OPINION REGARDING TRUSTEE’S PROPOSED SALE OF STOCK
I. INTRODUCTION
The Sixth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel (“BAP”) has issued a recent decision which gives this court pause.
Olson v. Anderson (In re Anderson),
II. ISSUES
May the Trustee sell stock in a closely held Michigan corporation at an auction sale? Did the stock cease to be property of the estate, thereby precluding the Trustee’s sale, based upon the Debtors’ claimed federal catchall exemption? Do the Debtors have standing to object to the sale even though they were the highest bidder?
III. JURISDICTION
This court has jurisdiction over this contested matter pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1334 & 157(a) and Local Rule 83.2(a) of the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan (which refers all bankruptcy cases and related matters to this bankruptcy court). This matter is a core proceeding because it pertains to “exemptions from property of the estate,” 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(B), the “sale of property,” 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(N) and the “administration of the estate,” 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(A).
This opinion constitutes the court’s findings of facts and conclusions of law in
TV. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
Michael J. Cormier and Linda E. Cormier, “Debtors,” filed their voluntary joint petition under chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code on October 10, 2005. Dkt. 1. James W. Boyd, “Trustee,” was appointed to administer the bankruptcy case. When the case was filed, the Debtors filed Schedules A-J and their Statement of Financial Affairs. The Debtors failed to disclose their 4.167% ownership interest in stock of TTAP Investments, Inc. (the “stock”), or to claim the stock as exempt property. Only on their Schedule I, pertaining to Current Income, did the Debtors allude to the stock as “Mineral Rights” from which they received $1,277 per month.
At the § 341 meeting (“first meeting”), the Trustee asked about the “Mineral Rights” and first learned of the Debtors’ stock ownership. After the first meeting, the Trustee attempted to obtain information regarding the stock. On November 2, 2006, he filed a motion seeking turnover of royalties and corporate documents. Dkt. 14. Thereafter, on November 17, 2006, the Debtors filed their first amended Schedules B and C. Dkt. 17. They listed the stock as jointly owned with a current market value of $1.00. On Schedule C, they claimed the stock as exempt in the amount of $1.00 under the so-called federal “catchall” exemption, § 522(d)(5).
On December 18, 2006, a stipulation to substitute the Debtors’ current attorney for their prior attorney was filed, and the order permitting substitution was entered on December 21, 2006. Dkt. 18 and 20. Second amended Schedules B and C were then filed on February 21, 2007. On Schedule B, in paragraph 13, under “Stock and interests in incorporated and unincorporated businesses,” the Debtors finally listed a “4.167% joint stock interest in TTAP Investments, Inc.” and stated the “current value” as “$1.00.” On Schedule C-Property Claimed as Exempt, the Debtors listed the joint stock interest and claimed exemptions under § 522(d)(5) as follows: Husband—$9,650 and Wife—$4,500. The total amount claimed as exempt equaled $14,150. Once again, the Debtors listed the current value of the stock as $1.00. 1 The Trustee did not object to the Debtors’ claimed exemptions.
The Trustee continued to seek information about the stock. While the parties agreed to adjourn the hearing regarding the requested turnover of royalties and corporate records, the Trustee sought and obtained an Order Granting Motion for [Rule] 2004 Examination. Dkt. 22 and 28.
After some additional information was obtained, on October 2, 2007, the Trustee filed his Motion to Sell Stock in TTAP Investments, Inc. (the “Sale Motion”). Dkt. 30. Per the Sale Motion: (1) the corporation itself, TTAP, made an opening offer to purchase the stock in the amount of $26,826; (2) the Debtors then made an
After notice and a hearing on October 19, 2007, the court approved the requested auction sale. 2 At that hearing, the court did not recognize any storm clouds approaching—any clouds appeared to be eir-rocumulus rather than cumulonimbus in nature. The Debtors’ attorney stated: “We have some concerns about the proper authority of the corporation [TTAP Investments, Inc., generally herein “TTAP”] to bid but I believe that will be dealt with at the time of the auction.” Tr. I at 3. Then it was stated that “we would have no objection for the court order to be entered.” Id. The order approving the auction sale, entitled “Order Confirming Sale,” was filed on October 24, 2007, signed on October 29, 2007 and entered on October 30, 2007. 3 Dkt. 36 and 40. While the order permitting the auction sale to take place was being processed for entry, the auction proceeded.
On October 23, 2007, a telephonic auction of the stock occurred. The Debtors’ initial opening offer of $27,000 was subject to competitive bidding; after TTAP eventually bid $46,000 for the stock, the Debtors bid $47,000, which was the final bid. Dkt. 37; Tr. Ill at 2. Almost immediately thereafter, on October 24, 2007, the Trustee filed his “Motion for Entry of Order Confirming Sale of Debtor’s [sic] Stock in T.T.A.P. Investments, Inc. Pursuant to Auction Conducted on October 23, 2007” (“Confirmation of Auction Sale Motion”). Dkt. 37. In that motion, the Trustee requested the sale be approved, the sale be closed on or before November 30, 2007, and that if the Debtors, as the successful highest bidder, failed to timely close the sale, the Trustee be authorized to sell the stock to TTAP at its last highest bid of $46,000.
The court promptly set the Confirmation of Auction Sale Motion for hearing on November 2, 2007. Dkt. 38. On October 30, 2007, the Debtors filed their objection to the Confirmation of Auction Sale Motion. Surprise! Because of a glitch, when the hearing commenced on November 2, 2007, the court was unaware of any objection. It believed, because the Debtors were the high bidders, that the sale was uncontested. Wrong!
4
The Debtors’ attorney then
At the hearing, the court questioned the Debtors’ standing to object to the sale because they were the successful bidders. Tr. II at 4. After conceding the Trustee could administer the property if a portion of the stock was nonexempt, the Debtors’ attorney argued that the Debtors had the right to raise whether the corporate bylaws had been followed. Tr. II at 4-5. The issue was squarely presented about who might enforce the stock restrictions, the Debtors, the Trustee, shareholders of the corporation (were the Debtors shareholders after they filed their bankruptcy case?), or the corporation itself. Tr. II at 6. The Trustee asserted that the Debtors lacked standing to object because their exemption amount would be paid in full. Tr. II at 7.
After hearing more argument, in great part about the Debtors’ ability to object to the sale or not, after they appeared to be willing participants at the sale, the court stated it believed the Debtors’ arguments to be “disingenuous.” Tr. II at 7-12. 6 After refusing to withdraw their bid 7 and continuing to argue they had standing to object to the sale based upon the stock restrictions, the court ruled the Debtors had “no standing” and that the Trustee possessed the ability to challenge whether stock restrictions were properly followed based upon § 541 of the Bankruptcy Code. 8 Tr. II at 13. The court then orally overruled the Debtors’ objection and approved the sale to the Debtors under the “conditions that were noticed out.” Tr. II at 14.
In accordance with the oral bench decision by the court rendered on Friday afternoon, November 2, 2007, the Trustee promptly filed a proposed order (“Auction Sale Order”) which comported with the court’s decision. However, unknown to the court, new storm clouds had gathered and were rapidly approaching. On Wednesday, November 7, 2007, before the court signed and entered the Auction Sale Order, something akin to a legal tornado grazed the Western District of Michigan. Questions still exist whether the legal damage caused is F-0 (light) or F-4 (devastating) on the Fujita Wind Damage Scale. Williams, The Weather Book, at 123 (Vintage Books 1992). On November 7, the Anderson BAP decision was released. 9
On November 21, 2007, the Trustee filed his legal memorandum in accordance with the scheduling order. On November 26, 2007, the Debtors untimely filed their legal memorandum. 10 On November 30, 2007, another hearing took place in the Traverse City courtroom.
