OpinionsChapter 13 trustee objected to confirmation of the debtor's proposed debt adjustment plan. The court held that the ex-wife of the debtor's spouse had an allowable claim for past due child support against the debtor's estate, by virtue of her state law right to enforce the claim against the debtor's property, i.e., against the debtor's marital property interest in income of the spouse. However, the fact that the ex-wife had an allowable claim for child support against the debtor's estate did not make the ex-wife's child, with respect to whom support was owed, a "child of the debtor," so as to make the ex-wife's claim a priority claim and to render the debtor's plan infeasible. The trustee's objection was overruled. In re Dynacon Development Corporation, Case No. 97-27874 (May 1999) -- Judge M.D. McGarity Chapter 7 debtor's counsel filed an application for approval of attorney's fees and expenses. The U.S. Trustee objected to the amount of fees, the failure to provide sufficient detail of certain charges, counsel's nondisclosure of its creditor status or sufficient detail on the fee arrangement. Counsel argued it never considered itself a creditor as it agreed from the inception of the representation and disclosed that debtor's principal, personally, would pay the fees. The court was satisfied there was sufficient disclosure of the payment arrangement by counsel and imposed no impediment to the retention of the law firm. The court allowed the postpetition fees as requested. However, because counsel failed to disclose the payment arrangement for prepetition fees, those amounts were disallowed. In re Russ James & Associates, Case No. 97-25972, Debtor v. River Park Meadows Ltd. P'ship, et al., Adv. No. 97-2474 and Adv. No. 97-2474 supplement (March 1999) -- Judge M.D. McGarity Chapter 11 debtor commenced an adversary proceeding for breach of construction contracts in connection with five condominium projects. Each party to each contract alleged the other parties breached first, most and worst; although all parties breached at some point. On the Bouraxis properties, the debtor breached by failing to pay subcontractors; Boraxis breached by allowing the insurance to lapse on a project and by terminating the debtor on all projects after the latter exercised its right to demand assurance of payment. On the Zignego projects, the debtor breached by failing to pay subcontractors and not completing projects timely; Zignego breached by bypassing the debtor and paying the subcontractors directly. Ultimately, the court found that Zignego had allowed claims against the debtor and the debtor was entitled to a judgment against the Bouraxis defendants. In re Charles R. Cole, Case No. 94-27002 (February 1999) -- Judge M.D. McGarity Prepetition, the uninsured chapter 13 debtor was involved in a collision involving multiple vehicles. While litigation was pending in state court to determine damages and liabilities, an injured party and his insurance company filed claims against the debtor's estate. The injured party settled with a third party's insurer for $250,000, but preserved his rights against its uninsured motorist insurance carrier and the debtor. The claim against the injured party's insurer went to arbitration wherein it was determined that total damages were only $131,000. While the claimant asserted he was entitled to assert his claim against the estate, the debtor argued the claimant was overpaid and payments made during the plan should be returned. The bankruptcy court was unable to quantify the claim without knowing the percentage of the debtor's negligence and matters were set for further proceedings. In re Frank Pio Crivello, Case No. 92-27252 (December 1998) -- Judge M.D. McGarity The matter was remanded from the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Upon the hearing for final compensation, the bankruptcy court had revoked the employment order for chapter 7 debtor's counsel and denied compensation in its entirety, finding that counsel was not a disinterested person and that the firm willfully failed to disclose critical facts and connections with the debtor. After appeals, the case was remanded for a new hearing on whether counsel was entitled to any compensation under sec. 328(c). The bankruptcy court concluded the original ruling revoking the appointment of counsel was correct and counsel was not entitled to any fees. In re Charlet M. Harmon, Case No. 96-20834 (July 1998) -- Judge M.D. McGarity Chapter 13 debtor filed a motion for contempt against a creditor for violating the permanent injunction under sec. 524(a)(2) by continuing collection activities with respect to a prepetition discharged debt. The creditor took efforts to recover its collateral post-discharge when it believed it had retained a valid lien in the debtor's vehicle. The court denied the motion because the creditor did not have actual knowledge of the bankruptcy in order to file a proof of claim. The other unsecured creditors received 100% of their filed claims, but this creditor did not have a similar opportunity. Therefore, the lien survived the discharge and the unsecured claim was not discharged. In re Milwaukee Engraving Co., Inc., Case No. 98-21027 Published: In re Milwaukee Engraving Co., Inc., 230 B.R. 370 (June 1998) -- Judge M.D. McGarity After its application for employment was denied on the ground that it was disinterested, counsel filed a motion for compensation for services it provided to the chapter 11 debtor before its application was denied. The bankruptcy court held that services provided by counsel could be compensated as necessary costs of preserving the estate. In re J H Collectibles, Inc., Case No. 96-28214 (May 1998) -- Judge M.D. McGarity The U.S. Trustee objected to counsel for the chapter 11 official committee of unsecured creditors' application for an order approving a compromise and settlement of its amended claim. The claim was for post-confirmation fees totaling $205,607, incurred in finalizing a settlement, preparing its final fee application, defending its final fee application, and for other "supplemental administrative services." After objections to the claim were filed, the banks and post-confirmation committee agreed to settle the matter with the unsecured creditors committee counsel by allowing an administrative claim in the amount of $36,800. The court approved the settlement, finding the integrity of the negotiation process had not been compromised and all of the parties had been effectively represented. In re Richard & Kay Rieger, Case No. 96-22013, Gerald Niedert v. Richard Rieger, Adversary No. 96-2440 (February 1998) -- Judge M.D. McGarity Neighbor brought an adversary proceeding against the chapter 7 debtor-property owner, seeking determinations of liability and nondischargeability with respect to potential obligations arising from the debtor's conduct in a state court property dispute. The bankruptcy court dismissed the complaint. Under Wisconsin law, the debtor was entitled to absolute witness immunity for statements he made in an affidavit submitted in a third-party's state court against the neighbor seeking to enjoin the neighbor from building a two-story home. There was no exception to the discharge, notwithstanding the debtor's willful and malicious harm to the neighbor's interest and the substantial damage that resulted. In re Denise Harrison, Case No. 96-28304 (January 1998) -- Judge M.D. McGarity Chapter 7 debtor filed a motion for contempt against credit card company for violating the permanent injunction under sec. 524(a)(2) by continuing with collection activities relating to a prepetition debt. The creditor contended it was seeking to collect a postpetition obligation. The debtor had filed her petition on October 9th at 9:57 am. Also on October 9th, the debtor deposited a $750 cash advance check from the creditor at her bank. The check was honored October 11th. The court determined the transfer occurred postpetition, making the obligation postpetition, as well. Because the creditor did not violate the discharge injunction, the debtor's motion for contempt was denied. |