Seattle-first National Bank v. Drum Corps Ass'n of Spokane (In re Drum Corps Ass'n of Spokane)

22 B.R. 929, 1982 Bankr. LEXIS 3388
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Washington
DecidedSeptember 8, 1982
DocketBankruptcy No. 81-00856-121; No. A81-0415-121
StatusPublished

This text of 22 B.R. 929 (Seattle-first National Bank v. Drum Corps Ass'n of Spokane (In re Drum Corps Ass'n of Spokane)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Seattle-first National Bank v. Drum Corps Ass'n of Spokane (In re Drum Corps Ass'n of Spokane), 22 B.R. 929, 1982 Bankr. LEXIS 3388 (Wash. 1982).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION

L. WARDEN HANEL, Bankruptcy Judge.

This matter is before the Court for trial on plaintiff, Seattle-First National Bank’s complaint to lift stay pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 362 and defendant, Drum Corps Association of Spokane, by the trustee, counter claim for turn over of funds pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 542 and preferential transfer pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 547.

FACTS

On May 11, 1981, the Debtor, DRUM CORPS ASSOCIATION OF SPOKANE, filed a Voluntary Petition for Relief under Chapter 7 of the Code. Scheduled among the assets of the Estate were a number of bank accounts at SEATTLE-FIRST NATIONAL BANK in Spokane, Washington, which contained the sum of $739.02 at the time of filing. In addition, the bank had removed $3,771.00 from two of the DRUM CORPS accounts which it was holding under a Writ of Garnishment served on April 20, 1981. WINSTON & CASHATT, as attorneys for garnishee, answered the Writ of Garnishment on April 24,1981, acknowledging that the bank was holding $3,771.00 of the Debtor’s funds for the Plaintiff of the Writ, GARTH BENHAM. An Order to pay out of the Court said funds was entered on May 11, 1981, but was subsequently stayed by the Debtor’s filing of a Bankruptcy Petition on the same day. The $3,771.00 was subsequently returned by the bank to the Debtor’s accounts after an Order Releasing Garnishment was entered on June 17, 1981, at the request of the Trustee. The bank now claims a right to setoff the current balance of $4,334.97 in the various DRUM CORPS ASSOCIATION accounts against the indebtedness of $28,529.56, plus interest and late charges, owed by the Debtor to the bank.

On February 25, 1981, and March 19, 1981, within ninety days of bankruptcy, DRUM CORPS ASSOCIATION issued Check Nos. 1035 and 1039 in the amount of $700.00 each to SEATTLE-FIRST NATIONAL BANK as payments on the above indebtedness, which was secured by a security interest in musical instruments and business equipment. These items were subsequently abandoned to the bank, which will realize approximately $6,000.00 upon sale of the collateral.

ISSUES

There are two issues which the Court must decide. First is the $3,771.00 that was [931]*931subject to the Writ of Garnishment subject to setoff pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 553 by the bank or is it property of the debtor’s estate and subject to turn over by the trustee pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 542. Second, were check Nos. 1035 and 1039 in the amount of $700.00 each received by plaintiff within ninety days of debtor’s filing its petition in bankruptcy preferential in nature and subject to recovery by the trustee pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 547.

DISCUSSION

As to the first issue at hand the pertinent code sections and state law are as follows:

R.C.W. 7.33.140 Effect of service of writ From and after the service of such writ of garnishment, it shall not be lawful, except as directed by the court, for the garnishee to pay any debt owing to the defendant at the time of such service, or to deliver, sell or transfer, or recognize any sale or transfer of, any personal property or effects belonging to the defendant in the garnishee’s possession or under his control at the time of such service; and any such payment, delivery, sale or transfer shall be void and of no effect as to so much of said debt, personal property or effects, shares, or interest as may be necessary to satisfy the plaintiff’s demand: Provided, however, That in case the garnishee is a bank, banking association, mutual savings bank or savings and loan association maintaining branch offices, service must be made as provided for in RCW 7.33.130, and shall only be effective to attach the accounts, credits, or other personal property of the defendant in that particular branch upon which service is made and to which the writ is directed: Provided further, That this section shall have no effect as to any portion of a debt which is exempt from garnishment: And Provided further, That garnishee shall incur no liability for releasing funds or property in excess of the amount stated in the writ of garnishment where garnishee shall continue to hold an amount equal to the amount stated in the writ of garnishment.

11 U.S.C. § 553. Setoff

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section and in sections 362 and 363 of this title, this title does not affect any right of a creditor to offset a mutual debt owing by such creditor to the debtor that arose before the commencement of the case under this title against a claim of such creditor against the debtor that arose before the commencement of the case, except to the extent that—
(1) the claim of such creditor against the debtor is disallowed other than under section 502(b)(3) of this title:
(2) such claim was transferred, by an entity other than the debtor, to such creditor—
(A) after the commencement of the case; or
(B)(i) after 90 days before the debt of the filing of the petition; and
(ii) while the debtor was insolvent; or
(3) the debt owed to the debtor by such creditor was incurred by such creditor—
(A) after 90 days before the date of the filing of the petition:
(B) while the debtor was insolvent: and
(C) for the purpose of obtaining a right of setoff against the debtor.
(b)(1) Except with respect to a setoff of a kind described in section 362(b)(6) or 365(h)(1) of this title, if a creditor offsets a mutual debt owing to the debtor-against a claim against the debtor on or within 90 days before the date of the filing of the petition, then the trustee may recover from such creditor the amount so offset to the extent that any insufficiency on the date of such setoff is less than the insufficiency on the later of—
(A) 90 days before the date of the filing of the petition; and
' (B) the first date during the 90 days immediately preceding the date of the filing of the petition on which there is an insufficiency.
[932]*932(2)In this subsection, “insufficiency” means amount, if any, by which a claim against the debtor exceeds a mutual debt owing to the debtor by the holder of such claim.
(c) For the purposes of this section, the debtor is presumed to have been insolvent on and during the 90 days immediately preceding the date of the filing of the petition.
11 U.S.C.

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Bluebook (online)
22 B.R. 929, 1982 Bankr. LEXIS 3388, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/seattle-first-national-bank-v-drum-corps-assn-of-spokane-in-re-drum-waeb-1982.