At that hearing, the court heard argument from the parties. Four exhibits were admitted into evidence. 11 Although the parties stipulated to many facts, as the court initially suspected, there were some contested facts, most importantly relating to the bidding at the auction sale. Two witnesses testified at the hearing: (1) Michael Cormier, one of the Debtors (“Cor-mier”); and (2) James W. Boyd, the Trustee. Both witnesses were credible. 12
Cormier and his wife owned stock in TTAP at the time the bankruptcy petition was filed. Tr. Ill at 34-35. TTAP received revenues from an oil and gas lease that, after deduction of costs and accounting fees, would be disbursed to the shareholders.
Id.
at 35-36. The Debtors received their monthly distributions, in varying amounts, for approximately ten years before their bankruptcy.
13
Id.
at
After the first meeting when the Trustee was told that the “Mineral Rights” were really a stock interest, the Trustee began investigating to obtain more information. He attempted to obtain financial information from TTAP to determine the estate’s interest in the stock based upon a projected income stream. Tr. Ill at 30. The Trustee and his staff dealt with Cameron Cogsdill, President of TTAP (“Cogs-dill”). Id. at 30. After many discussions with TTAP, the Trustee received a written offer to purchase the estate’s stock. Jt. Exh. 2; Tr. Ill at 31.
The Trustee then had discussions with the Debtors (apparently through their counsel). The Debtors indicated they wanted to retain the stock and “would bid more.” Tr. Ill at 31; Dkt. 30 (“Sale Motion”). After the Debtors stated they were willing to tender a higher initial offer, the Sale Motion was served upon Cogsdill; he then advised the Trustee that TTAP would participate at the auction sale. Jt. Exh. 3; Tr. Ill at 31.
The auction sale took place on October 23, 2007. The Trustee, Cormier, and the Debtors’ attorney were at one location; Cogsdill was at another location and participated by telephone. Tr. Ill at 31. Cogsdill, consistently with the prior correspondence sent to the Trustee, stated he would be bidding on behalf of TTAP. Id. (Trustee’s testimony); Tr. Ill at 43 (Cor-mier’s testimony). Ultimately, TTAP bid $46,000 and was the second highest bidder. The Debtors were the successful highest bidder at $47,000. Dkt. 37; Confirmation of Auction Sale Motion at 2.
There was at least one other unidentified person in the room with Cogsdill when he appeared telephonically and bid on behalf of the corporation at the auction sale. Tr. Ill at 43-44. Cormier believed that Cogsdill consulted with other persons before the corporation made its bids. The TTAP Bylaws basically provide that TTAP shall have a right of first refusal regarding the sale of a shareholder’s stock interest, Jt. Exh. 1, § 5.1, and that shareholders are given a right of second refusal, Jt. Exh. 1, § 5.2. The auction sale was consistent with the restrictions on transfer contained in the TTAP Bylaws. TTAP made an opening offer, engaged in bidding at the sale, and did not object to the court-approved procedure. Also, shareholders were advised of the sale by TTAP and were given an opportunity to participate to possibly purchase the stock. Tr. Ill at 41; Debtors’ Exh. A. Given the record, the court finds the auction sale and procedures utilized by the Trustee were consistent with the restrictions on transfer and the rights of first refusal and second refusal contained the TTAP Bylaws. Further, given the testimony at the hearing, and the procedures utilized at the auction sale, this court finds the sale was conducted in “good faith” within the meaning of § 363(m). There is no evidence of prohibited self-dealing, collusion, fraud, or other facts that would undercut this finding.
At the hearing, the Debtors’ attorney asserted that the Debtors did not intend to hide their ownership of the stock. Tr. Ill at 7. The Trustee now takes no position and states he has no current knowledge whether the Debtors’ nondisclosure was intentional or unintentional.
Id.
During cross-examination, Cormier admitted that he had previously been a debtor in an
V. DISCUSSION
A. May the Trustee Sell the Stock?
1. Property of the Estate in General.
The Bankruptcy Code provides that the “estate is comprised of all the following property, wherever located and by whomever held: ... all legal or equitable interests of the debtor in property as of the commencement of the case.” § 541(a)(1). “Section 541(a)(1) speaks in terms of the debtor’s ‘interests ... in property,’ rather than property in which the debtor has an interest, but this choice of language was not meant to limit the expansive scope of the section.”
United States v. Whiting Pools, Inc.,
A debtor’s interest in stock of a corporation is property of the estate.
Staats v. Meade (In re Meade),
In this case, the Debtors owned the TTAP stock interest when their joint case was filed. Upon filing of the petition, the stock became property of the estate.
Milden v. Joseph (In re Milden),
2. Enforceability of Restrictions on Stock Transfer.
As stated by Justice Stevens, except for some specific bankruptcy statutory provisions, “Congress has generally left the determination of property rights in the assets of a bankrupt’s estate to state law.”
Butner v. United States,
Under § 541, a trustee only takes the stock interest that a debtor had and takes the stock “subject to the same restrictions that existed at the time the debt- or filed the petition.”
Demczyk v.
Mutual
Under the Michigan Business Corporation Act, the “shares of a corporation are personal property.” Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 450.1471. As such, the stock is listed as personal property of the Debtors in Schedule B. “A restriction on the transfer ... of a bond or share of a corporation may be imposed by ... the bylaws.... ” MiCH. Comp. Laws Ann. § 450.1472(1). 14 A permitted restriction includes giving other holders of the stock a prior opportunity to buy the stock before it is sold to another, i.e., a right of first refusal. Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 450.1473. In accordance with Michigan corporation law, the TTAP Bylaws gave a right of first refusal to the corporation and a right of second refusal to the other shareholders. Jt. Exh. 1.
The Debtors, in a somewhat garbled argument, state that they may bring a direct action “to establish the acts of the directors or those in control of the corporation are illegal, fraudulent, or willfully unfair and oppressive to the corporation or to the shareholder.” Mioh. Comp. Laws Ann. § 450.1489. Presumably, based upon the Debtors’ legal memorandum, and the testimony of Cormier, the Debtors believe that TTAP acted improperly in bidding for the stock at the auction sale. The gist of the complaint seems to be that TTAP, by bidding, caused the Debtors to have to pay “$20,000 more to bid against somebody who shouldn’t have been bidding in the first place because the stock restrictions were not met.” Tr. II at 3-4; see also Tr. II at 7 (“it cost the [DJebtors an additional $20,000 to retain the stock”). Therefore, the Debtors wanted “the court to actually hold a hearing and determine whether or not the stock restrictions had been met to a point where there was no authorization to sell.” Id. at 4. This court rejects the Debtors’ argument.
First, when the bankruptcy case was filed, the stock became property of the estate subject to sale by the Trustee. §§ 541 and 363(b)(1). By operation of law, the Trustee became the “shareholder” of the corporation and possessed all of the Debtors’ rights in the stock under state law.
Calvert v. Bongards Creameries (In re Schauer),
Second, the Debtors gripe because they assert they lack information about TTAP’s involvement in the bidding at the sale and believe the stock restrictions were not met. Tr. II at 3-4; Tr. Ill at 8. Because TTAP did not tell the Debtors about its intention to buy the stock, the Debtors object. TTAP’s Bylaws require that the selling shareholder give notice and that the corporation be provided a right of first refusal and the other shareholders be afforded a right of second refusal. “[T]he notice requirement is to protect the shareholders, not the seller.”
Blackwell v. Lurie (In re Popkin & Stern),
When the court approved the Trustee’s Sale Motion, the court approved bidding procedures for the auction sale. Dkt. 30. At that time, the Debtors had “no objection for the court order to be entered.” Tr. I at 3. Only later, after the Debtors were “forced” to make the highest bid of $47,000, did they object. Tr. II at 3 and 7. The Debtors argue that this higher bid manufactured standing for them to object. Tr. II at 7.
“The purpose of procedural bidding orders is to facilitate an open and fair public sale designed to maximize value for the estate.”
