MEMORANDUM OPINION GRANTING DEBTORS’ MOTION TO DEEM MORTGAGE FULLY PAID & DEBTORS CERTIFICATION AND MOTION FOR ENTRY OF CHAPTER 13 DISCHARGE
Resolving ECF Nos. 77, 82
I. INTRODUCTION
This is a case which, at its conclusion, roused “a sleeping giant and fill[ed] him
II. FINDINGS OF FACT
This Court makes the following Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law pursuant to Fed. R. Bankr. P. 7052, which incorporates Fed. R. Civ. P. 52, and 9014. To the extent that any Finding of Fact constitutes a Conclusion of Law, it is adopted as such. To the extent that any Conclusion of Law constitutes a Finding of Fact, it is adopted as such. Additionally, to the extent that the Court made oral findings and conclusions on the record, this Memorandum Opinion supplements and supersedes those findings and conclusions.
On August 12, 2011, Mark A. Shank and Sandra Shank (collectively, the “Debtors”) filed for relief under chapter 13, title 11 of the United States Code.
Although Debtors were below-medium income wage earners, they proposed a 60-month plan that provisioned a pro-rata payment of Montanaro’s claim, e.g. $23,320.00, at 5.25% interest over a period of 54 months. ECF No. 2 at 9 (including as amended, the “Plan”)) see also ECF No. 25 at 6 (amending ECF No. 2). Additionally, the Plan states that “[s]ubject to disposition of a timely filed motion to avoid a lien under § 522, or a complaint to determine the validity of a lien filed under Fed. R. Bankr. P. 7001, each secured creditor shall retain the lien securing its claim.” ECF No. 25 at 5. Finally, the Plan provides that “[t]he lien shall be enforceable to secure payment of the claim the lien secures, as that claim may be modified by the plan.” Id.
On August 15, 2011, Debtors’ Counsel penned a létter to Montanaro advising it that Debtors had filed for chapter 13 bankruptcy. Ex. 8. On August 17, 2011, the Court issued its Initial Order for Case Management of Chapter 13 Case, which the Bankruptcy Noticing Center (“BNC”) certified that Montanaro was mailed a copy. ECF Nos. 10, 14. On August 22, 2011, the chapter 13 trustee {“Trustee”) issued her notice of the First Meeting of
On November 3, 2011, Trustee filed a Motion to Dismiss the case for failure to file a feasible plan and necessary amendments, and the certificate of notice filed by the BNC on November 5, 2011, reflects that Montanaro was mailed a copy. ECF Nos. 23,24. On November 5, 2011, Debtors filed an Amended Chapter 13 Plan, but notably, Montanaro was not listed on the certificate of service filed by the Debtors. ECF Nos. 25, 27. The deadline for the filing of proofs of claim ran on December 21,2011, by which time Montanaro had not filed a claim. ECF No. 16.
On January 6, 2012, Trustee filed her Notice of Confirmation Hearing, Summary of Chapter 13 Plan and Notice and Motion for Valuation of Security, Setting of Interest and Lien Avoidance Notice which provisioned, inter alia, for the amount of $23,320.00 at 5.25% to be paid on a pro-rata basis to Montanaro under the Plan. ECF No. 35 (“Notice of Confirmation Hearing”). Importantly, the certificate of service for the Notice of Confirmation Hearing and the BNC certificate of notice lists Montanaro as a party to receive notice at the address previously listed on Schedule D. Compare ECF No. 1 at 18 with ECF Nos. 35, 36.
On February 2, 2012, Debtors’ Plan was confirmed without objection. ECF No. 38 (the “Confírmation Order”). The Confirmation Order provides, inter alia, that “each secured creditor shall retain the lien existing prior to the commencement of the case to secure payment of the allowed amount of its claim until the Debtor is discharged.” Id. at ¶ 5. A copy of the Confirmation Order was mailed to Montanaro by the BNC on February 4, 2012. ECF No. 39.
