WILLIAM T. THURMAN, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge.
Before the Court is the Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings (the "Motion") filed May 31, 2017, by Plaintiffs, Sunset Corner Properties, LC ("Sunset Corner") and the United States Trustee, (the "USTR" and together with Sunset Corner, the "Plaintiffs"), in the above-styled adversary
This is a core proceeding under 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(J), over which the Court has jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 157(a), 1334. Notice of the hearing on the Motion is found to be appropriate in all respects.
On June 29, 2017, the Court held a hearing on the Motion (the "Hearing"). At the Hearing, Timothy O. Hemming appeared on behalf of Sunset Corner, Peter Kuhn appeared on behalf of the USTR, Nicholas Chamberlain appeared on behalf of Mayoros, and any other appearances were noted on the record. After the Hearing, the Court took the matter under advisement.
Having reviewed and considered the Motion, the notice of hearing filed in connection with the Motion,
The Motion is brought under Fed. R.Civ.P. 12(c), which is applicable to this adversary proceeding under Fed. R.Bankr.P. 7012. Rule 12(c) provides: "After the pleadings are closed- but early enough not to delay trial- a party may move for judgment on the pleadings."
In support of the Motion, Plaintiffs primarily rely on the uncontroverted facts in the Court's pretrial order at docket no. 32 (the "Pretrial Order"). The Court is aware of the procedural quandary presented by the Motion and its sole reliance on the facts in the Pretrial Order. Plaintiffs argue that a Rule 12(c) motion may be based on the "pleadings" and "supplemented by any facts of which the Court should take proper judicial notice."
In Becker v. Bateman, the United States Court of Appeals of the Tenth Circuit stated:
With these guiding principles in mind, the Court turns to the Motion.
Relying on the Pretrial Order, Plaintiffs assert that there are no controverted material
Pursuant to Rule 16(d), well-established case law, and the Local Rules of this Court, the Pretrial Order and contents therein, although not a "pleading" under Rule 7, supersede prior pleadings and control the course of this case, unless modified by the Court.
The only issues of law the parties have presented in the Pretrial Order are whether the facts and evidence are sufficient to prove the allegations in Count I and II. The Court will address each count in turn to determine if Plaintiffs are entitled to summary judgment on Counts I and II.
Section 727(a)(2) provides:
To obtain a denial of discharge under § 727(a)(2)(A), the objecting party must prove the following elements: (1) the debtor transferred, removed, destroyed, mutilated or concealed property; (2) belonging to the debtor; (3) within one year of filing the petition; and (4) with the intent to hinder, delay or defraud a creditor of the estate.
As established by the uncontroverted facts in the Pretrial Order, there is no genuine dispute as to the following material facts:
1. On April 12, 2012, the Fifth Judicial District Court in and for Washington County, State of Utah, entered a judgment against Mayoros in favor of Sunset Corner. The judgment was recorded in the Washington County Utah Recorder's office on May 11, 2012, as Doc ID 20120015772.
2. Allison Mayoros, had a separate bank account at Wells Fargo Bank, on which Mayoros was not a signer, which was set up when the state court litigation commenced with Sunset Corner to protect the funds from garnishment.
3. Any money Mayoros and his wife had would go into that account.
4. The Wells Fargo Bank Account remained open following the filing of the petition initiating the bankruptcy case. Regular cash deposits ranging from $3,000.00 — $10,000.00 per month were deposited into that account within the one year period before the petition date, which was January 14, 2015.
5. On Mayoros' statements and schedules he listed an interest in Pirate Island Pizza of St. George Inc. from December 20, 2006 — February 22, 2010, and an interest in Pirate Island Trading Company from November 24, 2010 — February 27, 2012.
6. The appointed Chapter 7 Trustee, Michael Thomson, learned that Mayoros may have had an interest in BlackBeard Foods, LLC ("Black Beard") the company operating Pirate Island Pizza.