In re Edwards,
The bidding procedures sought by the Trustee, and approved by this court, met all the relevant goals to achieve a valid and binding sale. TTAP made an initial offer. The Debtors were permitted to credit bid their claimed exempt amount in the stock.
B. Is the Stock Partially Exempt or Wholly Exempt?
If the stock interest is partially exempt, it may be sold by the Trustee, § 363(b), and the Debtors will be paid their claimed exemption amount, § 522(b), (d)(5), and (Z). The balance of the sale proceeds will then be distributed to creditors. § 726. However, if the stock has been exempted “in kind” and is fully exempt, the stock is arguably removed from the estate and may not be sold by the trustee. Under this result, the Debtors keep the stock and creditors receive nothing. This is the paramount issue that requires a careful statutory analysis, a review of Bankruptcy Rule 4003 and the Official Forms, and some consideration of bankruptcy policy.
1. Taylor v. Freeland & Kronz: What it Says and What it Doesn’t Say.
The
Anderson Bankruptcy
and
Anderson BAP
opinions rely extensively upon language from
Taylor v. Freeland & Kronz,
In
Taylor’s
lower court proceeding, the bankruptcy court faced a postpetition transfer avoidance action.
Taylor v. Freeland & Kronz (In re Davis),
On appeal, the district court affirmed.
Taylor v. Freeland & Kronz (In re Davis),
On further appeal, the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit reversed the district court.
Taylor v. Freeland & Kronz,
The issue on appeal focused solely on the correct legal interpretation of § 522 (l). The Third Circuit identified the three then-current statutory interpretations. One view was that “claimed exempt,” without a timely objection, means the exemption is valid. A second view was that § 522© is constrained by § 522(b) and therefore requires a claimed exemption be legally valid. Under this interpretation, if there was no statutory basis for the claimed exemption, an objection is not necessary. The third approach was that a court should examine the claimed exemption, even absent a timely objection, to assess whether a “good faith statutory basis” exists for the claimed exemption.
See Munoz v. Dembs (Matter of Dembs),
In
Taylor,
the Third Circuit held the first literal interpretation was legally correct. “Absent a timely filed objection, the property claimed by a debtor as exempt under section 522 of the Bankruptcy Code is exempt.”
Taylor,
Because of the difference of opinion between the Circuits, the Supreme Court decided
Taylor.
The Court framed the issue as “whether the trustee may contest the validity of an exemption after the 30-day period [established by Bankruptcy Rule 4003] if the debtor had no colorable basis for claiming the exemption.”
Taylor,
The issue that the Court decided is narrow. “We hold, however, that [the trustee’s] failure to [object to the claimed exemption] prevents him from challenging the validity of the exemption now.”
Taylor,
2. The Exemption Statute, § 522.
The Bankruptcy Code permits a debtor to exempt property under the federal exemptions or under applicable state (and nonbankruptcy federal) exemptions, unless a particular state has chosen to opt-out from the federal bankruptcy exemptions. § 522(b)(1), (2) and (3). Michigan has not opted out and permits election of the federal exemptions in § 522(d). In both this case, and in the Anderson case, the respective debtors claimed their exemptions under the “catchall” exemption contained in § 522(d)(5). In both cases, the real issue is “what did the debtor claim as exempt?” 19 Only after this question is answered may one determine what “is exempt.” § 522(£).
The bankruptcy court in
In re Anderson,
Statutory interpretation.
“When a federal court is required to interpret a statute enacted by Congress, such as the Bankruptcy Code, the Supreme Court has clearly and repeatedly underscored the court’s obligation. ‘In the interpretation of statutes, the function of the courts is easily stated. It is to construe the language so as to give effect to the intent of Congress.’ ” Kenneth N. Klee
&
Frank A. Merola,
Ignoring Congressional Intent: Eight Years of Judicial Legislation,
62 Am. Bankr.L.J. 1 (Winter 1988) (quoting
United States v. Am. Trucking Ass’ns,
“[A]n individual debtor may exempt from property of the estate the property listed in ... paragraph (2) ... of this subsection.” § 522(b)(1). “Paragraph (2)” permits exemption of “property that is specified under subsection (d),” i.e., the list contained in § 522(d). That subsection states in pertinent part:
The following property may be exempted under subsection (b)(2) of this section:
(5) The debtor’s aggregate interest in any property, not to exceed in value $975 plus up to $9,250 of any unused amount of the exemption provided under paragraph (1) of this subsection.
§ 522(d)(5) (the “catchall exemption”).
22
Because the Debtors filed a joint case,
In accordance with the Anderson Bankruptcy judge-invented mechanical formula, the exemption claimed in the stock is in excess of the scheduled value. Because the Trustee failed to object to the exemption in this case, the Anderson Bankruptcy opinion would result in the stock being removed from the estate. Trustee Boyd would be prohibited from selling the stock. 23
“We have stated time and time again that courts must presume that a legislature says in a statute what it means and means in a statute what it says there.”
Conn. Nat'l Bank v. Germain,
This court believes that § 522(d)(5) is direct and unambiguous. An individual debtor may exempt his or her interest in any property not to exceed a value of a maximum specific amount. Interpreting the statute as an “in-kind” exemption does not give enough weight to the language “not to exceed in value.” It is a “settled rule that a statute must, if possible, be construed in such fashion that every word has some operative effect.”
United States v. Nordic Village, Inc.,
To discern the importance of § 522(d)(5), it is worthwhile to quickly review § 522(d) in its entirety. Of its twelve subsections, only eight have a reference to a maximum monetary amount.
24
The four other subsections have no monetary limitation.
25
The exemptions without the monetary limitations might appropriately be described as “in-kind” exemptions. For purposes of construing § 522(d)(5), the comparison demonstrates that Congress treated different exemption subsections in different ways.
26
It is “generally
“One more caution is relevant when one is admonished to listen attentively to what a statute says. One must also listen attentively to what it does not say.” Felix Frankfurter, Some Reflections on the Reading of Statutes, 47 Colum. L.Rev. 527, 536 (1947). Based upon the explicit statutory language and the melange of interpretation principles, this court believes that § 522(d)(5) does not contemplate any “in-kind” exemption.
The role of the Bankruptcy Rules. Do the Bankruptcy Rules affect this outcome? “The Supreme Court shall have the power to prescribe by general rules, the forms of process, writs, pleadings, and motions, and the practice and procedure in cases under [the Bankruptcy Code]. Such rules shall not abridge, enlarge, or modify any substantive right.” 28 U.S.C. § 2075.
[Bankruptcy] Rule 4003, which is derived from § 522(Z) of the [Bankruptcy] Code and in part from former Bankruptcy Rule 403, shifted the emphasis of the earlier Rule, placing the burden on the debtor to list her exemptions and the burden on the parties in interest to raise objections. Rule 4003(b) in particular fills a gap that remains in § 522(Z), which is silent as to the time in which parties in interest must file their objections. Rule 4003(b) provides for a 30-day period for objections. Although the adoption of Rule 4003 has furthered the interest in orderly administration, there is no suggestion that it was put into effect in order to avoid prejudice to the debtor.
Taylor,
Bankruptcy Rule 9009 mandates that “Official Forms” shall be “used with alterations as may be appropriate.” Fed. R. BankrP. 9009. “The forms shall be construed to be consistent with these rules and the [Bankruptcy] Code.” Id. The obligation to use the Official Forms is to facilitate the processing of bankruptcy paperwork for administration. Fed. R. Bankr.P. 9009 advisory committee’s note. The Official Forms, as creatures of the Bankruptcy Rules, also must be construed in accordance with the substantive rights established by the Bankruptcy Code. 28 U.S.C. § 2075.