On October 30, 2012, Debtors filed a Motion to Modify the Plan, which was amended on November 13,2012, due to the fact that Mr. Shank was diagnosed with cancer and needed to adjust the plan payments in order to accommodate their reduced income during Mr. Shank’s treatment period. ECF No. 43, 48. Debtors’ certificate of service, however, reflects that neither of these filings was served on Mon-tanaro. Id. On December 6, 2012, Debtors’ Amended Motion to Modify Plan was confirmed by the Court again without objection. ECF No. 52 (the “Modiftcation Order”). The certificate of notice filed by the BNC, however, reflects that Montanaro was served with a copy of the Modification Order, as amended. ECF No. 57.
On October 31, 2012, Debtors, on behalf of Montanaro, filed a Secured Proof of Claim in the amount of $23,320.00 to be paid at 5.25% interest, valuing the Homestead at $80,110.00, and listing as the Homestead security for the claim and listing the same address as used on Schedule D and in the Creditor Matrix. Claim No. 12-1 (“Claim No. 12”)-, see also ECF No. 1 at 18, 44. No objections were lodged against Claim No. 12; therefore, it was allowed as filed. See, e.g., id.
On September 8, 2016, Trustee filed her Notice of Plan Completion, certifying that “Debtors ... have made all payments to the Chapter 13 Trustee as required by the Order Confirming the Chapter 13 Plan and all approved modifications.” ECF No. 73. On September 13, 2016, Debtors filed their Certification and Motion for Entry of Chapter 13 Discharge. ECF No. 77 (the “Debtors’ Certifícation”). Debtors’ Certification states that Debtors “have made all
Additionally, and on the same date, Debtors filed a Motion to Deem Mortgage Fully Paid. ECF No. 82 (the “Motion to Deem”). The Debtors assert that although Montanaro alleges that there is a remaining balance on its claim, Debtors filed Claim No. 12 on Montanaro’s behalf, and which was fully paid by Trustee through the confirmed Plan. Id. Importantly, Mon-tanaro accepted all payments from the Trustee made by the Debtors under the Plan. Ex, 16. In their Motion to Deem, Debtors raise several issues:
i. that Montanaro has alleged that it is owed approximately $30,000.00 because all Trustee payments were being applied to accrued interest, late charges, penalties and other fees instead of to principal;
ii. that Montanaro has asserted that its claim is based on a note and Deed of Trust that is different from the Note and Deed of Trust that the Debtors believed was the basis of the claim that was filed in their case;
iii. that during the course of this case, Montanaro would frequently not cash Trustee’s checks, but rather allowed the checks to go stale;
iv. that it was only upon Debtors’ counsel insistence, by and through correspondence to Montanaro, that Montanaro began cashing Trustee’s checks;
v. that Montanaro will not release its lien on the Homestead until it is paid the remaining $30,000.00 balance.
See generally ECF No. 82.
On October 3, 2016, the Court granted Debtors’ Motion to Abate and on October 24,2016, this Court issued an order setting a hearing on Debtors’ Motion to Deem for Novembér 7, 2016 (“Hearing”). ECF Nos. 86, 92. Debtors filed a Certificate of Service indicating that the Order Setting Hearing was transmitted to Montanaro via First Class U.S. Mail. ECF No. 93.
At the November 7,2016 Hearing, Debtors’ Counsel appeared, informed the Court that Montanaro was sent notice of the Motion to Deem and of the Hearing, but neither filed a response nor appeared at the hearing. ECF No. 96; see also ECF Nos. 82, 93. Debtors’ Counsel did not believe that Montanaro was represented by bankruptcy counsel, despite being represented by an attorney in real estate matters. Nevertheless, Debtors offered the following exhibits, which were admitted into evidence without any objections:
Exhibit 1: Mechanic’s. Lien Contract between Debtors and Chris Lerma (“Lerma”) on August 23, 2001;
Exhibit 2: Transfer of Lien from Lerma to Montanaro dated August 23, 2001;
Exhibit 3: Deed of Trust dated April 11, 2003;
Exhibit 4: Mechanic’s Lien Contract between Debtors and Anastacio Robles, Jr. (“Robles”) on December 14,2005;
Exhibit 5: Transfer of Lien from Robles to Montanaro dated December 14,2005;
Exhibit 6: Promissory Note dated December 14,2005;
Exhibit 7:. Deed of Trust dated December 14, 2005;
Exhibit 8: Notice Letter of Bankruptcy Filing from Debtors’ Counsel to Montanaro dated August 15, 2011;
Exhibit 9: Creditor Matrix;
Exhibit 10: Notice of § 341 Meeting;
Exhibit 11: Debtors’ Confirmed Chapter 13 Plan;
Exhibit 12: Order Confirming Chapter 13 Plan;
Exhibit 13: Proof of Claim filed by Debtors on behalf of Montana-ro;
Exhibit 14: Debtors’ Amended Motion to Modify Confirmed Plan and Notice of Hearing and Time to Object and Order Modifying Chapter 13 Plan;
Exhibit 15: Trustee’s Payment History for Montanaro’s Claim;
Exhibit 16: Trustee’s accounting of checks issued to Montanaro; and
Exhibit 17: Montanaro’s Accounting.
