Thomas v. Midland Funding, LLC (In re Thomas)

578 B.R. 355
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Virginia
DecidedNovember 30, 2017
DocketCase No. 16-50612, Case No. 16-50396; Adv. P. No. 17-05010
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 578 B.R. 355 (Thomas v. Midland Funding, LLC (In re Thomas)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Thomas v. Midland Funding, LLC (In re Thomas), 578 B.R. 355 (Va. 2017).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION

Rebecca B. Connelly, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge

Three consumer debtors filed complaints in this Court against Midland Funding, LLC, and Midland Credit Management, Inc. (collectively, “Midland”)- Karen Thomas filed adversary proceeding 17-05010. Gary Brooks Jr, and Mary Gillespie-Brooks filed adversary proceeding 17-05009. The two complaints have been consolidated for administrative convenience.1 The consumer debtors seek a class action (with other similarly situated debtors in this district), a declaratory judgment, damages, and injunctive relief. Midland seeks to dismiss the complaints as failing to state a claim on which relief can be granted.

In the complaint, the plaintiffs initially request that the Court certify a class for this action. Next, the plaintiffs assert two counts. In Count I, the plaintiffs allegé Midland violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”))2 specifically sections 1692e and 1692f. In Count II, the plaintiffs allege Midland violated Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 3001,

Midland moves to dismiss the complaints in their entirety. Setting aside the question of whether a class action is appropriate, the Court will address the sufficiency of the complaints and' will decide whether to dismiss the actions under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6), made applicable to this proceeding under Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 7012(b).

FINDINGS OF FACT

The plaintiffs are debtors in pending chapter 13 bankruptcy cases. Midland filed proofs of claim in each of the bankruptcy cases. Midland did not itemize interest, fees, or costs when it originally filed the proofs of claim.

On June 15, 2017, each of the plaintiffs filed adversary proceedings against Midland, as a putative class action complaint on behalf of a class of similarly situated individuals. Midland responded by moving to dismiss the complaints pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6). Plaintiffs filed responses opposing the motion to dismiss. Defendants in turn filed a reply brief, and this matter proceeded to oral argument before the Court on September 27,2017.

At hearing, the Court considered a request pursuant to Rule 42 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to combine the two adversary proceedings for administrative convenience. The Court granted the request. The Court heard arguments from the parties on the motion to dismiss. At the conclusion of the hearing, the Court took the matter under advisement,

JURISDICTION

Karen Thomas, Gary Brooks, and Mary Gillespie-Brooks are debtors in this Court. Midland is a creditor in each of the bankruptcy cases.3 This Bankruptcy Court has jurisdiction over these bankruptcy cases by virtue of 28 U.S.C. § 1334(a). The complaint, which is subject to this motion to dismiss, concerns federal non-bankruptcy law (specifically, the FDCPA) and Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 3001. The plaintiffs have consented to this Court issuing a final ruling in this adversary proceeding. Compl. ¶ 3. The defendants move to dismiss the complaint for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6); the defendant has neither challenged this Court’s jurisdiction nor moved to dismiss the complaint for lack of jurisdiction under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1) or (b)(2). The Court will issue its ruling on the motion to dismiss in this non-core related matter by consent.

ANALYSIS

A motion under Rule 12(b)(6) looks into the legal sufficiency of a complaint. RTC Mortg. Tr. v. McMahon, 225 B.R. 604, 607 (E.D. Va. 1997). The merits of the claims or the defenses are not relevant. The question is whether the plaintiff has pleaded “a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007). More than that, the claim must have crossed “the line from conceivable to plausible.” Id. The mere recital of elements of a cause of action, supported only by conclusory statements, is not sufficient to survive a Rule 12(b)(6) motion. Walters v. McMahen, 684 F.3d 435, 439 (4th Cir. 2012) (internal citations omitted).

Count I; Violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”)

A plaintiff must plead three elements to state a claim that a defendant has violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”), The first two elements address identity: (1) the plaintiff must be a “consumer,” and (2) the defendant collecting the debt must be a “debt collector” as defined by the FDCPA. Creighton v. Emporia Credit Serv., Inc., 981 F.Supp. 411, 414 (E.D. Va. 1997). The third element requires the plaintiff to plead the act or omission by which the defendant has violated the FDCPA. Id. When the plaintiff has sufficiently pleaded facts to support these three elements, she has made a pri-ma facie case for a violation of the FDCPA.

The parties agree that the plaintiffs are “consumers” as defined by 15 U.S.C. § 1692a(3)4 and that Midland is a “debt collector” as defined by 15 U.S.C. § 1692a(6).5 The third element remains in dispute. The parties disagree whether the plaintiffs’ complaint states an actionable violation of the FDCPA or merely states acts short of the criteria necessary’ to award damages, injunctive relief, or any relief for that matter.

The debtors cite two sections of the FDCPA. The Court will address the sufficiency of the complaint for each of these allegations.

15 U.S.C. § 1692e

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Bluebook (online)
578 B.R. 355, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/thomas-v-midland-funding-llc-in-re-thomas-vawb-2017.