Official Form 6 encompasses all of the Bankruptcy Schedules. Official Form 6C, “Schedule C,” is the current form utilized to designate “Property Claimed as Exempt.” Schedule C first requires a debtor to check a box to choose federal exemptions under § 522(b)(2) (if the state has not “opted out”) or state and federal nonbank-ruptcy exemptions under § 522(b)(3). Then Schedule C contains four columns to
The fourth column requires the debtor to state “Current Value of Property Without Deducting Exemption.” This information is not required by § 522. This court believes the total value of the property, in Column 4, as contrasted to the value (amount) claimed as exempt in Column 3, is likely included for the administrative convenience of the parties in interest. By comparing the figures in Column 3 and Column 4, one can easily see whether (according to the debtor’s value estimation) the property may be administered for the benefit of the estate. A reader of the Schedules is not then required to revert to Schedule A (Real Property) or Schedule B (Personal Property) 27 to review the estimated scheduled values. (Of course, if the Schedules are properly prepared, the current values respecting any particular described property should be identical). 28
The current value “bonus information” in Column 4 of Schedule C may not be used, and should not be used, to determine “the property claimed as exempt” for purposes of § 522(i). The claimed exemption is determined exclusively by the first column, the second column and, only when necessary, the third column.
Any analysis using the information in Column 4 to create an “in-kind” formula, such as developed in the Anderson Bankruptcy opinion, is incorrect. The procedures required by the Bankruptcy Rules and the Official Forms cannot, and should not, be utilized to modify the substantive law mandated by the Bankruptcy Code. Therefore, on this basis as well, the Anderson Bankruptcy mechanical formula invented to establish a presumed claimed in-kind exemption fails.
Bankruptcy policy.
Some comments about bankruptcy policy are appropriate. “In determining the meaning óf a statute, we look not only to the particular statutory language but to the design of the statute as a whole and to its object and policy.”
Grogan v. Garner,
In an attempt to originate its own preferred policy, the
Anderson Bankruptcy
court generates hypothetical questions and then answers those questions to its liking. “[D]ebtors prefer to keep as exempt whatever they currently own so as to make their fresh start as seamless as possible. Section 522 itself reflects this preference, for subsection (b) speaks of exempting
property
not
values.” Anderson Bankruptcy,
The Bankruptcy Code and the underlying policy gives debtors a method by which they may keep all (or most all) of their prepetition property. The method is called “Chapter 13.”
As to individual, primarily consumer debtors, the Code encouraged greater use of Chapter 13, the former wage earner chapter. The congressional encouragement of Chapter 13, with its attendant enhanced discharge, was a significant political decision designed to influence an individual debtor’s choices between concern for retention of exempt property in a Chapter 7 liquidation or retention of both exempt and nonexempt property in an adjustment of debt chapter.
Brown, 71 Am. Bankr.LJ. at 160-61.
The Sixth Circuit has also stated the difference between the various bankruptcy chapters.
A fresh start is afforded through discharge of all or a portion of his debts. Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code allows discharge in exchange for liquidation of the debtor’s assets for the benefit of his creditors, and Chapter 11 permits a debtor to rehabilitate his business and discharge debts by reorganizing, conducting his affairs, and paying creditors, in accordance with a court-approved plan, while under Chapter 13 a debtor may adjust the amount of his unsecured debts in exchange for dedicating to creditors a portion of his future income.
In re Krohn,
Another policy consideration is implicit in construing the issue of “what property does a debtor claim as exempt?” What is to be done when a debtor’s declared exemption is ambiguous?
This court previously considered the import of the
Taylor
decision and “practical policy considerations.”
Matter of Heflin,
If a debtor intends to fully exempt a particular piece of property in its entirety, regardless of its value, then the debt- or should unambiguously express this intention in his schedules. Where the debtor makes a clear manifestation of his intent to seek an unlimited exemption in a specific piece of property, then the trustee has ample notice and can either file an objection or seek an extension of time in which to conduct further investigation. If the trustee fails to object, or fails to obtain a timely extension, then the trustee cannot subsequently challenge the validity of the exemption.
Heflin,
To say the
Anderson Bankruptcy
court disagrees with the
Heflin
analysis is an understatement. The
Anderson Bankruptcy
court rejects any “magic language” that results from the “idiosyncrasies of that particular court.”
Anderson Bankruptcy,
Who created the ambiguity—the debtor or the trustee? What common sense is there, as bankruptcy policy, to require a trustee to affirmatively clear up any (or all) ambiguities that debtors may state in their Schedules? Should not the debtor bear the burden to clarify the ambiguity that he created? 30
One other minor bankruptcy policy needs to be very briefly addressed. In interpreting a Bankruptcy Code provision, Justice Thomas says it is not improper to consider administration of the law.
Nobelman v. Am. Sav. Bank,
As pointed out by Justice Stevens in Taylor:
Bankruptcy courts would understandably be reluctant to encourage a policy that would contribute to the overburdening of the bankruptcy court system. As counsel for the trustee explained: “Last year [1991] there were 880,000 bankruptcy filings, 291 bankruptcy judges to deal with all of those filings, and a real need on the part of the bankruptcy courts to rely on the good faith of debtors in claiming exemptions, otherwise the whole system would collapse.”
Taylor,
The Anderson BAP opinion addressed two main issues. First, did the Anderson Bankruptcy court utilize the proper law to review a proposed settlement? Second, was the lower court correct in its determination that the property was no longer property of the estate? These issues will be discussed in turn.
1. The Legally Proper Settlement Standard.
The
Anderson Bankruptcy
opinion relied upon its own special brand of settlement standards created by
In re Dalen,
According to Dalen, “the ultimate question raised in a hearing concerning court approval of a trustee’s proposed settlement is whether the trustee, in reaching that settlement, has complied with her fiduciary duties [of care, loyalty, and obedience] to the bankruptcy estate, its creditors, and other parties in interest.” This fiduciary standard purportedly is derived from “a well developed body of Sixth Circuit case law concerning the process by which a court is to approve consent decrees,” and, according to the bankruptcy court, “offer[s] considerable assistance in determining how a bankruptcy court should evaluate a settlement agreement which has been presented to it by a trustee for approval.”
Anderson BAP,
The BAP rejected
Dalen
and held “that the bankruptcy court applied an improper standard in disapproving the settlement agreement.”
Anderson BAP,
At this point of its decision, the
Anderson BAP
could have merely reversed and remanded with instructions to assess the proposed settlement in accordance with the Supreme Court’s “fair and equitable” standards. Among other things, “the proposed settlement agreement provided that the Trustee would accept $13,560 from the Defendants [the co-owners] in exchange for the estate’s interest in the Cabin property, taking into account the Debtors’ claimed exemption of $15,000.”
Anderson BAP,
It is difficult to understand in practical terms how the settlement would work.The Trustee proposed in her motion to settle the adversary proceeding by conveying to the Defendants the estate’s interest in the Cabin property “after taking into account the Debtors’ available exemption.” Did this mean that after the conveyance by the Trustee to the Defendants, the Defendants would own the entirety of the Cabin property, subject only to their obligation to pay the Debtors their $15,000? Or did it mean that because the Debtors’ exemption was $15,000, which equated to l/4th of the value, that after the sale the Debtors would own an undivided l/4th interest in the Cabin property, with the Defendants owning the remaining 3/4ths of the property? Assuming the former scenario were the one contemplated by the Trustee, it is difficult to see how the sale could have gone forward over the Debtors’ objection since the Debtors would have lost their ownership interest in the realty without any guaranty that they could recover their $15,000 from the Defendants.
Anderson BAP,
After remand, it is almost inconceivable that the proposed settlement would have been approved by the bankruptcy court. Applying the proper standard, the bank-ruptey court would be obligated to “weigh the conflicting interests of all relevant parties” and “make an informed and intelligent decision.”
Anderson BAP,
Then what? One of two things would likely happen.
