Walker v. Federal Insurance (In re Walker)

543 B.R. 560
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Ohio
DecidedDecember 23, 2015
DocketCase No. 12-34457; Adv. Pro. No. 15-3012
StatusPublished

This text of 543 B.R. 560 (Walker v. Federal Insurance (In re Walker)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Walker v. Federal Insurance (In re Walker), 543 B.R. 560 (Ohio 2015).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION AND ORDER REGARDING DEFENDANT! COUNTER-PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT AGAINST PLAINTIFF/COUNTER-DEFENDANT

John P, Gustafson, United States Bankruptcy Judge

Plaintiff Denise R. Walker (“Plaintiff”-or “Mrs. Walker”) was a debtor in the underlying Chapter 7 case;- She commenced this adversary proceeding, seeking a determination that an alleged debt owed by her to Defendant Federal Insurance Company (“Defendant”' or “FIC”) was- discharged in this court on January 31, 2013 [Case No.. 12-34457, Doc. #33], and that Defendant’s actions in attempting to collect the alleged debt post-discharge were in violation of the automatic stay, imposed under 11 U.S.C. § 524. [Doc. # 1]. FIC argues that it is still owed a debt by Plaintiff pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(3)(B) as it was never listed as a creditor in Plaintiffs underlying Chapter 7, because the debt is of a type that is nondischargeable pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2), (4), and (6).

In response to Plaintiffs “Complaint to Determine Dischargeability,” - (“Complaint”), FIC filed an “Answer of Federal Insurance Company to Complaint; Counterclaim of Federal Insurance -Company Against Denise R. Walker; and Third-Party Complaint of Federal Insurance Company Against Robert L. Walker.” (“Answer” or “Counterclaim” or “Third-Party Complaint”) [Doc. #3]. Robert L. Walker (“Mr. Walker”) was a joint debtor in the underlying Chapter 7, case and is . a third-party defendant in the case at bar.

This adversary proceeding is now before the court for-decision on Plaintiffs “Complaint to Determine Dischargeability” [Doc. # 1], FIC’s Counterclaim [Doc. 3], Plaintiffs “Response in Opposition to Defendant’s Counterclaim and Third Party Complaint” (“Response”) [Doc. #4], and FIC’s- Motion for Summary ■ Judgment against Mrs. Walker (“Motion”) [Doc. #12].-;,

The district court has jurisdiction over this adversary proceeding pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1334(b) as a civil proceeding arising in a case under Title 11. This proceeding has been referred to this court, by the district court under its general order of reference. 28 U.S.C. § 157(a);, General Order 2012-7 of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. Proceedings to determine the discharge-ability of debts are core proceedings that the court may hear and decide. 28. U.S.C. § 157(b)(1), and (b)(2)(I). '

This Memorandum of Decision constitutes the court’s findings of fact and conclusions of-law pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 52, made applicable to this adversary proceeding by Fed. R. Bankr.P. 7052, Re[564]*564gardless of whether specifically referred to in this Memorandum of-Decision, the court has examined the submitted materials, considered all of the evidence, and reviewed the entire record of the case. Based upon that review, and for the reasons discussed below, the court finds that' FIC is entitled to judgment in its favor.

FINDINGS OF FACT

This adversary proceeding arises out of circumstances in connection ■ with Mrs. Walker’s actions while employed by Sylvania Franciscan Health (“SFH”). At all times relevant to the ease at'hand, SFH was insured against property Ms, “including by riot limited to loss by theft and/or conversion, under a comprehensive insurance policy in full force and effect and issued by [FIC] to SFH (the ‘Policy’).” [Doc. # 12, p. 3]. FIC is an insurance company licensed to transact'business in Ohio.

SFH operated Providence Care Centers (“the Center”), a senior living community located in Sandusky, Ohio. [Id:]. While living at the Center, and typically upon their admission, residents would sign authorizations that would allow the Center “to handle their personal funds through the use of Resident Trust Fund Accounts (the ‘Trusts’).” [Doc. #12-1, Pl;Ex. X, ¶2]. The Trusts were monitored by the Ohio Department of Health. [Id. at ¶ 4]. Of the funding that made up' the Trust accounts, most came to the Center “as Social Security or pension reimbursements for residents’ room and board charges.” [Doc. # 12, p. 3].

While employed by the Center, Mrs. Walker’s responsibilities included writing checks to the Center from the Social Security and/or pension reimbursement’s they received, in order to pay for the aforementioned room and board charges. Any amounts left in the Trusts’ accounts would be used by the Center’s residents to pay for personal items, “such as shampoo, clothes or snacks”, and each quarter, the residents were to receive statements indicating the balances left in their respective Trusts. [Doc. # 12-1, Pl.Ex. 1, ¶ 3]

In January 2012, SFH found that Mrs. Walker had diverted funds from the Trusts’ accounts to herself for her personal use. To divert the funds, Mrs. Walker “manipulated and/or forged the Center’s records of residents’ Trusts accounts to issue payments to herself so that [Mrs. Walker] improperly received at least $74,701.00 in unauthorized payments.” [Doc. # 12, p. 4; Doc. # 12-1, Pl.Ex. 1, ¶ 5].

As an example of Mrs. Walker’s conduct while employed by SFH, FIC’s Motion sets forth that Mrs. Walker collected the pension and Social Security reimbursements for a group of residents. Upon collection, Mrs. Walker would write a check to the Center for an amount less than the amount she had actually collected. According to FIC, Mrs. Walker would then embezzle the difference, and she would edit the Center’s general ledger to reflect that it was owed only the amount of the check that she had tendered, instead of the amount that Mrs. Walker had actually collected. Mrs. Walker allegedly covered up her actions by failing to send out the residents’ monthly statements. [Id., at ¶ 6]. According to the affidavit of Wendy Dolyk, the Center’s Executive Director, Mrs. Walker’s employment was immediately terminated at some point in January 2012 upon discovery of her actions. [Id].

Mrs. and Mr. Walker (collectively, “Debtors”) filed a joint Chapter 7 petition before this court on October 1, 2012. [Case No. 12-34457, Doc. # 1]. Neither the Center, SFH, nor FIC were listed on Debtors’ petition as being owed a debt, and there were no addresses for any of the [565]*565'three entities listed on Debtors’ Schedules [Id.] or Creditor Address Matrix. [Id. at pp. 49-52]. Because they were never listed in Debtors’ petition, neither SFH nor Federal “received any notices from [Mrs. Walker] or this Court concerning [Mrs. Walker]’s bankruptcy case.” [Doc. # 12, p. 5], The deadline for objecting to discharge in Debtors’ case was January 26, 2013, and Debtors received their discharge on January 31, 2013. [Case No. 12-34457, Doc. # 33].

On March 12, 2013, Mrs. Walker was indicted on three counts, one charge of theft (a 4th degree felony), one charge of tampering with evidence (a 3rd degree felony), and one charge of forgery (a 4th degree felony). [Doc. # 12-3, Pl.Ex. 3, p. 1]. The case, State of Ohio v. Denise R. Walker,

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Bluebook (online)
543 B.R. 560, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/walker-v-federal-insurance-in-re-walker-ohnb-2015.