Smart Financial Credit Union v. Williams (In Re Williams)

466 B.R. 95, 2011 WL 7498933
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Texas
DecidedOctober 7, 2011
Docket19-03322
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 466 B.R. 95 (Smart Financial Credit Union v. Williams (In Re Williams)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Smart Financial Credit Union v. Williams (In Re Williams), 466 B.R. 95, 2011 WL 7498933 (Tex. 2011).

Opinion

ORDER REGARDING COMPLAINT TO DETERMINE DISCHARGE-ABILITY

KAREN K. BROWN, Bankruptcy Judge.

I. Issues at trial and Resolution

Before the Court is the amended complaint of Smart Financial Credit Union (Smart), objecting to the dischargeability of its debt under 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2)(A)(false pretenses, a false representation, or actual fraud); § 523(a)(2)(c) (cash advances were obtained in an amount aggregating more than $750 within 70 days before the order for relief) 1 and § 523(a)(6) (willful and malicious injury to the credit union or its property). Plaintiff also contends that debtors filed their petition in bad faith in violation of 11 U.S.C. § 1325 and seek attorneys fees under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem.Code Sec. 134.002(2) et seq.

Federal Insurance Company reimbursed Smart for its losses related to Jeffrey Williams’ account and Smart assigned all its claims to Federal. Federal (Federal/Smart) sued Jeffrey Williams in Texas state court for breach of a contract. Five months later, Debtors filed bankruptcy. Now, on behalf of its subrogor, Federal seeks a nondischargeable judgment of $144,764.35 against both Jeffrey and Rhonda Williams.

The Williams deny they committed fraud or ever intended to maliciously injure Smart. Moreover, they deny filing their bankruptcy in bad faith, pointing to their numerous financial problems that they seek to resolve in a Chapter 13 plan. In addition, Debtors raise numerous defenses: including laches and waiver and estoppel. Debtors deny that Smart is entitled to its attorneys fees.

This court has jurisdiction over this adversary pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1334, 28 U.S.C. § 157. This is a core proceeding.

After reviewing the trial exhibits and observing the witnesses, the Court finds that Federal on behalf of Smart has failed to carry its burden of proof by a preponderance of the evidence on any of its allegations. Consequently, the motion to dismiss is denied, the debtors are allowed their discharge on completion of their Chapter 13 plan. Federal is denied its attorneys fees.

II. Facts

Jeffrey Williams is a fire fighter in Con-roe, Texas and works part-time as a fire investigator for Montgomery County, Texas. Rhonda Williams is a substitute teacher in the Conroe Independent School District. They married in 2004. After their marriage, Mrs. Williams handled most of their finances.

In 1994 Jeffrey Williams opened a checking and savings account with what was then named First Educators Credit Union (First Educators). 2 Through the *99 years, he has had several loans with First Educators. Smart agrees that Jeffrey Williams repaid his loans for nine years and is a man of “repute” in the community.

On August 20, 1999, Jeffrey Williams signed a Loanliner Disbursement Voucher and Security Agreement, a single page document, establishing a line of credit with a loan limit of $3,000 with First Educators. The agreement sets out that the line of credit has an annual percentage rate of 10.90% and requires a payment of $35.00 monthly after an advance.

Thereafter, on July 25, 2002, Jeffrey Williams signed another agreement with First Educators Credit Union entitled “Loanliner Open-End Plan Signatures PLUS.” That document states:

This LOANLINER Credit and Security Agreement ... will be referred to as the Plan. The Plan documents include this agreement and an Addendum ...
1. HOW THIS PLAN WORKS — This is an open-end, multi-featured credit plan. We anticipate that, from time to time, you will borrow money (called “advances”) under the Plan. We are not required to make advances to you under the plan and can refuse a request for an advance at any time. The Addendum describes the different types of credit (called “subaccounts”) available under the Plan, the current interest rate for each subaccount expressed as a daily periodic rate and corresponding annual percentage rate and other charges. It may also have other terms and a schedule for determining payment amounts.
2. CREDIT LIMIT — We may, but do not have to, establish a credit limit on certain subaccounts. If a credit limit is set for a subaccount, you promise not to exceed the established credit limit. If you exceed the credit limit, you promise to repay immediately the amount which exceeds the credit limit.
3. REPAYMENT — You promise to repay all amounts you owe under the Plan plus Interest. Payments are due on the last day of the month unless we set a different day at the time of an advance. If the Addendum has no payment schedule for a subaccount, your payment will be determined at the time of each advance. Payments must include any amount past due and any amount by which you have exceeded any credit limit you have been given for a subaccount. You may repay all or part of what you owe at any time without any prepayment penalty. Even if you prepay, you will still be required to make the regularly scheduled payments unless we agree in writing to a change in the payment schedule. If you have a joint share draft account, you will be responsible for paying all overdraft advances obtained by a joint holder of the share draft account. Unless otherwise required by law, payments will be applied to amounts owed under the Plan, In the manner the Credit Union chooses.
4. PLAN ACCESS — You can obtain credit advances in any manner authorized by us. If we allow you to use your ATM/Debit card to access the Plan, you may be liable for the unauthorized use of your ATMTDebit card. You will not be liable for unauthorized use that occurs after you notify us, orally or in writing, of the loss, theft, or possible unauthorized use. If you believe your ATM/Debit card has been lost or stolen, immediately inform the Credit Union by calling or writing us at the telephone number or address that appears elsewhere in the Plan. If the card is used to obtain unauthorized advances directly from the Plan, your liability will not exceed $50. If the unauthorized withdrawal is from a share draft account, your liability is governed by the Regulation E disclosures *100 you received at the time you received your ATM/Debit card, even if the withdrawal results in an advance being made from your overdraft subaccount.
8. PERIODIC STATEMENT — On a regular basis you will receive a statement showing all transactions under the Plan during the period covered by the statement, Statements and notices will be sent to you at the most recent address you have given us in writing. Unless applicable law requires notice to each joint borrower, notice to any one of you will be notice to all.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Husky International Electronics, Inc. v. Ritz
513 B.R. 510 (S.D. Texas, 2014)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
466 B.R. 95, 2011 WL 7498933, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/smart-financial-credit-union-v-williams-in-re-williams-txsb-2011.