Stubbins v. Jones (In re Battistelli)

588 B.R. 23
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Ohio
DecidedAugust 9, 2018
DocketCase No. 18-50763; Adv. Pro. No. 18-02041
StatusPublished

This text of 588 B.R. 23 (Stubbins v. Jones (In re Battistelli)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Stubbins v. Jones (In re Battistelli), 588 B.R. 23 (Ohio 2018).

Opinion

C. Kathryn Preston, Unites State Bankruptcy Judge

In Chapter 7 cases, the case trustee is generally tasked with collecting and liquidating the debtor's non-exempt assets for the benefit of creditors. 11 U.S.C. § 704. The trustee is also vested with the authority to avoid preferential transfers, which allows him to recover certain pre-petition transfers for the benefit of the bankruptcy estate. See 11 U.S.C. §§ 547(b), 541(a)(3), 550.1 In the instant adversary proceeding, Chapter 7 trustee Brent Stubbins ("Plaintiff") seeks to recover $20,626.88 from creditor Brian W. Jones ("Defendant") that was garnished from Geary M. Battistelli's ("Debtor") checking account before he filed his bankruptcy petition.2 Defendant moves to dismiss, arguing that Debtor does not have an equitable interest in the garnished funds. Because the Court finds that Plaintiff's allegations are sufficient to state a plausible claim for relief, Defendant's motion is not well taken.

Plaintiff filed an adversary complaint (the "Complaint") against Defendant on April 24, 2018. The Complaint alleges the *26following facts: Mark and Robin Fleming obtained a judgment against Debtor in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania. The judgment was subsequently assigned to Defendant.3 The Writ of Execution compelled WesBanco to garnish funds in Debtor's checking account to satisfy the judgment. On January 18, 2018, Debtor's WesBanco checking account was garnished in the amount of $20,326.68.4 Debtor filed his petition for relief under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code on February 14, 2018.

In Count One of the Complaint, Plaintiff alleges that the garnishment:

was a preference in that it was: (1) to or for the benefit of one of the Debtor's creditors; (2) for or on account of an antecedent debt owed by the debtor before such transfer was made; (3) made while the Debtor was insolvent; (4) made on or within 90 days of the date of filing of the Debtor's Bankruptcy Petition; and (5) enables the creditor to receive more than such creditor would have received had the transfer had not been made and such creditor would have received payment of the debt as provided pursuant to 11 U.S.C. Chapters 5 and 7.

(Compl. at 3, ECF No. 1). In Count Two, Plaintiff alleges that he is entitled to an order compelling Defendant to turn over the garnished funds pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 542. Plaintiff seeks a money judgment against Defendant in the amount of $20,626.68,5 or, in the alternative, an order requiring Defendant to turn over the garnished funds for administration in the bankruptcy estate.

Defendant filed his Amended Motion to Dismiss the Complaint (Doc. # 6) (the "Motion") on June 1, 2018, arguing that the Complaint fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.6 Specifically, he argues that the Complaint fails to establish that Debtor had an equitable interest in the garnished funds. Plaintiff filed his Response in Opposition to Defendant's Amended Motion to Dismiss (Doc. # 10) on June 22, 2018. Plaintiff argues-and the Court agrees-that he does not "have to prove the merits of his case to survive Defendant's Motion to Dismiss. Rather, all that is required is that [the] Complaint contain sufficient facts to state a claim for relief that is plausible." (Pl.'s Resp. at 3, ECF No. 10).

"To survive a motion to dismiss, the plaintiff must allege facts that if accepted as true, are sufficient to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face." Majestic Building Maint., Inc. v. Huntington Bancshares, Inc ., 864 F.3d 455, 458 (6th Cir. 2017) (citing Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly , 550 U.S. 544, 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007) ). "A claim has facial plausibility when the plaintiff pleads factual content that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged." Ashcroft v. Iqbal , 556 U.S. 662, 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009). But "[t]hreadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere conclusory statements, do not suffice." Ashcroft , 556 U.S. at 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937.

*27When deciding a Rule 12(b)(6) motion, the court "may consider the Complaint and any exhibits attached thereto, public records, items appearing in the record of the case and exhibits attached to defendant's motion to dismiss so long as they are referred to in the Complaint and are central to the claims contained therein." Bassett v. NCAA , 528 F.3d 426, 430 (6th Cir. 2008) (citation omitted).

First, the Court finds that the Complaint states a plausible claim for relief under 11 U.S.C. § 547(b).

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Related

Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly
550 U.S. 544 (Supreme Court, 2007)
Ashcroft v. Iqbal
556 U.S. 662 (Supreme Court, 2009)
Bassett v. National Collegiate Athletic Ass'n
528 F.3d 426 (Sixth Circuit, 2008)
Strickler v. Thomas (In Re Thomas)
7 B.R. 389 (W.D. Virginia, 1980)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
588 B.R. 23, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stubbins-v-jones-in-re-battistelli-ohsb-2018.