Santiago v. Cooperativa de Ahorro y Credito de Arecibo (In re Santiago)

541 B.R. 8
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Puerto Rico
DecidedNovember 5, 2015
DocketCASE NO. 15-03157 (ESL); ADV. PROC. 15-00143
StatusPublished

This text of 541 B.R. 8 (Santiago v. Cooperativa de Ahorro y Credito de Arecibo (In re Santiago)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Puerto Rico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Santiago v. Cooperativa de Ahorro y Credito de Arecibo (In re Santiago), 541 B.R. 8 (prb 2015).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

Enrique S. Lamoutte, United States Bankruptcy Judge

This adversary proceeding is before this Court upon the Motion for Summary Judgment filed by Debtor-Plaintiff, Marlon Jesus Santiago Santiago (“Plaintiff’) on August 31, 2015 (Dkt. No. 10). On September 24, 2015, Plaintiff filed a Motion Requesting that Plaintiff’s Statement of Uncontested Facts be Deemed Admitted and Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment be Deemed Unopposed and submitted for Adjudication (Dkt. No. 11). For the reasons set forth below, Plaintiffs Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED.

Factual Background

On April 30, 2015, the Debtor filed a Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition and a Chapter 13 Plan dated April 29, 2015 (the “Plan”) (Dkts. 1 and 2). The Plan provides for payments to Cooperativa de Ahorro y Crédito (“COOPACA”) for the value of the collateral vehicle, a 2012 Kia Sportage 4D (“Collateral”), to the amount $16,075.00, plus 4.25% interest. Furthermore, Debtor surrendered his shares with COOPACA, partly satisfying said claim. See Docket No. 2. On May 7, 2015, COO-[10]*10PACA filed its proof of claim for the value of the purchase money security interest in the Collateral to the amount of $82,994.98. Said Loan- and Security Agreement between Plaintiff and COOPACA was entered on August 8, 2012. See Proof of Claim No. 1. On May 27, 2015, Plaintiff filed an adversary proceeding against COOPACA to determine the value of the Collateral and requiring the surrender of the title of said Collateral upon the full payment of the secured portion of the creditor’s claim. Furthermore, the complaint sought to strip COOPACA’s lien to the extent of the value of the property over which the lien is attached, pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 506(a) and 11 U.S.C. § 1325(a)(5)(B)(ii). On June 29, 2015, COOPACA filed an answer to the complaint alleging that: (1) the Plaintiffs value of the collateral is based on unrealistic information and/or inadmissible documentation (2) the value of the Collateral is over Plaintiffs evidence and that (3) COOPACA is entitled to present value of its secured claim at a contractual rate of 6.50% per annum.

On August 31, 2015, Plaintiffs Motion for Summary Judgment was filed, and after due notice and a period for opposing, COOPACA failed to address any of the uncontested facts set forth by Plaintiff in his Motion for Summary Judgment, the Motion Requesting that Plaintiffs Statement of Uncontested Facts be Deemed Admitted and Plaintiffs Motion for Summary Judgment be Deemed Unopposed and submitted for Adjudication.

Standard of Review

Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, is made applicable to this proceeding by Rule 7056 of the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure, provides that summary judgment should be entered “if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.” Fed. R. Bankr. P. 7056. See also In re Colarusso, 382 F.3d 51 (1st Cir.2004), citing Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322-23, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986); and do not contain any genuine issue of material fact in addition to making a showing of support for those claims for which it bears the burden of trial. Bias v. Advantage International, Inc., 905 F.2d 1558, 1560-61 (D.C.Cir.1990), cert. denied, 498 U.S. 958, 111 S.Ct. 387, 112 L.Ed.2d 397 (1990).

“The summary-judgment procedure authorized by Rule 56 is a method for promptly disposing of actions in which there is no genuine issue as to any material fact or in which only a question of law is involved.” 10A Wright, Miller & Kane, Federal Practice and Procedure 3d § 2712 at 198. “Rule 56 provides the means by which a party may pierce the allegations in the pleadings and obtain relief by introducing outside evidence showing that there are no fact issues that need to be tried.” Id. at 202-203. Summary judgment is not a substitute for a trial of disputed facts; the court may only determine whether there are issues to be tried, and it is improper if the existence of a material fact is uncertain. Id. at 205-206.

Summary judgment is warranted where, after adequate time for discovery and upon motion, a party fails to make a showing sufficient to establish the existence of an element essential to its case and upon which it carries the burden of proof at trial. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 [11]*11(1986). The moving party must “show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c).

For there to be a “genuine” issue, facts which are supported by substantial evidence must be in dispute thereby requiring deference to the finder of fact. Furthermore, the disputed facts must be “material” or determinative of the outcome of the litigation. Hahn v. Sargent, 523 F.2d 461, 464 (1st Cir.1975), cert. denied, 425 U.S. 904, 96 S.Ct. 1495, 47 L.Ed.2d 754 (1976). When considering a petition for summary judgment, the court must view the evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party. Poller v. Columbia Broadcasting Systems, Inc., 368 U.S. 464, 473, 82 S.Ct. 486, 7 L.Ed.2d 458 (1962); Daury v. Smith, 842 F.2d 9, 11 (1st Cir.1988). The moving party invariably bears both the initial as well as the ultimate burden in demonstrating its legal entitlement to summary judgment. Adickes v. Kress & Co., 398 U.S. 144, 157, 90 S.Ct. 1598, 26 L.Ed.2d 142 (1970). See also López v. Corporación Azucarera de Puerto Rico, 938 F.2d 1510, 1516 (1st Cir. 1991). It is essential that the moving party explain its reasons for concluding that the record does not contain any genuine issue of material fact in addition to making a showing of support for those claims for which it bears the burden of trial. Bias v. Advantage International, Inc.,

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
541 B.R. 8, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/santiago-v-cooperativa-de-ahorro-y-credito-de-arecibo-in-re-santiago-prb-2015.