Yaryan-Parks Trust v. Martinez (In re Martinez)

476 B.R. 627
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. New Mexico
DecidedJuly 30, 2012
DocketBankruptcy No. 13-11-13873 SL; Adversary No. 11-1163 S
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 476 B.R. 627 (Yaryan-Parks Trust v. Martinez (In re Martinez)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. New Mexico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Yaryan-Parks Trust v. Martinez (In re Martinez), 476 B.R. 627 (N.M. 2012).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION ON CROSS MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

JAMES S. STARZYNSKI, Bankruptcy Judge.

This matter is before the Court on cross motions for summary judgment. Plaintiff is represented by its attorney Holt Mynatt Martinez, P.C. (David McNeill, Jr.). Defendant (“Defendant” or “Debtor”) is represented by her attorney Ronald E. Holmes. The issue presented in this adversary proceeding is whether the Debtor retained a sufficient interest in a mobile home at the commencement of her bankruptcy case such that she can cure the associated defaulted debt1. For the reasons set forth below the Court finds that Debtor does have a sufficient interest in the mobile home.

BACKGROUND

The facts are, generally, not in dispute. In November, 2009, Defendant executed a Retail Installment Contract and Security Agreement (“Contract”) in which she granted McCarson (Plaintiffs predecessor in interest) a security interest in a 1997 Golden West mobile home. The Contract had a purchase price of $40,000. The Contract called for $10,000 as a down payment and payment of the $30,000 balance through one hundred forty four monthly payments of $450.26 with interest at an annual percentage rate of 15%, plus a monthly payment of taxes and insurance of $50.00 and an escrow fee of $4.29 (total payment of $504.55). A New Mexico Certificate of Title issued for the mobile home on December 1, 2009, lists the registered owners as Patricia F. Martinez or Rudy Abel Avalos, and the lienholders as James C. Parks and Charles E. Yaryan. Defendant failed to make payments and on November 22, 2010 the Plaintiff gave Defendant a notice of default. On December 15, 2010 Defendant filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the District of New Mexico as case number 7-10-16169-SL. She listed the mobile home on her Schedule B with a value of $40,000 and listed an associated debt to Mountain States Escrow for $25,000. She claimed the $15,000 of equity as an exempt homestead. No objections were filed to her exemptions. On February 10, 2011, Plaintiff filed a motion for relief from the automatic stay regarding the mobile home. Defendant timely filed an objection to the motion. Before any hearing on the stay motion, debtor was discharged on April 4, 2011. On April 15, 2011 the Court granted the stay motion, finding that Debtor had received her discharge, which terminated the automatic stay as to her, and that the case trustee had not responded to the stay motion, so the stay was terminated as to the estate. The bankruptcy case closed on April 18, 2011.

On June 13, 2011, Plaintiff filed a complaint in the Third Judicial District Court to recover possession of the mobile home [630]*630and a Motion for Advance Payment of Rent. Plaintiff served Defendant by serving her son by hand on June 15, 2011 and mailed a copy of the summons and complaint to her state court attorney. On July 18, 2011, Plaintiff filed an affidavit of nonmilitary service. On July 19, 2011, Plaintiff obtained a certificate of the state of the record that Defendant had not appeared. On July 20, 2011 Plaintiff filed an application for default judgment and writ of re-plevin. On July 27, 2011 Defendant, representing herself, filed a response to the complaint and on August 5, 2011 attorney Carlos Quinonez filed an amended response on her behalf. On August 10, 2011, Judge Arrieta of the Third Judicial District Court entered a Default Judgment and Order Issuing Writ of Replevin. This document provides:

1. The Court has jurisdiction over the parties and the subject matter of this cause of action.
2. On November 20, 2009, Defendant executed a Retail Installment Contract and Security Agreement (the Contract) with Ron McCarson, under which Defendant agreed to purchase a 1997 Golden West mobile home, Model 7884, VIN GWCA21124231AB (the Mobile Home).
3. The Mobile Home is situated upon real property located at 191 Mohican, Las Cruces, New Mexico, which is not owned by Plaintiff or Defendant.
4. The Contract was transferred and assigned by Ron McCarsen to Plaintiff Yaryan-Parks Trust.
5. Plaintiff is therefore the lawful owner and holder of the Contract.
6. The Contract requires Defendant to pay to Plaintiff the sum of $504.55 each month beginning on January 5, 2010, and continuing on the first day of each month thereafter until fully paid. Defendant has not made any of the payments on the contract beginning with the payment due on September 5, 2010.
7. Defendant agreed, as part of the Contract, that by giving Plaintiff a security interest in the Mobile Home, she waived all rights provided by law to claim it exempt from legal process.
8. The Contract provides that upon the happening of any event of default, Plaintiff may take immediate possession of the Mobile Home.
9. Plaintiff gave Defendant notice of default on November 22, 2010.
10. Defendant has ignored and refused all demands for the return of the Mobile Home, despite having had reasonable opportunity to comply therewith.
11. Plaintiff has the right to immediate possession of the Mobile Home.
12. Plaintiff waived seizure and delivery of the Mobile Home prior to trial.
13. No affidavit or replevin bond is required for this action. NMSA 1978, § 42-8-7.
14. The value of the property is at least $30,000.00.
15. Plaintiff elects return of the Mobile Home plus damages incurred by virtue of Defendant’s default.
16. The Security Agreement should be foreclosed.
17. The Contract provides that in the event of a default, Plaintiff has the right to retain all money paid on the Contract.
18. In the event Defendant has damaged the Mobile Home in any way, Plaintiff is entitled to reasonable and necessary costs of repair.
[631]*63119. Defendant should be restrained from damaging the mobile home or its contents and from removing any property from the mobile home that does not belong to her.
IT IS, THEREFORE, ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that a Writ of Replevin shall forthwith issue from this Court against Defendant, for immediate return of the possession of the mobile home which is the subject of this cause of action to Plaintiff. Plaintiff is also awarded the sum of $504.55 per month or $16.81 per diem from July 5, 2011 until Defendant is removed from the property, as payment for rent.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED, that Plaintiffs security interest in the mobile home is foreclosed, and Defendant shall have no further right of possession or other legal or equitable right to or in the mobile home.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED, that Defendant is restrained from damaging the mobile home or its contents in any way and she is further restrained from removing from the mobile home any appliance or other items which are property of Plaintiff or attached to the mobile home. Any violation of this Order may be punished as contempt of Court.

The docket entry corresponding to this document, dated August 10, 2011 states:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
476 B.R. 627, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/yaryan-parks-trust-v-martinez-in-re-martinez-nmb-2012.