First, the parties could restructure the settlement. If the new settlement contemplated payment of money to the estate,
without
adversely affecting the debtors’ interest in the Cabin property, the proper settlement standards could be applied and the new settlement might be approved.
33
After all, settlements are favored by the law.
See Myers v. Martin (In re Martin),
Second, if no new settlement was proposed, an evidentiary hearing would occur. At that hearing, one can readily predict two possible factual issues. What was the actual intent (as contrasted to the presumed intent) when the debtors declared their exemption?
Anderson Bankruptcy,
The BAP, for whatever reason, decided to address the extremely complicated issue in the appeal, when perhaps it did not need to do so. Alternatively, if the issue was remanded and then returned to the BAP on a subsequent appeal, there would have been a complete record, with findings of fact, rather than only the bankruptcy judge’s observations, to be considered and reviewed. Because the BAP decided to march ahead in challenging and inclement weather, so must this court.
2. Is the Cabin Property Wholly Exempt?
The short answer from the BAP is “yes.” The more important question is whether the BAP is correct in its analysis of the issue.
Statutory interpretation. In a prior case, the Sixth Circuit BAP stated:
As the United States Supreme Court has instructed courts in examining the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, “[w]e have stated time and time again that courts must presume that a legislature says in a statute what it means and means in a statute what it says there.” That statement is consistent with the United States Supreme Court’s principles that statutory interpretation is a holistic endeavor which must begin with the language of the statute itself. Resort to an examination of legislative history is appropriate only to resolve statutory ambiguity, and in the final analysis, such examination must not produce a result demonstratively at odds with the purpose of the legislation. The Sixth Circuit has likewise noted that statutes “must be read in a ‘straightforward’ and ‘commonsense’ manner,” and that “[w]hen we can discern an unambiguous and plain meaning from the language of a [statute], our task is at an end.”
Andersson v. Sec. Fed. Sav. & Loan of Cleveland (In re Andersson),
Regretfully, the
Anderson BAP
did not engage in any meaningful statutory interpretation of the exemption statute, most notably § 522(d). In
Anderson,
the debtors claimed the Cabin property as exempt under § 522(d)(5). How does the BAP interpret the language in the catchall exemption that limits the exemption to a specific monetary amount? § 522(d)(5). Based upon its rejection of other reported decisions, some discussed below, it is apparent that the BAP does not believe the monetary limitation carries much weight.
The BAP also fails to address the interplay between Rule 4003, the required information to be listed on Schedule C, and the possible importance of bankruptcy policy concerns. Are not these appropriate considerations to interpret the exemption statute at issue? 34
Caselaw. This court is required to briefly discuss reported cases that have interpreted Taylor and may be helpful to achieve a reasoned analysis of the in-kind exemption problem. Some of the cases below were cited or discussed by the Anderson BAP opinion and some were not. By a careful reading, one may realize that some courts may confuse or conflate the issues of “what is actually claimed as exempt” versus “the presumed existence of an in-kind exemption.”
The
Anderson Bankruptcy
opinion heavily criticizes and rejects three reported decisions by Michigan bankruptcy courts which interpreted
Taylor. Matter of Heflin,
The Defendants argue, and the bankruptcy court agreed, that when a debtor schedules an exemption with identical market and exemption values, as in this case, the debtor is clearly indicating the intention to exempt the property in full, regardless of its actual value. In contrast, the Trustee contends that a debt- or’s mere listing of identical market and exemption values is insufficient to manifest the required intent. According to the Trustee, listing identical values simply indicates that the debtor desires to exempt an interest in property up to the specific dollar amount shown. Therefore, maintains the Trustee, if a debtor wants to exempt a piece of property in its entirety, he or she must list its market value as unknown and its exempted value as 100%, or make some similar notation evidencing such an intent.
We reject this argument.
Anderson BAP,
In rejecting the trustee’s argument, and notwithstanding the italicized language in the above quote, it is not initially apparent that the BAP was accepting the argument of the defendants. The BAP first makes a narrow statement that, based upon the exemption, “it was clear that the Debtors were seeking to exempt their full interest in the Cabin property which they believed had a value of $15,000.”
Anderson BAP,
In
Heflin,
the debtor claimed federal exemptions totaling $15,579 in real property without any objection the chapter 7 trustee. The debtor scheduled the real property value at $16,000 and scheduled a hen at $431.25. The debtor asserted that the exemptions plus the hen exceeded the value and there was no net equity to the estate. (Under the
Anderson BAP
decision, the
Heflin
trustee would lose any possibility of administering the property because of the scheduled value and scheduled lien.) Although
Heflin
involved a requested abandonment, the question was whether the property was removed from the estate under the
Taylor
decision. Without any appreciable statutory analysis,
Heflin
examined
Taylor
and distinguished it, relying upon a decision by the Ninth Circuit,
Hyman,
discussed below.
Heflin
held “a trustee is not legally required to object to a debtor’s scheduled value relating to specific property.”
Heflin,
In
Bregni,
decided by Chief Judge Rhodes in the Eastern District of Michigan, the chapter 7 joint debtors claimed an exemption in a condominium in the amount of $30,000. They valued the property at $120,000 and scheduled a mortgage of $90,000, thereby claiming the estate had no equity in the property. However, within nine months of the bankruptcy petition, the property sold for $38,000 more than the scheduled value.
Bregni,
Eight years later,
Einkorn,
also authored by Judge Rhodes, was decided. The debtors owned a timeshare. They claimed a § 522(d)(5) catchall exemption in the amount of $1.00. They scheduled the value as $1,000 and scheduled a lien on the timeshare as $1,000. No objection to the claimed exemption in the amount of $1.00 was filed. About eight months after the bankruptcy filing, the trustee sought to sell the timeshare property and the debtors objected. Relying on
Taylor,
they asserted the property was fully exempt. Citing
Bregni
and other cases, the bankruptcy court limited the exemption to the actual amount stated, i.e., $1.00,
Einkorn,
The
Anderson BAP
cites an Eleventh Circuit opinion to justify its reliance upon scheduled intent.
Allen v. Green (In re Green),
The Eighth Circuit has addressed the issue but the
Anderson BAP
also discounts that decision.
Stoebner v. Wick (In re Wick),
After the district court reversed because it determined the stock options were fully exempted and
Taylor
barred any untimely exemption, the Eighth Circuit heard the appeal. It correctly rejected
Wick’s
argument that the stock options were “fully exempt” stating that the “unknown” listing “may signal nothing more than that the asset has not been valued or that the debtor is unsure of how to come up with an accurate market value.”
Wick,
This court agrees with the Eighth Circuit in Wick. The Anderson Bankruptcy opinion and the Anderson BAP opinion disagree and would give the entire asset to the debtor.
Many decisions discuss a Ninth Circuit decision,
Hyman v. Plotkin (In re Hyman),
In
Hyman,
the debtors argued the property was fully exempt under § 522(i) because “by listing ‘homestead’ instead of ‘homestead exemption’ on the schedule of exempt property, they were claiming as exempt property their entire homestead, not just $45,000.”
Hyman,
Both the
Anderson Bankruptcy
and
Anderson BAP
opinions distinguish
Hy-man.
The
Anderson Bankruptcy
decision looks at the scheduled value ($415,000), the scheduled liens ($347,611) and the claimed exemption amount ($45,000). After adding the liens and exemption amount, and subtracting that total from the asserted value, there was nonexempt equity left for the estate. Based upon this formula, the debtors did not establish the requisite presumed intent to fully exempt the property.
Anderson Bankruptcy,
Hyman
is further distinguished because it is based upon the “peculiarities of the state exemption claimed.”
Anderson
One reading of
Hyman,
perceived by
Heflin
and
Bregni,
is that when a debtor claims a specific amount as exempt, the debtor is limited to the requested amount. Another reading of
Hyman,
perceived by the
Anderson
opinions, is that
Hyman
does not cover a situation where the scheduled value is equal to the exemption amount claimed.
