meeting, Mr. and Mrs. Crespin discussed their intention to build their dream home on the Real Property and showed Mr. and Mrs. Sanders their house plans. Mr. and Mrs. Sanders liked what they saw of the Mobile Home, informed Mr. and Mrs. Crespin of their desire to purchase the Mobile Home from Mr. and Mrs. Crespin at their asking price of $45,000.00, and gave Mr. and Mrs. Crespin a check for $500.00 as a down payment of the purchase price.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
551 B.R. 886, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sanders-v-crespin-in-re-crespin-nmb-2016.