7. On June 24, 2015, Mayoros appeared at a Bankruptcy Rule 2004 examination wherein he testified he had been involved in a business venture by the name of Black Beard. Mayoros testified he had an ownership interest in Black Beard. He further testified that he directed his spouse, Allison Mayoros, be added as an owner member of Black Beard rather than himself to specifically avoid the reach Sunset Corner's judgment against him.
8. Allison Mayoros was added as an owner member of Black Beard on January 28, 2014.
9. On December 19, 2013, Jim Mayoros and Allison Mayoros received $55,000.00 from their in-laws, Ron and Brenda Myers. These funds were deposited into Jim and Allison Mayoros' joint personal checking account at Cache Valley Bank.
10. The $55,000.00 was supposed to fund Pirate Island Pizza.
11. Jim Mayoros was a signer on the Black Beard bank account at Cache Valley Bank.
12. Jim Mayoros did not disclose his interest in Black Beard or the Black Beard bank account at Cache Valley Bank in his statements and schedules or his amended statement of financial affairs.
13. Mayoros also executed documents transferring Black Beard assets to other entities.
14. Mayoros filed for bankruptcy on January 14, 2015,
Mayoros concedes in his Objection that the "original intent" of his actions, as stated in the Pretrial Order, "was to avoid Plaintiffs."
Based on the above-mentioned undisputed material facts, the Court concludes that Mayoros transferred his money into the Wells Fargo Bank account opened in his wife's name so that he could avoid the reach of those assets by Sunset Corners and make it more difficult for Sunset Corners to reasonably collect on its judgment. The Court also concludes that Mayoros transferred property into and away from Black Beard and the Black Beard bank account at Cache Valley Bank for the purposes of avoiding Sunset Corners and its collection efforts. The Wells Fargo Bank and Black Beard transfers were made within one year of Mayoros filing his bankruptcy petition.
The Court finds and concludes that there are no genuine issues of material fact and thus summary judgment is appropriate under Count I. Accordingly, Plaintiffs are entitled to summary judgment on Count I under § 727(a)(2)(A).
Section 727(a)(4) provides:
To deny a debtor's discharge under § 727(a)(4)(A), a bankruptcy court
As established by the uncontroverted facts in the Pretrial Order, there is no genuine dispute as to the following material facts, in addition to the previously stated facts:
1. Mayoros testified that he had possession of several videogames that are assets of Black Beard that were not disclosed on his original statements and schedules.
2. During the Bankruptcy Rule 2004 examination, Mayoros disclosed that he held other property, including couches owned by his sister in law, a trailer owned by his father in law, and vehicles including a Chevy Silverado owned by his wife, a Grand Am owned by his mother, and a minivan owned by his wife's parents, that were not included on his statements and schedules.
3. The Chapter 7 Trustee directed Mayoros to amend his Statement of Financial Affairs to include such property.
4. Mayoros amended his Statement of Financial Affairs but did not include all of the property he disclosed at his Bankruptcy Rule 2004 examination including any information regarding the Black Beard business.
Mayoros argues that his omission was not "material" because the property at issue had no value. This argument falls short because the Tenth Circuit principle is clear that "[m]ateriality is not defeated by the fact that the undisclosed property interests are determined to be without value."
Mayoros also argues that he disclosed the assets at issue to the chapter 7 trustee at the Bankruptcy Rule 2004 exam and therefore his omission was not "fraudulent." It is true that "[t]he fact that a debtor comes forward with omitted material of his own accord is strong evidence that there was no fraudulent intent in the omission."
There are no genuine issues of material fact that would necessitate a trial on Count II. Mayoros knowingly and fraudulently omitted information from his Statement of Financial Affairs. This omission was material and not inadvertent. Accordingly, Plaintiffs are entitled to summary judgment on Count II under 11 U.S.C. 727(a)(4)(A).
The undisputed facts in the Pretrial Order support a judgment for the relief requested, which is a denial of Mayoros' discharge under 11 U.S.C. §§ 727(a)(2)(A) and (a)(4)(A). Accordingly, summary judgment in favor of Plaintiffs is appropriate, and this action must be dismissed.
A separate judgment consistent with this Memorandum Opinion is entered concurrently herewith.