Anderson BAP,
The Ninth Circuit BAP has answered this question. About four months before
Anderson
was decided by the Sixth Circuit BAP.
Chappell
was released.
Klein v. Chappell (In re Chappell),
In
Chappell,
the chapter 7 debtors scheduled their residence as an asset and scheduled the value at $350,000. The debtors stated the consensual liens on the property to be $328,488.75. The total balance of the scheduled value, $21,511.25 was claimed exempt under § 522(d)(1), the federal exemption applicable to a residence.
Chappell,
About two years later, the secured party moved for relief from stay and asserted the residence was worth $350,000 as stated on the debtors’ schedules. The Chappell trustee opposed the relief asserting that the residence had increased in value to $550,000 and argued a sale would pay creditors 100% of their claims and return a surplus to the debtors. Id.
The
Chappell
debtors argued at the time the case was filed there was no equity for the estate because the scheduled value was eaten up by the consensual liens and then fully covered by their claimed exemption. After a hearing, the bankruptcy court agreed with the debtors based upon a finding the residence was worth $350,000 as of the petition date. Because the formula was satisfied (in this case based upon some proof rather than a mere reliance on asserted scheduled value), “the bankruptcy court concluded that because the value of the property was equal to or less than the sum of the secured obligations and the exemption claimed, the residence was withdrawn from administration pursuant to § 522(i) at the expiration of the time to object to exemptions and there was no remaining interest in the residence for the trustee to administer.”
Chappell,
The Ninth Circuit BAP identified one issue as whether the federal exemption claimed by the Chappell debtors distinguished the case from Hyman, in which those debtors claimed the state law exemption. Restated by this court, the issue may be characterized as whether, according to the Anderson Bankruptcy and Anderson BAP opinions, the “peculiar” nature of the California exemption statute negates the Ninth Circuit’s analysis about monetary limitations contained in certain exemptions.
Chappell
first notes that exemption rights are determined as of the bankruptcy filing date.
Chappell,
In making their “aggregate”-interest-in-the-fee argument, Debtors ignore two important facts. First, nothing in the debtors’ Schedule C demonstrates an intent to claim ... an “aggregate” or entire interest. The value of their claimed exemption is stated simply as “$21,-511.25,” the arithmetic difference between the value of the residence and the consensual liens. As reasoned in Hyman v. Plotkin (In re Hyman),967 F.2d 1316 , 1319 n. 6 (9th Cir.1992), because the time to object to claimed exemptions is relatively short, “it is important that trustees and creditors be able to determine precisely whether a listed asset is validly exempt simply by reading a debt- or’s schedules.” Any ambiguity in the schedules is to be construed against the debtor. Id.
Second, debtors ignore the dollar limit imposed by § 522(d)(1). As the trustee concedes, the maximum exemption available under § 522(d)(1) is $36,900 (plus any available “wild card” amount under § 522(d)(5)). Hence, the [debtors’] exemption claim did not exceed the maximum amount available to them.
Chappell,
Chappell
responds to the
Anderson
opinions that constrain
Hyman
to the “peculiarities” of the California exemption statute. The Supreme Court “observed that most of the federally listed exemptions at § 522(d) are explicitly restricted to the ‘debtor’s aggregate interest’ or the ‘debtor’s interest’ up to a maximum amount, noting that the federal homestead exemption at that time allowed the debtor to exempt ‘[t]he debtor’s aggregate interest, not to exceed $7,500 in value, in ... a residence.’ ”
Chappell,
This court believes that the
Owen
Supreme Court language discussing § 522(f) is equally compelling when § 522(d) is interpreted. After discussing
Hyman
and many of the other cases addressed herein,
Chappell
finds
“Bregni
and
Heflin
persuasive in determining the matter before us.”
Chappell,
Chappell
then decides the issue consistently with the
Hyman, Heflin
and
Bregni
interpretation of the federal exemption statute. The debtors’ residence became property of the estate and no abandonment occurred. The debtors are entitled to receive the amount of their “unopposed exemption up to the maximum amount permitted by § 522(d),” and the debtors’ election of the federal exemption does not change the result.
Chappell,
The last case to be discussed was not addressed, or even cited, by the
Anderson Bankruptcy
or
Anderson BAP
opinions. It is an opinion rendered by the Court
of
Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Lim v. Greenfield (In re Greenfield),
Greenfield was decided by Chief Judge Boggs, Judge Daughtrey and Judge Guy. Although it was a per curiam opinion that was not selected for publication, Greenfield is now the only known Sixth Circuit opinion that addresses the issue at hand. The debtor, Mark Greenfield, married in April, 1999. Shortly thereafter, the debtor quit-claimed an interest in his residence to his new wife and himself. The debtor, in a separate transaction, also used approximately $5,000 of his funds to purchase his new wife a Cadillac Seville.
Slightly less than five months later, the debtor filed a chapter 7 bankruptcy case. The
Greenfield
trustee instituted an avoidance action to recover the asserted fraudulent conveyances under § 548. A defense was mounted that because the trustee failed to timely object to the debtor’s exemption, the trustee was barred from avoiding the transfer by the debtor.
Greenfield,
“In this case, the debtor did not claim an exemption for the entire property under § 522(b)(2)(B) (applicable to entireties property). Instead, he claimed an exemption under § 522(d)(1), which is limited to a dollar value of $16,150. Thus, even accepting defendants’ argument, the bankruptcy court would have retained jurisdiction over the property because the debtor did not exempt the entire property. See In re Bregni, [215 B.R. 850 , 852 (Bankr.E.D.Mich.1997)] (debtor’s property remains property of the estate to the extent its value exceeds the statutory amount which the debtor is permitted to exempt).
If the transfer is voided, [the debtor] will still receive his $16,150 exemption, but the property will no longer be held under a tenancy by the entireties. Thus, the entire property (minus the exemption) can be used to satisfy the debts of the [the debtor’s] creditors.”
Greenfield,
The Sixth Circuit has explicitly cited Bregni approvingly. Although the unpublished decision is not binding, it is a strong signal that the Sixth Circuit will agree with those cases that conclude the monetary limitations in § 522(d)(1) and (5) should be enforced. It is possible the Sixth Circuit would also reject the judge-invented mechanical formula adopted by the Anderson Bankruptcy opinion and affirmed by the Anderson BAP opinion.
3. Is the Anderson BAP Opinion Correct?
A preliminary issue exists. Is the Anderson BAP opinion binding on this court? It is not.
Bankruptcy Appellate Panel decisions are binding in the cases being decided. However, they are not generally binding within the circuit, across district lines, or even in the bankruptcy courts located in the district in which the appeal arose. 37 An observation by Judge Crabb regarding district court and BAP appellate decisions is instructive and enlightening:
Neither district courts sitting as appellate courts nor bankruptcy appellate panels in their present incarnation provide a satisfactory means of appeal from bankruptcy court rulings. The two have the same major drawback: the appellate decisions they reach do not bind each other or any court except the court from which the appeal is taken. To the extent their decisions have no precedential effect (as distinct from the persuasive effect a well-reasoned opinion may have), the courts or panels serve only the most basic functions of appellate review, that of correcting particular errors in specific cases and providing some supervision over the bankruptcy courts. They do not foster predictability: so long as litigants can choose their forum for appeal, they can shop for the one they think will be most favorable to their position. They do not build a coherent body of law because their decisions issue from too many sources to produce coherency. As a result, bankruptcy practitioners have little guidance in advising their clients. Many of the most basic issues in bankruptcy law have no definitive resolution.
Barbara B. Crabb, In Defense of Direct Appeals: A Further Reply to Professor Chemerinsky, 71 Am. Bankr.L.J. 137, 140 (Spring 1997) (emphasis added and footnotes omitted).
