United States v. Cushing (Cushing)

401 B.R. 528, 61 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 506, 2009 Bankr. LEXIS 276, 103 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1081, 2009 WL 487387
CourtBankruptcy Appellate Panel of the First Circuit
DecidedFebruary 26, 2009
DocketBAP No. MB 08-018. Bankruptcy No. 07-13569-JNF
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 401 B.R. 528 (United States v. Cushing (Cushing)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Bankruptcy Appellate Panel of the First Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Cushing (Cushing), 401 B.R. 528, 61 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 506, 2009 Bankr. LEXIS 276, 103 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1081, 2009 WL 487387 (bap1 2009).

Opinions

LAMOUTTE, Bankruptcy Judge.

The United States of America, on behalf of its agency, the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) appeals from an order of the bankruptcy court denying its motion to dismiss the chapter 13 petition of Joanne M. Cushing (the “Debtor”). The IRS sought dismissal or conversion on the grounds that the Debtor had failed to file her tax return before the first meeting of creditors in violation of 11 U.S.C. § 1308(a).1 On appeal, the IRS contends that the bankruptcy court erroneously concluded that the chapter 13 trustee “held open” the meeting. For the reasons set forth below, the Panel REVERSES and REMANDS.

[530]*530 BACKGROUND

On June 7, 2007, the Debtor filed for relief under chapter 13 and the first meeting of creditors was scheduled for July 24, 2007. In an unnumbered virtual entry dated July 25, 2007, the docket reflects: “Meeting of Creditors Held and Examination of Debtor as scheduled.” On August 2, 2007, the IRS filed “United States of America’s Motion to Dismiss” (“Dismissal Motion”). In that motion, the IRS explained that because the Debtor had not filed a federal tax return for the year 2006 as of the date of the first meeting of creditors, in violation of 11 U.S.C. § 1308(a), the bankruptcy court was required to dismiss or convert the case under 11 U.S.C. § 1307(e). In her response, the Debtor explained that she had obtained from the IRS, an extension until October 15, 2007 to file her tax return.

On September 20, 2007, the bankruptcy court held a non-evidentiary hearing on the Dismissal Motion and response, took the matter under advisement, and ordered the parties to file briefs. On October 4, 2007, the IRS and the Debtor submitted memoranda of law. In its memorandum, the IRS argued that any outstanding tax returns must be filed before the first date set for the meeting of creditors, even if that date is before the filing deadline, unless the chapter 13 trustee has “held open” the meeting. In her memorandum, the Debtor argued that because the IRS had granted the Debtor an extension to file her return, the Dismissal Motion was premature and the IRS was estopped from seeking dismissal.

On December 14, 2007, the bankruptcy court issued an order denying the Dismissal Motion. The bankruptcy court issued a corresponding Memorandum in which it stated that the chapter 13 trustee had not held open the meeting of creditors, and concluded that the Debtor had not violated the filing deadline because she had obtained an extension of time to file her return. In re Cushing, 379 B.R. 407 (Bankr.D.Mass.2007) (“Cushing I”). Thereafter, on December 21, 2007, the IRS filed a “Motion to Alter or Amend the 12/14/07 Memorandum (DI# 37) and Order (DI# 36) Denying Motion to Dismiss Case, Pursuant to Rule 9023” in which it argued that reconsideration was warranted as the bankruptcy court had failed to consider 11 U.S.C. § 1308(b)(1)(B).

On January 3, 2008, the bankruptcy court ordered the parties, including the chapter 13 trustee, to file briefs addressing five discrete issues relating to 11 U.S.C. §§ 341, 1307, and 1308.2 The IRS, the Debtor and the chapter 13 trustee filed briefs in response to the January 3, 2008 order. In response to the second issue, the chapter 13 trustee wrote:

The Trustee has listened to the electronic recording of the § 341 meeting in the present case. The Trustee did not state on the record that the meeting was concluded nor did the Trustee continue the meeting to a specific date.... A review of the [case law discussing when a meeting is concluded] establishes that the meeting of creditors in the instant case was never ‘concluded.’ It is the Trustee’s position that unless the Trustee specifically states on the record that a [531]*531meeting is concluded or the Court orders that the meeting is concluded, for the purposes of § 1308 the meeting was held open and the debtor has up to an additional 120 days from the meeting date to file all outstanding tax returns.3

On February 22, 2008, the bankruptcy court issued an order addressing the foregoing pleadings and making the following findings and conclusions. In re Cushing, 383 B.R. 16 (Bankr.D.Mass.2008) (footnote omitted) (“Cushing II”):

Because the language employed by Congress in section 1308, “the trustee may hold open that meeting ...” was added by the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 and is arguably ambiguous in view of [sic] of the provisions of Fed. R. Bankr.P. 4003, which permits parties in interest to object to a debtor’s claim of exemptions within 30 days after the “meeting of creditors held under § 341(a) has been concluded ...,” the Court finds, for purposes of this decision only, that the Chapter 13 Trustee held open the meeting of creditors in accordance with 11 U.S.C. § 1308(b)(1). To hold otherwise would unduly prejudice the Debtor who relied upon her automatic extension and timely filed her outstanding tax return within the time allotted by that extension....
Because the Chapter 13 Trustee has stated that she, in effect, held open the meeting of creditors, and because the Debtor filed her tax return for which she obtained an automatic extension, the Court concludes that the United States has not satisfied its burden under 11 U.S.C. § 1307(e) in this case. Moreover, the Court concludes that a determination of the other issues raised in the January 3, 2008 order is unwarranted, particularly as the provisions of 11 U.S.C. § 521(j) are not implicated.
The Court is not unmindful of the positions advanced by the parties, particularly with respect to the split within this district as to the [sic] when the meeting of creditors is concluded, see In re Koss, 319 B.R. 317 (Bankr.D.Mass.2005), and cases cited therein, and the concomitant need for certainty and predictability in the conduct of section 341 meetings with respect to the provisions of sections 1308(a) and (b) and 1307(e). Because this Court’s [earlier decision] was based on a misapprehension of fact, namely that the Chapter 13 Trustee had concluded the section 341(a) meeting of creditors, and because of the absence of established procedures as to the party responsible for establishing that the meeting be held open, the Debtor or the Chapter 13 Trustee, the Court withdraws its December 14, 2007 decision and reserves for another day the issue framed therein.

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

Related

Jenkins v. Ward (In re Jenkins)
507 B.R. 856 (W.D. North Carolina, 2014)
In Re Soares
471 B.R. 20 (D. Massachusetts, 2012)
Newman v. White (In Re Newman)
428 B.R. 257 (First Circuit, 2010)
United States v. Cushing (Cushing)
401 B.R. 528 (First Circuit, 2009)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
401 B.R. 528, 61 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 506, 2009 Bankr. LEXIS 276, 103 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1081, 2009 WL 487387, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-cushing-cushing-bap1-2009.