Sun Valley Newspapers, Inc. v. Sun World Corp. (In Re Sun Valley Newspapers, Inc.)

171 B.R. 71, 94 Daily Journal DAR 11966, 94 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 6519, 31 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 1632, 1994 Bankr. LEXIS 1249, 25 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 1610, 1994 WL 460861
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the Ninth Circuit
DecidedAugust 8, 1994
DocketBAP No. AZ-93-2267-RHZ. Bankruptcy No. 92-11641 PHX-RTB
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 171 B.R. 71 (Sun Valley Newspapers, Inc. v. Sun World Corp. (In Re Sun Valley Newspapers, Inc.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the Ninth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sun Valley Newspapers, Inc. v. Sun World Corp. (In Re Sun Valley Newspapers, Inc.), 171 B.R. 71, 94 Daily Journal DAR 11966, 94 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 6519, 31 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 1632, 1994 Bankr. LEXIS 1249, 25 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 1610, 1994 WL 460861 (bap9 1994).

Opinion

OPINION

RUSSELL, Bankruptcy Judge:

A secured creditor filed a motion for relief from the automatic stay under § 362(d)(1) and (2). 2 Since there was no equity in the property and the debtor’s plan was uncon-firmable as a matter of law, the bankruptcy court granted the motion for relief under § 362(d)(2). The debtor appeals. We AFFIRM.

I. FACTS

The debtor/appellant, Sun Valley Newspaper, Inc., (“Sun Valley”) has been in the commercial printing business since its incorporation in 1987. It specializes in newspaper, magazine and tabloid-format publishing.

On August 30, 1991, Sun Valley and the appellee, Sun World Corporation, (“Sun World”) entered into an agreement whereby Sun Valley would purchase substantially all of the assets of a division of Sun World. Along with the agreement, Sun Valley executed and delivered to Sun World a promissory note for the principal sum of $5,162,-229.92. Sun Valley also executed and delivered to Sun World a security agreement, granting Sun World a first lien security interest in substantially all of Sun Valley’s assets.

Not long after the agreement was signed and executed, the parties began to have problems. Sun Valley was in default on the note, and Sun World was asserting liens on newspaper presses which resulted in lawsuits. As a result of these disputes, Sun Valley filed a Chapter 11 petition on September 29, 1992.

On October 14, 1992, Sun World filed its motion for relief from the automatic stay pursuant to § 362(d)(1) and (2). Sun World based its motion on the grounds that Sun Valley had no equity in the property, that it would be unable to successfully reorganize and that “cause” existed since Sun' Valley had sold a portion of Sun World’s collateral.

Sun Valley objected to the motion, asserting that there may be equity in the property, and that it would be able to successfully reorganize due to the value of Sun Valley’s assets as well as future ability to generate future revenue. A hearing was set for April 14, 1993.

One day before the hearing, Sun Valley filed its disclosure statement and plan of reorganization. The April 14, 1993 hearing was continued until May 11, 1993.

At the May 11, 1993 hearing, the bankruptcy court noted that the plan violated the absolute priority rule and § 524(e). In its order dated May 28, 1993, the bankruptcy court denied the motion for relief from the stay on the condition that Sun Valley either settle the dispute with Sun World or amend its plan within 30 days.

On June 8, 1993, the bankruptcy court ordered the debtor to file an amended disclosure statement. On June 18, 1993, Sun Valley filed its first amended disclosure statement and first amended plan. A disclosure statement hearing was set for July 14, 1993.

On July 8, 1993, Sun World filed a motion to dismiss the case or alternatively for entry of an order granting its motion for relief from the stay on the ground that Sun Valley’s amended plan was unconfirmable. A hearing was set for that motion on September 7, 1993.

On July 14, 1993, a hearing was held on the debtor’s first amended disclosure statement. The approval of the disclosure statement was taken under advisement.

On August 27, 1993, Sun Valley filed a second amended disclosure statement and second amended plan.

On September 7, 1993, the bankruptcy court entered a minute order denying approval of Sun Valley’s first amended disclosure statement and continued until September 15, 1993 Sun World’s motion to dismiss *74 or, in the alternative, for an entry of an order granting relief from the stay. On September 15, 1993, the bankruptcy court entered a minute order taking the motion to dismiss or alternative relief from the stay under advisement.

On October 22, 1993, the bankruptcy court entered a minute order granting Sun World’s motion for relief from the stay. On November 1, 1993, Sun Valley filed a notice of appeal. On November 16, 1993, the bankruptcy court entered a final order granting relief from the stay. On November 23,1993, Sun Valley amended its notice of appeal to make reference to the November 16, 1993 order.

II.ISSUE

Whether the bankruptcy court abused its discretion in granting relief from the automatic stay when the bankruptcy court made specific findings that there was no equity in the property and no prospect of a successful reorganization within a reasonable period of time.

III.STANDARD OF REVIEW

An order on a motion for relief from the automatic stay is reviewed for an abuse of discretion. In re Jewett, 146 B.R. 250, 251 (9th Cir. BAP 1992); In re Shirley, 134 B.R. 940, 942 (9th Cir. BAP 1992). Under this standard, “ ‘a reviewing court cannot reverse unless it has a definite and firm conviction that the court below committed a clear error of judgment in the conclusion it reached upon a weighing of the relevant factors.’ ” In re Pace, 159 B.R. 890, 897 (9th Cir. BAP 1993) (quoting In re Bradford, 112 B.R. 347, 351 (9th Cir. BAP 1990)).

IV.DISCUSSION

A. Right to Hearing on Plan

Sun Valley spends a significant amount of time arguing that the “lifting of the automatic stay ... must be reversed because the Bankruptcy Court did so prematurely, without giving [the] Debtor a reasonable opportunity to demonstrate its ability to successfully reorganize.” More specifically, Sun Valley claims the bankruptcy court erred by not holding a hearing to determine the feasibility of the second amended plan and disclosure statement. We disagree.

A bankruptcy court is not required to hold a hearing prior to granting relief from the automatic stay for every subsequent plan and disclosure statement filed. All that is required is that the court determine if a successful reorganization is possible within a reasonable period of time.

The Supreme Court has stated:

[TJhere must be “a reasonable possibility of a successful reorganization within a reasonable time.”

United Sav. Ass’n v. Timbers of Inwood Forest Assoc. Ltd., 484 U.S. 365, 376, 108 S.Ct. 626, 633, 98 L.Ed.2d 740 (1988) (citations omitted) (emphasis added) (quoting In re Timbers of Inwood Forest Assoc. Ltd., 808 F.2d 363, 370-71 (5th Cir.1987)).

If this were not the case, Sun Valley would be able to file a new amended plan and disclosure statement prior ■ to every relief from the stay hearing and thus would be able to continue the hearings ad infinitum. In this case, it is clear that the real objective of the various plans and disclosure statements was to benefit the owners of Sun Valley and not the debtor itself. The owners are Bob and Sandra N. Thompson, who are the sole shareholders. The first plan and disclosure statement were filed one day before the relief from the stay hearing.

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

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
171 B.R. 71, 94 Daily Journal DAR 11966, 94 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 6519, 31 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 1632, 1994 Bankr. LEXIS 1249, 25 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 1610, 1994 WL 460861, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sun-valley-newspapers-inc-v-sun-world-corp-in-re-sun-valley-bap9-1994.