Southern Commerce Bank v. Katzman (In re Katzman)

178 B.R. 883, 8 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 400, 1995 Bankr. LEXIS 324
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedFebruary 10, 1995
DocketBankruptcy No. 93-1522-8P7; Adv. No. 93-457
StatusPublished

This text of 178 B.R. 883 (Southern Commerce Bank v. Katzman (In re Katzman)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, M.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Southern Commerce Bank v. Katzman (In re Katzman), 178 B.R. 883, 8 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 400, 1995 Bankr. LEXIS 324 (Fla. 1995).

Opinion

FINDINGS OF FACT, CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND MEMORANDUM OPINION

ALEXANDER L. PASKAY, Chief Judge.

This is a Chapter 7 liquidation case filed by Jerry Katzman (Debtor) and Helain Katz-man, his wife, originally under Chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code on February 12, 1993. The case was voluntarily converted on March 23, 1993 to a Chapter 7 case. The matter presently before the Court is a two-count complaint filed by Southern Commerce Bank (Bank) seeking a determination that the debt owed by Dr. Katzman to the Bank shall be excepted from the protection of the general discharge otherwise granted to the Debtors. The Complaint, contrary to the mandate of F.R.C.P. 8 as adopted by F.B.R.P. 7008 is not a short concise statement for which relief can be granted. The fact of the matter is, the General Allegations contains sixteen paragraphs, Count I eight and Count II thirty-eight additional paragraphs.

The Claim of nondischargeability in Count I is based on § 523(a)(2)(B) of the Code. The debt sought to be excepted from the discharge is represented by a partial Final Summary Judgment entered in favor of the Bank and against Jerry Katzman, M.D. Ophthalmic Associates, P.A. in the amount of $463,079.78. The judgment is based on a certain Renewal Promissory Note which was guaranteed by Dr. Katzman and his wife. In support of the claim set forth in this Count, the Plaintiff alleges that the financial statement submitted by the Debtor dated July 31, 1987 was false in the following respects. First, it stated that the real property described was owned solely by the Debtor, the Debtor’s equity was $150,000.00 and the liability encumbering the property was $25,-000.00. In fact, the property was owned by a partnership composed of 13 individuals and [885]*885the property was encumbered by a mortgage in the amount of $2 million. Based upon these allegations the Bank seeks to except the amount of $463,970.78 plus interest, costs and fees. It should be noted, however, that the amount sought is now $370,528.18 plus interest at the legal rate and attorneys fees based on a final judgment entered against the Debtor dated December 3, 1992 in the Circuit Court for Hillsborough County reducing the personal liability of the Debtor on the note.

The claim in Count II of the Complaint is also based on § 523(a)(2)(B) and the alleged false representation relates to an overstatement by the Debtor on the financial statements of the Professional Association provided by the Professional Association in connection with the same loans referred above and the renewals of those notes. The financial statements which allegedly contained misstatements are those dated December 31, 1986, December 31,1987, December 31,1988, December 31, 1989 and December 31, 1990. According to the Bank, these financial statements overstate the fair market value of medical equipment, machinery and equipment, and furniture and office equipment as a total of $264,069.70. In addition, it is charged that the Debtor also falsely stated amounts under the category of revenue, when in fact these were not collectible accounts, nor were the accounts revenues scheduled at the value of $24,000.00. It is alleged by the Bank based on the foregoing that the Bank did rely on these financial statement in renewing several loans, all of which were ultimately rolled into one note dated January 9, 1990, and assigned loan no. 2001071-105. Based on the alleged false representation, the Bank contends it realized this detriment and suffered damages amounting to the claim set forth in Count II in the amount of $463,970.78.

The facts relevant to the resolution of the two claims of nondischargeability as established at the final evidentiary hearing are as follows:

At the time relevant, the Debtor, a physician, was the principal and sole stockholder of a professional association known as Jerry Katzman, M.D. Ophthalmic Associates, P.A. (Professional Association). The Debtor, as principal of the Professional Association, had extensive banking relations with the predecessor-in-interest of the Plaintiff, Parkway Commerce Bank beginning in 1987, including several loans made by Parkway to the Professional Association. The first of these several loans was evidenced by a promissory note dated October 9, 1987 in principal amount of $350,000.00. As part of this transaction, the Debtor and his wife submitted their Personal Financial Statements on July 31, 1987 (Plfs Exh. No. 5) and October 5, 1987 (Plfs Exh. No. 10).

The Personal Financial Statement dated July 31,1987 (Plfs Exh. No. 5) was prepared by the Debtor on a printed form of Barnett Bank and it was submitted to the Bank in connection with the loan application by the P.A. The loan was granted by the Bank and was personally guaranteed by the Debtor and his wife. The July Financial Statement which was signed only by the Debtor contained answers to two questions in the negative. The first required a disclosure of any previous bankruptcy, composition settlement or whether the Debtor is a defendant in any legal actions. The second called for the disclosure of any contingent liability as a comaker on leases or contracts, or Federal Income Tax Liability.

It is without dispute that on January 28, 1987, the Fort Brooke Savings and Loan Association (Fort Brooke) filed a complaint in the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in and for Hillsborough County Florida (Case No. 87-11718) and named as a defendant, among others, the Debtor and his wife (Plfs Exh. No. 11). This suit arose from a loan made by Fort Brooke to a partnership known as Building Block Associates. This loan, was secured by a mortgage in real property owned by the partnership. The partners of Building Block signed personal guarantees of the Fort Brooke obligation. The defendants named in the Fort Brooke suit included the Debtor as well as the other partners in the partnership and Building Block. In this suit, Fort Brooke sought a money judgment against the defendants in the amount of $1,742,679.39 plus interest, attorney fees and costs. In fairness, it should be noted howev[886]*886er that Fort Brooke only sought recovery from the real property of this partnership, and did not seek recovery from the defendants personally. It is also without dispute that although the Debtor was served with the Summons and the copy of the Complaint prior to the execution of the July Personal Financial Statement, the suit filed in January was settled in June or prior to the execution of the July Personal Financial Statement although it was not formally dismissed until November 10, 1987 (Pi’s Exh. No. 14).

In addition, the Debtor in his Personal Financial Statement in the asset column under the title “real estate” furnished the following information: “Schedule Five, $175,000 and Mortgages payable on real estate $25,-000.” There is no question that this information pertained to an office bxnlding owned by Building Block Associates, a partnership, and not by the Debtor himself and it was encumbered by a mortgage securing a principal obligation in excess of $1,750,000 which obligation was personally guaranteed by the Debtor and for which he was also personally liable as the general partner of Building Block. In explanation, the Debtor stated that the $25,000 liability was his portion of the total obligation encumbering the property based by his 7.41% partnership interest is obviously incorrect as pointed out below.

In connection with this loan the Bank also received a second Personal Financial Statement of the Debtor, this one prepared by the Debtor’s Accountant.

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

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
178 B.R. 883, 8 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 400, 1995 Bankr. LEXIS 324, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/southern-commerce-bank-v-katzman-in-re-katzman-flmb-1995.