Slack v. Woods

CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Oklahoma
DecidedMay 21, 2020
Docket18-01038
StatusUnknown

This text of Slack v. Woods (Slack v. Woods) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Slack v. Woods, (Okla. 2020).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT > □□ FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OKLAHOMA □

IN RE: aA □□ 5 MICHAEL H. WOODS, Case No. 18-10704-M □□ Chapter 7 Debtor.

MARCIA SLACK, Plaintiff, v. Adv. No. 18-01038-M MICHAEL H. WOODS, Defendant. MEMORANDUM OPINION If you were a child in the 1960s (a vanishing breed, for sure) you probably watched a television show called “Hogan’s Heroes.” The comedy, set in a POW camp in Nazi Germany,! documented the adventures and misadventures of a very active group of prisoners of war who were constantly engaged in sabotage and espionage to further the Allied war effort. One of the central characters in the show was Sergeant Hans Schultz, played by John Banner.” Sergeant Schultz was prone to walk in on the cloak-and-dagger antics of the prisoners, only to walk away uttering the phrase “I know nothing. NOTHING.” Next to Laugh-In’s “sock it to me,” “I know nothing” was

' An untenable premise today, to be certain. However, the show ran for six seasons on CBS, the longest running American television series based upon the Second World War. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hogan's_Heroes. > John Banner (1910-1973).

one of the iconic catch phrases of the era.3 The phrase “I know nothing” has found a new home in this adversary proceeding. As the facts unfold, there is little doubt that our protagonist has been defrauded out of a quarter of a million dollars, all of which was allegedly invested in an oil and gas company that generated not

one thin dime in profits. The primary defense offered by the defendant is a simple “I know nothing,” laying any fraudulent representations at the feet of one of his business colleagues. The questions before the Court are whether, in fact, the defendant “knew nothing,” and/or whether he is charged with the knowledge and intent of his colleague and business partner in this failed adventure. The following findings of fact and conclusions of law are made pursuant to Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 7052. Jurisdiction The Court has jurisdiction over this adversary proceeding pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1334(b).4 Its reference to this Court is proper pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 157(a). Issues of nondischargeability of debt are core proceedings under the terms of 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(I).

Burden of Proof The issue before the Court is whether a debt owed by the defendant to the plaintiff should be excepted from discharge under § 523(a)(2)(a) and (a)(4) of the Bankruptcy Code. Exceptions to discharge are to be narrowly construed in favor of the debtor so as to promote the “fresh start”

3 See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowan_%26_Martin's_Laugh-In (“‘Sock it to me’; Judy Carne was often tricked into saying the phrase (“It may be rice wine to you, but it’s still sake to me!”), which almost invariably led to her (and other cast members) falling through a trap door, being doused with water, or playfully assaulted in various other manners. The phrase was also uttered by many of the cameo guest stars, most notably Richard Nixon, though they were almost never subjected to the same treatment as Carne.”). 4 Unless otherwise noted, all statutory references are to sections of the United States Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. § 101 et seq. policy of the Bankruptcy Code.5 Under § 523, a creditor seeking to except its claim from discharge must prove the claim is nondischargeable by a preponderance of the evidence.6 Findings of Fact7 In January of 2015, Marcia Slack (“Ms. Slack”) was a widow caring for her elderly mother. She was also in a relationship with Joseph Shane Jackson (“Jackson”),8 and, most importantly to

our story, in possession of $250,000 in cash. But not for long. Jackson was engaged in the oil and gas business. One of the people he had worked with in that field since at least 2012 was Michael Woods, the defendant in this adversary proceeding (“Woods” or “Defendant”).9 In January of 2015, Woods was a shareholder in an entity called SunRay Operating Company, LLC (“SunRay Operating”).10 SunRay Operating was described as a “pass-through” company created to operate and manage oil production. SunRay Operating was

5 See Jones v. Jones (In re Jones), 9 F.3d 878, 880 (10th Cir. 1993). 6 Id. (citing Grogan v. Garner, 498 U.S. 279, 291 (1991)). 7 The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. The trial of this adversary proceeding was anything but. In three days, counsel for the Plaintiff took the Court on a disjointed journey that went back and forth and covered several areas that were not germane to the issues presented. Much of the evidence presented related to the time frame after the alleged fraudulent representations, and is therefore of little use in answering the question of whether Ms. Slack was defrauded. If this Court were to recite all of the “facts” presented at trial, this opinion would become a chapter book. The Court will include only the facts relevant to its decision. 8 This relationship was described as romantic in nature, and the parties introduced into evidence several screenshots of text messages from Jackson professing his love for Ms. Slack. Romantic text messages may abound in the world, but having them introduced as evidence in a trial over dischargeability of debt is a first for this bankruptcy judge. Nothing further need be said, as the exact nature of the relationship between Ms. Slack and Jackson does not figure in to the decision. 9 Pre-Trial Order, § II (2). 10 Id., § II (3). not expected to operate at a profit. The profits from oil and gas operations were to be received by a separate entity, SunRay Resources, LLC (“SunRay Resources”). The transaction was structured so that SunRay Resources would be owned by Ms. Slack and an entity called Anticline, LLC (“Anticline”). Anticline was to be the “managing member” of SunRay Resources.11 The business address of Anticline was the same as the Debtor’s address.12

The owners of Anticline were Debtor, Jackson, Steven Blair (“Blair”), and Greg Carlson (“Carlson”). According to Debtor, each of these individuals had various responsibilities, both to Anticline and to SunRay Resources. Jackson’s responsibilities were “field engineer[ing] and fundraising.”13 None of the principals of Anticline, including Debtor, intended to put any money into Anticline or SunRay Resources in early 2015, if ever.14 Debtor knew that SunRay Resources needed cash (someone else’s cash, to be precise), and he and the other members of Anticline sent Jackson out to raise it. Once Jackson knew of the $250,000 held by Ms. Slack, he sought to interest her in investing in SunRay Resources. In January of 2015, Jackson told Ms. Slack that if she were to

invest her $250,000 in SunRay Resources, she, her children, and her children’s children “would never have to worry about money ever again.” A tempting proposition, to be sure. As she considered whether to invest in SunRay Resources, Ms. Slack enlisted the aid of her daughter,

11 Exhibit 1-5. 12 Exhibit 1-1. 13 Trial Transcript, Docket No. 51 (hereafter “Transcript”), Page 246, Line 25 through Page 247, Line 1.

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