Walters Construction, Inc. v. Cook

347 B.R. 527
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. West Virginia
DecidedAugust 17, 2006
DocketBankruptcy No. 05-3965; Adversary No. 05-231
StatusPublished

This text of 347 B.R. 527 (Walters Construction, Inc. v. Cook) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. West Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Walters Construction, Inc. v. Cook, 347 B.R. 527 (N.D.W. Va. 2006).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

PATRICK M. FLATLEY, Bankruptcy Judge.

Walters Construction, Inc. (“Walters”), filed a motion for summary judgment on its complaint to except a $17,000 debt from the Chapter 7 discharge of Daniel Paul Cook (“the Debtor”) pursuant to § 523(a)(2)(A) or (B) of the Bankruptcy Code on the grounds that the Debtor falsely certified the payroll records of Cook Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. (“Cook Heating”). The Debtor responds that genuine issues of material fact exist that preclude entry of summary judgment.

For the reasons stated herein, the court will deny the motion.

I. STANDARD OF REVIEW

Summary judgment is appropriate when the matters presented to the court “show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c); Fed. R. Bankr.P. 7056; Celotex v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). The party moving for summary judgment has the initial burden of proving that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact. Adickes v. S.H. Kress & Co., 398 U.S. 144, 161, 90 S.Ct. 1598, 26 L.Ed.2d 142 (1970). Once the moving party has met this initial burden of proof, the non-moving party [529]*529must set forth specific facts sufficient to raise a genuine issue for trial and may not rest on its pleadings or mere assertions of disputed facts to defeat the motion. Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 586-87, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986) (stating that the party opposing the motion “must do more than simply show that there is some metaphysical doubt as to the material facts”). The mere existence of a scintilla of evidence in support of the opposing party’s position will not be sufficient to forestall summary judgment, but “the judge’s function is not himself to weigh the evidence and determine the truth of the matter but to determine whether there is a genuine issue for trial.” Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 252, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). In ruling on a motion for summary judgment, “the evidence of the nonmovant is to be believed, and all justifiable inferences are to be drawn in his favor.” Id. at 255, 106 S.Ct. 2505. A fact is not “genuinely disputed” unless the factual conflict between the parties requires a trial of the case for resolution. Finley v. Giacobbe, 79 F.3d 1285, 1291 (2d Cir.1996) (“If there is any evidence in the record from which a jury could draw a reasonable inference in favor of the non-moving party on a material fact, this Court will find summary judgment is improper.”).

II. BACKGROUND

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) sponsored the construction of the Hope VI housing development in Wheeling, West Virginia, which is being administered by the Wheeling Housing Authority (“WHA”).1 Walters contracted with the WHA to supply materials and services in connection with the construction of Hope VI, and it subcontracted part of its work to Cook Heating. The Debtor is the president of Cook Heating. During the course of Cook Heating’s work, pursuant to HUD regulations, the Debtor certified Cook Heating’s payroll to Walters for payment.

Walters alleges that Cook Heating was unable to perform its subcontract satisfactorily, it terminated the contract, and that Walters was forced to complete a portion of the remaining work. Walters also states that in July 2004, the WHA informed it that Cook Heating had not complied with the Davis-Bacon Act and that a full audit of the payrolls certified by the Debtor disclosed that the fringe benefits shown as being paid in cash to various employees of Cook Heating had not been remitted to those employees. The WHA notified the Debtor of its findings, made the determination that Cook Heating owed its employees $17,000, and informed the Debtor and Cook Heating that an appeal from the determination could be filed. When neither the Debtor nor Cook Heating appealed the WHA’s determination, it became final in early 2005. Pursuant to HUD regulations, Walters is holding about $21,000 due to Cook Heating under the parties’ contract until Cook Heating or the Debtor remedy the violations noticed in the WHA determination.2

III. DISCUSSION

Walters asserts that it is subject to liability on the WHA’s determination that [530]*530Cook Heating failed to pay the fringe benefits that the Debtor certified as paid in Cook Heating’s weekly payroll reports because Cook Heating is its subcontractor.3 To preserve its right to collect against the Debtor on its potential liability, Walters seeks a determination that the Debtor’s certification of Cook Heating’s payroll records was a fraudulent act, and that any debt arising from that act is excepted from the Debtor’s discharge pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2)(A) or (B). Walters further asserts that summary judgment is apropos on the basis that the Debtor failed to timely respond to its request for admissions.

Section 523(a) of the Bankruptcy Code provides:

(a) A discharge under section 727 ... of this title does not discharge an individual debtor from any debt-
(2) for money ... to the extent obtained, by-
(A) false pretenses, a false representation, or actual fraud, other than a statement respecting the debtor’s or an insider’s financial condition;
(B) use of a statement in writing-
(i) that is materially false;
(ii) respecting the debtor’s or an insider’s financial condition;
(iii) on which the creditor to whom the debtor is liable for such money, property, services, or credit reasonably relied;

§ 523(a)(2)(A-B).

A. Failure to Timely Respond to Requests for Admission

Walters argues that no genuine issue of material fact exists in this case to preclude entry of summary judgment in its favor on the basis that the Debtor failed to timely respond to its requests for admission; therefore, Walters contends, all of its requests are automatically deemed admitted.

Walters served its requests for admissions on the Debtor on May 18, 2006, by facsimile and regular mail. Pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 36(a) and Fed. R. Bankr.P.

Related

Adickes v. S. H. Kress & Co.
398 U.S. 144 (Supreme Court, 1970)
Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc.
477 U.S. 242 (Supreme Court, 1986)
United States v. Lake Killarney Apartments, Inc.
443 F.2d 1170 (Fifth Circuit, 1971)
Hung P. Nguyen v. Cna Corporation
44 F.3d 234 (Fourth Circuit, 1995)
Foley & Lardner v. Biondo (In Re Biondo)
180 F.3d 126 (Fourth Circuit, 1999)
Finley v. Giacobbe
79 F.3d 1285 (Second Circuit, 1996)
White Consolidated Industries, Inc. v. Waterhouse
158 F.R.D. 429 (D. Minnesota, 1994)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
347 B.R. 527, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/walters-construction-inc-v-cook-wvnd-2006.