Whitman-Nieves v. Puerto Rico Federal Credit Union (In re Whitman-Nieves)

519 B.R. 1
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Puerto Rico
DecidedOctober 3, 2014
DocketBankruptcy No. 12-00519 (ESL); Adversary No. 12-00392 (ESL)
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 519 B.R. 1 (Whitman-Nieves v. Puerto Rico Federal Credit Union (In re Whitman-Nieves)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Puerto Rico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Whitman-Nieves v. Puerto Rico Federal Credit Union (In re Whitman-Nieves), 519 B.R. 1 (prb 2014).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

ENRIQUE S. LAMOUTTE INCLAN, Bankruptcy Judge.

This case is before the court upon the Motion for Summary Judgment (Docket No. 50) filed by defendant Puerto Rico Federal Credit Union (“PRFCU”) arguing that the automatic stay and the discharge injunction provided for in 11 U.S.C. §§ 362 and 524 do not apply to non-debtor third parties. Also before the court is the Response in Opposition to Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment (the “Opposition”, Docket No. 51) filed by the Plaintiffs contending that the protection of the automatic stay and discharge injunction is applicable to a non-debtor third party, namely the guarantor and party in interest, Ms. Norma Adams-Irizarry (the “Guarantor” or “Ms. Adams”), who is the mother of co-debtor Josephine M. Barnes-Adams (“Barnes-Adams”). For the reasons stated herein the Motion for Summary Judgment (Docket No. 50) is granted in part and denied in part.

Jurisdiction

The court has jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 157(a) and 1334(b). This is a core proceeding pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(F). Fed. Rs. Bankr.P. 7001(2) and 7001(9) provide that proceedings to determine the validity, priority or extent of a lien or other interest in property and to obtain a declaratory judgment relating to such validity are adversary proceedings.

Material Uncontested Facts

From the totality of the record, undisputed documents, stipulations and admissions made by the parties in the instant case, the courts finds uncontested the fol[3]*3lowing material facts under Fed.R.Civ.P.' 56:

1. On July 8, 2011, co-debtor Barnes-Adams renewed a loan with the PRFCU. The loan is evidenced through Promissory Note No. 131248 signed by Barnes-Adams in the amount of $10,600. See Docket Nos. 1, p. 22, 45, p. 2, ¶ 1, 50, p. 3, ¶ 3, and 51, p. 5. Her membership number with the PRFCU is 26983. See Docket No. 1, pp. 22 and 24.

2. On July 8, 2011, co-debtor Barnes-Adams signed a Pignoration and Authorization Document. See Docket Nos. 1, p. 29, 45, p. 2, ¶ 2, 50, p. 3, ¶4, and 51, p. 5. The document states as follows:

In consideration of all and any loan granted, that may be granted, or continue to be granted up to now and to the credit financing facilities granted during the past, that may granted [sic ] or continue to be granted in the future by the [PRFCU] to the undersigned, and/or from now on jointly denominated “the Debtors’^], by virtue of the present document, the undersigned pledges, assigns, leaves as surety, gives, and transfers to the [PRFCU], in order to guarantee and assure payment of all and any other debts and obligations of the debtors, irrespectively of the kind and nature of such debts and obligations, that are due or are currently required, or that will become past due and are required in the future, plus interests, late payment charges, surcharges, costs, expenses, disbursements, and attorney’s fees in case of nonpayment authorize the [PRFCU] to withdraw and collect all the money deposited in the undersigned credit account, as well as the interest due, proceed and payable now and prospectively in relation to the money deposited that is evidenced as follows:
[x] Loan type L10.2 member # 26983 in the amount of $10,600.00 for 48 months Biweekly, TOTALLY GUARANTEED by the following share certificate(s): 70005781). 19.1 female member #2^613. It is construed that the • undersigned may be able to withdraw from the shares account pledged by those amounts exceeding the due balance of the obligations plus interests and surcharges.

Docket No. 1, p. 24.

On that date, the Pignoration and Authorization Document was only signed by Barnes-Adams (PRFCU member 26983) and an officer from PRFCU.

3. On September 28, 2011, PRFCU “through its representative Eric Sánchez, Service and Credit Supervisor, subscribed ... a letter where certifies that Plaintiffs[’] loan was guaranteed by [the Guarantor’] savings certificate” (Docket No. 45, p. 3, ¶ 15). The letter was subscribed by PRFCU’s Service Supervisor, addressed to the Guarantor referencing account number 24613 and states as follows:

According to your request, we certify that at the present you have a savings certificate 19.1 in the amount of $10,600.00 in our institute since 07/08/2011. Such [certificate] guarantees the personal loan L10.2 in the name of Josephine Barnes Adams, member number 26983.

Docket No. 1, pp. 18-19.

4. On January 29, 2012, the Plaintiffs filed a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Petition along with corresponding schedules (Lead Case Docket Nos. 1-3). On Schedule D they included PRFCU as a partially secured creditor with the following explanation:

07/2011 Personal loan that is partially secured with stocks held and also as [4]*4collateral a certificate of Deposit of the account codebtor, Ms. Adams (mother of Mrs. Barnes). Debt is to be re-affirmed by debtor.

Lead Case Docket No. 1, p. 25.

5. PRFCU was notified of the bankruptcy filing by the Plaintiffs. See Docket Nos. 45, p. 2, ¶ 4, 50, p. 3, ¶ 7, and 51, p. 5.

6. On February 24, 2012, PRFCU “through its representative Mr. Angel Calderin, Collection Supervisor, subscribed .... a letter where [it] certifies that Plaintiffs[’] loan was guaranteed by [the Guarantor’s] savings certificate” (Docket No. 45, p. 3, ¶ 16). The letter was subscribed by PRFCU’s Collection Supervisor, addressed to co-debtor Barnes-Adams referencing account number 26983 and states as follows:

According to your request, we certify that at the present you have an active loan with our institution. Said loan is guaranteed with a certificate in the name of Norma Adams Irizarry and described according as it appears in form 19.70005784:
Type of loan: L10.2
Amount financed: $10,600.00
Current balance: $9,202.55
Monthly payment: $248.88
Docket No. 1, pp. 20-21.

7. On February 2012, PRFCU “learned that Debtors’ account was not secured by Party in Interest, Mrs. Norma Adams certificate of deposit” (Docket No. 45, p. 3, ¶ 17).

8. On March 2, 2012, Ms. Adams, to wit, the Guarantor, signed the Pignoration and Authorization Document seeming Barnes-Adams’ pre-petition loan with PRFCU. See Docket No. 45, p. 2, ¶ 6, 50, p. 4, ¶ 8.

9. On May 9, 2012, the court entered the Discharge of Joint Debtors (Lead Case Docket No. 19), which was notified to PRFCU. Also see Docket Nos. 45, p. 2, ¶ 7, and 50, p. 5, ¶21.

10. On July 2012, PRFCU sent a payment booklet addressed to co-debtor Barnes-Adams to the following address: Cond. Plaza Antillana Edificio 22 Apt. 2201 San Juan, PR 00918. See

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
519 B.R. 1, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/whitman-nieves-v-puerto-rico-federal-credit-union-in-re-whitman-nieves-prb-2014.