OpinionsDebtors' claim of exemption of land contract payments as business property was disallowed. Debtors were allowed an exemption in 75% of the interest, but not principal due and owing under land contract as of the petition date; instead limited to interest due for one week and to extent reasonably necessary for support of debtors. Any claimed amount in excess was disallowed. In re Dennis Gerard Etzel, Case No. 05-24211, American Standard Ins. Co. v. Debtor, Adv. No. 05-2337 (December 2005) -- Judge M.D. McGarity Judgment for restitution was nondischargeable obligation pursuant to 11 U.S.C. s. 523(a)(7). In re Ronald & Deanne Schabel, Case No. 04-35733, Neil McKloskey, Trustee v. Henry & Diane Schabel, Adv. No. 05-2270 Published: In re Schabel, 338 B.R. 376 (December 2005) -- Judge M.D. McGarity Chapter 7 trustee brought an adversary proceeding to avoid, on a preference theory, loan payments that the debtors had made to their parents during the one-year preference period. The court granted summary judgment to the parents because the prepetition transfers met the requirements for the new value defense. In re Michael R. Luedtke, Case No. 05-45087 Published: In re Luedtke, 337 B.R. 918 (December 2005) -- Judge M.D. McGarity Chapter 7 debtor, an inmate at correctional facility that had filed his petition pro se, sought a determination that the petition was "filed" prior to the effective date of BAPCPA, so that he did not have to comply with the credit counseling requirement. The court found the "prison mailbox rule" applied to the filing of a bankruptcy petition; thus, the pro se prisoner's petition was deemed "filed" on that date he delivered the petition and related documents to prison authorities for forwarding to the bankruptcy clerk. In re Mark & Marlene Brewer, Case No. 03-33181, Debtors v. QC Financial Services, Inc., Adv. No. 03-2532 (December 2005) -- Judge M.D. McGarity Damages assessed against defendant for violation of automatic stay. In re Peggie Mae Bolton, Case No. 05-26436 (November 2005) -- Judge M.D. McGarity Because secured creditor did not give up its right to foreclose on the mortgage when it sought and obtained a personal judgment against the debtors, the debtor's objection to the creditor's proof of claim was overruled. In re John & Jennifer Engebregtsen, Case No. 05-27818 Published: In re Engebregtsen, 337 B.R. 677 (October 2005) -- Judge M.D. McGarity Chapter 13 debtors objected to the proof of claim filed by a creditor, based on the retail value of the vehicle securing it when the petition was filed. The court sustained the objection in part. For purposes of determining the creditor's secured claim, the value of the vehicle damaged in a postpetition accident was established at liquidation value as of the petition date. In re Art Unlimited, Case No. 02-23992, Neil McKloskey, Trustee v. Galva Foundry Co, Inc., Walter Nocito, & Wells Fargo Bank Wisconsin, Adv. No. 04-2098 (October 2005) -- Judge M.D. McGarity In preference adversary filed under sec. 547 and sec. 548, defendant transferee's motion for summary judgment was granted, in part, and denied, in part. In re Gertrude Walker, Case No. 04-23123 (October 2005) -- Judge M.D. McGarity Chapter 13 Trustee's objection to priority claim filed by debtor on behalf of city for unpaid municipal services was sustained. In re Dana Voelske, Case No. 03-28533, Glenn Givens, Jr., Trustee v. Franlkin Mortgage Funding Corp., Adv. No. 05-2327 (September 2005) -- Judge M.D. McGarity Debtor refinanced mortgage with defendant and subsequently filed for relief six days later. Defendant perfected mortgage twelve days after petition date. As mortgage was not perfected with the time allowed under sec. 547(e)(2)(A), the recording violated the automatic stay. Acts done in violation of the stay are void; therefore, the mortgage was unperfected at the time of filing. |