This judge agrees that BAP decisions are to be given equivalent deference to that accorded to district court appellate opinions. All opinions should be treated as extremely persuasive and generally followed. However, when a bankruptcy court has a deeply considered and well-reasoned analysis, the court is free to disagree with the BAP or the district courts. 38 This is healthy for the system: it nurtures the growth of the law.
Even absent considering Greenfield and the other cases discussed above, the statutory interpretation of § 522, the examination of the appropriate role of the Bankruptcy Rules and the Official Forms, and the consideration of bankruptcy policy, requires a conclusion that there exists no presumed “in-kind” exemption of property, based upon a debtor’s scheduled value, pursuant to a judge-invented mechanical formula. Scheduled values, as contrasted to amounts claimed exempt, are not binding upon parties in interest, including creditors and the trustee. After reading and considering the caselaw addressed above, this conclusion is even more compelling.
This judge agrees with the first part of the Anderson BAP opinion. However, strong disagreement with the second portion of the BAP opinion is respectfully registered. 39
D. The Debtor’s Standing to Object to the Sale.
In this case, the Debtors assert that they are parties in interest and therefore have standing to object to the sale. The court agrees that debtors are parties in interest in their chapter 7 case. But being a party in interest for purposes of the bankruptcy case does not confer standing to appear and be heard on every
To demonstrate standing a party must meet three elements: (1) actual or threatened injury resulting from the conduct or action of another; (2) an injury which can be traced to the challenged conduct or action; and (3) the injury may be redressed by a favorable decision by the court.
Matter of Lansing Clarion Ltd. P’ship,
A debtor may also appear and object in any contested matter that might “affect the terms, conditions and extent of [his or her] discharge.”
In re El San Juan Hotel,
Absent a potential surplus or an adverse impact on a debtor’s discharge or exemption, this court holds that a debtor lacks standing to object to a trustee’s proposed sale of estate property.
Cf. Willemain v. Kivitz (Matter of Willemain),
If a trustee would seek to sell an asset for less than a debtor’s claimed monetary exemption, without question, the debtor would have standing to object to the sale. By seeking to deny a debtor an exemption, the debtor’s pecuniary interest is adversely affected. In this case, the Debtors will receive the full amount of their total exemption in the stock to be sold. 40
Finally, this court has considered and rejected the Debtors’ argument that the TTAP stock restrictions in the Bylaws were not recognized and the Debtors had a right to object as shareholders. See discussion and conclusion in Part V.2. above.
Because the Debtors have no standing to object to the Trustee’s sale, it is not now necessary to determine whether the Debtors are estopped from opposing the sale.
VI. CONCLUSION
The Trustee may sell the TTAP stock. He properly followed the stock sale restrictions both before and during the auction sale. The Debtors lack standing to object to the sale.
The Debtors’ aggregate exemption in the stock totals $14,150, not one penny more, not one penny less. They are entitled to apply this exempt amount to their successful bid to buy the stock.
Although the Debtors valued the stock at $1.00 on their Schedule C and took their
An order shall be entered accordingly.
Notes
. During his testimony, Michael Cormier stated that he did not know the value of the stock. Tr. Ill at 35 and 49. However, he conceded that the Debtors have received distributions for approximately ten years. Id. at 37. Using the “Mineral Rights” distribution listed in Schedule I, stating an amount of $1,277 per month, the Debtors have received over $150,000 in distributions from the TTAP stock.
. The transcript of the hearing that took place on October 19, 2007, is referred to herein as “Tr. I.’’ The transcript of the second hearing which took place on November 2, 2007 is referred to herein as "Tr. II.” The transcript of the third hearing which took place on November 30, 2007 is referred to herein as "Tr. III.”
. This title is misleading. The order permitted the Trustee to conduct an auction sale upon certain terms and conditions. No sale was approved by this order.
.The Debtors’ written objection was filed on Tuesday, October 30, 2007. Dkt. 41, with an Addendum filed and served on Wednesday, October 31, 2007. Dkt 42. The Trustee's response was filed and served on Thursday, November 1, 2007. Dkt. 44. It is not surprising that the court did not know of these pleadings. On October 30, the court was in session for a Kalamazoo motion day; on October 31, the court was in session for a Grand Rapids motion day; and on November 1, the court traveled to Traverse City in the morning and conducted pretrial conferences during the afternoon.
. Tr. Ill at 3-4.
. During the colloquy with the Debtors’ attorney, the court candidly remarked: "This is very weird to me that your clients participated in the bidding process, and then they’re the successful bidder, and then the sale comes up for approval to your own clients and your clients object.” Tr. II at 11.
. The court would have permitted the Trustee to forthwith sell the stock to TTAP as the second bidder for $46,000.
. At an earlier point in the hearing, the court stated that it believed the corporation itself might have standing to object to the Trustee’s sale. Tr. II at 6. This would be especially true if the Trustee ignored the restrictions when he attempted to sell the stock. The Trustee asserted that he had followed all of the corporation’s bylaw restrictions when the sale was conducted. Tr. II at 10. Also, TTAP did not object to the sale and participated in the auction.
.Olson v. Anderson (In re Anderson),
. The late filing has not prejudiced the court in this instance. The Trustee did not assert any prejudice resulting from the Debtors’ failure to comply with the court’s scheduling order.
. Joint Exhibit 1 is an excerpt of TTAP’s Bylaws relating to “Certificate for Shares and Their Transfer” comprised of eight sections. Joint Exhibit 2 is a letter dated June 12, 2007 from TTAP to the Trustee in which TTAP offers to purchase the stock from the estate for $26,826. That letter is signed by "Cameron Cogsdill, President, TTAP Inc.” Joint Exhibit 3 is a letter dated October 18, 2007, which states that TTAP "is interested in participating in the bidding process” pursuant to the Trustee’s Auction Sale Motion. That letter is also signed by Cameron Cogsdill, as TTAP President.
Debtors’ Exhibit A is a document by which "Nancy” faxed to one of the Debtors a copy of a letter, dated June 13, 2007, from the TTAP Board of Directors to the TTAP shareholders, with a form attached, regarding the corporation's possible offer to purchase the stock.
The parties also agreed that the court could listen to a recording of the telephonic auction sale. Tr. Ill at 11. Although a disc was provided to the court after the hearing was concluded, it was unplayable on the court’s equipment. The court has decided, given the testimony at the hearing, that it is not necessary to listen to the recording.
. Cormier's brief testimony is credible only in connection with this contested matter. His testimony and the Debtors' objections raise many questions, all that will be addressed, only if necessary, at a future hearing.
. The Debtors continued to receive monthly distribution checks from the stock after the filing of the case. The issue of whether these funds belong to the Debtors or the estate has been reserved and will be decided by the court in a future proceeding. Tr. Ill at 14. Presumably, the Debtors will take the position that the postpetition stock distributions constitute "income” that is not property of the estate. Tr. Ill at 49. The Trustee shall presumably take the position that the stock distri-
. A written restriction on transfer of the stock must be "noted conspicuously" on the stock. Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 450.1472(2). Whether this requisite notation appeared on the TTAP stock is unknown. However, for purposes of this opinion, it is assumed the notation was on the stock held by the Debtors at the time of the bankruptcy filing. As discussed in this opinion, regardless of whether the notation was properly made or not, the outcome is unchanged.
. As of February 11, 2008, according to Westlaw's "Citing References," Taylor has been cited in nearly 1,700 documents.
. When the Taylor case began its climb through the appellate ladder a debtor’s exemptions were listed on Schedule B-4. The relevant Official Form, discussed below, now requires that exemptions be listed on Schedule C.
. The entire discussion by the Court of the issue revolves around § 522(1) and Bankruptcy Rule 4003.
. A careful reading of Taylor leads to only one conclusion about property “claimed as exempt”—when a lawsuit is listed as "unknown,” the exemption claim is for all the proceeds.
. The
Anderson BAP
says the "overarching” issue on appeal is whether the
Anderson
bankruptcy court abused its discretion "by applying an erroneous legal standard.”
Anderson,
. Although the exemption statute will be construed later, a minor point must be made. There is no "presumption” set forth anywhere in § 522. If Congress wanted a presumption regarding a debtor’s claim of exemptions, it knows how to do so. See, e.g., § 547(f) (presumption of insolvency).
. There exists an apparent troublesome disconnect when one considers both of these formulas in tandem. In the first formula, the debtor’s scheduled value is binding on the estate. Hence, when the asset is valued at $50,000, a lien is scheduled for $30,000, and the exemption is claimed in a legally proper amount of $20,000, absent an objection to the exemption, the property is removed from the estate. The formula presumes that the value is binding (and the scheduled lien amount is also correct). However, the companion formula does not contemplate that the scheduled value is binding. Hence, in the second formula, when the asset is valued at $50,000, a lien is scheduled for $29,000, and the exemption is claimed in a legally proper amount of $20,000, there exists $1,000 in nonexempt equity for the estate. If the value (and the scheduled lien amount) is binding in this formula, will the estate be limited to keeping $1,000 even if the property was sold for, say, $80,000? If the scheduled value is binding under the first formula, is there any principled reason to say the value is not binding under the second formula? Logically, should not the asserted scheduled value be irrelevant in both instances? Also, what about the scheduled lien? Is it likewise binding unless the lien amount is timely objected to by a trustee? What about the role, if any, of Bankruptcy Rule 3012?
.Although not relevant to this case, the exemption amounts in § 522(d)(5) were increased on April 1, 2007 to "$1,075 plus up to
.As stated by the
Anderson Bankruptcy
opinion, Trustee Boyd in this case should have known the
"debtors' true intentions"
when the Debtors Cormier claimed the stock as exempt.
Anderson Bankruptcy,
. The eight subsections are: § 522(d)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (8), and a subpart of (11).
. The four subsections are § 522(d)(7), (9), (10) and (12). In addition, four of the five subparts of § 522(d)(ll) have no monetary limitation.
. Also, it might be noted here that some of the exemption subsections are circumscribed by need rather than by a specific monetary
. It should also be recognized that, consistent with § 522(d)(5), the instructions to complete Schedule B state: "If the debtor is an individual or a joint petition is filed, state the amount of any exemption claimed only in Schedule CProperty Claimed as Exempt.” (Emphasis supplied.)
. In accordance with the Bankruptcy Code, the current "value” listed should be the "fair market value as of the date of the filing of the petition.” § 522(a)(2).
. A pinpoint cite to
Taylor
in
Heflin
may have been helpful.
See Taylor,
. In contract law, ambiguities are often construed against the drafter or parol evidence is admissible to discover the intent of the contracting parties.
See NILAC Int’l Mktg. Group v. Ameritech Servs., Inc.,
. If Bankruptcy Rule 4003, coupled with
Taylor,
is construed to require a trustee to object to scheduled values asserted by a debt- or in Schedule C, violence is done to the Bankruptcy Code
and
the Rules. A judge-imposed requirement may result in thousands of otherwise unnecessary objections to exemptions. Some trustees may feel compelled to object to exemptions when it is then impossible to determine the actual
value
of proper
. This holding is easy to comprehend and is unquestionably correct. Nine of the eleven circuits have explicitly adopted the Supreme Court settlement standards of
Protective Comm, for Indep. Stockholders of TMT Trailer Perry, Inc. v. Anderson,
. In the
Anderson Bankruptcy
opinion, that court's displeasure with Trustee Olson is apparent. The court states "[t]he lawfulness of the settlement proposed by the [trustee] is at issue” because of "the representation that the bankruptcy estate has something valuable to convey to Defendants.”
Anderson Bankruptcy,
. It should be noted that the Anderson BAP mainly focuses on selected reported decisions. Some of the decisions contain a smattering (or more) of statutory interpretation. However, in this judge’s belief, none of the reported decisions to date addresses statutory interpretation of the exemption statute in any great detail. To be fair to the BAP, it is understandable why it did not engage in any statutory interpretation analysis. It merely stated its interpretation of the Taylor decision, as have a number of other courts.
. Even though the defendants and the trustee framed a much broader issue, it is very puzzling why the BAP choose to address it in the context of the
Anderson
case. In its standards of review, the BAP stated that "the decision of the bankruptcy court can be affirmed if it is correct for any reason, including a reason not considered by that court."
Anderson BAP,
If findings had been made by the bankruptcy court, or the record on appeal provided sufficient information, the BAP might have summarily affirmed because the debtors manifested an unambiguous intention to exempt their entire interest and the trustee failed to timely object. Indeed, even the BAP’s characterization of the "debtors' interest” may have sufficed absent an explicit record. This would fall squarely (or at least with 90% overlap) on the unstated premise of Taylor, where the exemption was “unknown.” There would have been no reason for the BAP to venture into the Michigan blizzard in the Upper Peninsula. The issue of "identical market and exemption values”—what this court has labeled the “judge-invented mechanical formula”—could await a determination in a case that had much clearer facts.
The Sixth Circuit has refrained from deciding issues or passing upon a court’s analysis in some of its prior decisions.
See, e.g., Talbert v. City Mtg. Serv’s. (In re Talbert),
. The opinion may have many ramifications, not only in chapter 7 cases, but in chapter 13 cases, e.g., § 1325(a)(4), and in chapter 11 individual cases under BAPCPA, e.g., § 1129(a)(7)(A)(ii) and (a)(15).
. Discussions about the possible prece-dential effect of bankruptcy appellate panel decisions have been the subject of law review articles. Compare Erwin Chemerinsky, Decision-Makers: In Defense of Courts, 71 Am. Bankr.L.J. 109, 128 (Spring 1997) (herein "Chemerinsky'') (discussing the role of BAPs and advocating that BAP decisions ought to be made binding upon all bankruptcy courts and district courts within the circuit) with Kathleen P. March & Roberto V. Obregon, Are BAP Decisions Binding on Any Court?, 18 Cal. BankrJ. 189 (1990).
. This is different from the precedential effect of the Circuit opinions. Those opinions are unquestionably binding if they are on point See n. 41 infra.
. Disclosure should be made that this judge was a member of the BAP when Anderson was decided and, if he were on the Panel, a written dissent would have been filed. Currently, the Sixth Circuit BAP has no procedure for any en banc consideration of appeals. If it did, Anderson may have been a candidate.
. The Debtors’ receipt of their claimed exemption shall likely be by a credit toward the stock purchase price at closing. Also, the Trustee has stated that the Debtors’ claimed exemption will be fully paid. Tr. II at 7.
. This judge is hopeful that the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals will soon rule on this important issue. Stare decisis is welcomed.
Principles of stare decisis serve many valuable ends. First, they enhance efficiency. If appellate precedents are followed, there is no need to litigate the same issue repeatedly in different cases. The question is decided in an appellate court, and lower courts are then responsible for following that decision. Second, binding appellate precedents foster consistency. If each bankruptcy judge is free to decide an issue for himself or herself, varying results are inevitable. The outcome of the legal questions is likely to depend on the identity of the judge. Binding appellate precedents thus foster fairness and equity among litigants. Third, binding appellate precedents foster predictability in the law. Individuals can know the law and base their conduct accordingly. Lawyers can know the law and advise their clients accordingly. Without binding precedent, the law is uncertain and the benefits of predictability are lost.
Chemerinsky, 71 Am. Bankr.L.J. at 128 (emphasis supplied).
Predictability about this issue within this district has been lacking for quite some time. With the Anderson BAP opinion, efficiency, consistency and predictability shall be lessened in the entire circuit. Regardless of its eventual decision, only the Sixth Circuit can settle this issue.