At the Hearing, Mrs. Shank was the sole witness to provide testimony which can be summarized as follows:
i. Montanaro was the mortgagee of their Homestead;
ii. Debtors have made all of their plan payments;
iii. Debtors entered into a Mechanic’s Lien Contract with Lema on August 23, 2001, to make repairs on their Homestead. Ex. 1. As consideration for the Mechanics Lien Contract, the Debtors signed a Promissory Note and Deed of Trust in favor of Lerma for the $20,000.00 with a maturity date of November 13, 2001;
iv. On August 23, 2001, the Promissory Note and Deed of Trust in favor of Lema was transferred to Montana-ro. Ex. 2;
v. On April 11, 2013, Debtors contracted with Dean Owen to conduct additional repairs to the home. In order to facilitate the repairs, Debtors executed a new Note and Deed of Trust in favor of Montanaro, which renewed and extended the balance remaining on the prior note with the new loan for a new balance of $21,332.87 and a maturity date of December 26,2014. Ex. 3;
vi. On December 14, 2005, Debtors entered into another Mechanic’s Lien Contract with Robles for $11,000.00 to make additional repairs on their Homestead. Ex. 4. Contemporaneously, Debtors executed a Promissory Note and Deed of Trust in • favor of Montanaro combining the $11,000 with the remaining balance of the prior note for a new balance of $31,573.53 at 14% per annum and a maturity date of February 14, 2024. Ex. 5;
vii. Debtors calculated Montanaro’s claim as $23,300.20 because they were required to “play a guessing game” to determine what was still owed to Montanaro. When Debtors filed for bankruptcy, Mrs. Shank was unable to locate most of the documents related to Montanaro’s lien, but understood that she owed the amount related to the April 11, 2003 Note and Deed of Trust. See Ex. 3. Mrs. Shank was under the impression that the entire amount owed to Montanaro was due on December 26, 2014 — rather than the February 14, 2024 maturity date set forth in the December 14, 2005 Note — and that this is why the Plan proposed a pro-rata payment on Montanaro’s claim. See id.;
viii. At the time of filing bankruptcy, Mrs. Shank could not recall theexact amount owed on the December 14, 2005 loan because of “too many dramatic events” and forgot that a second note was owed to Montanaro;
ix. While preparing the Schedules, Mrs. Shank contacted Mr. Montana-ro3 to determine exactly how much was owed. Mrs. Shank testified that Mr. Montanaro asked Mrs. Shank to call him back despite her insistence that it was important. Mrs. Shank called Mr. Montanaro back and Mr. Montanaro told Mrs. Shank that he did not have the amounts requested and to call him back. Mrs. Shank testified that she did not call Mr. Montanaro back;
x. Montanaro never sent Debtors a statement or any sort of correspondence and that the Debtors paid Montanaro in cash;
xi. Montanaro provided Debtors with receipts, but did not inform Mrs. Shank what her balance on the loan was despite her repeated requests at the time of payment; and
xii. Mrs. Shank had contact with Mr. Montanaro twice during the five years of Debtors’ bankruptcy, to wit:
1. the first such instance4 was when, on the advice of counsel, Mrs. Shank telephoned Mr. Montanaro to inquire as to why Montanaro was not cashing Trustee’s checks and whether the checks would be cashed if reissued. According to Mrs. Shank’s testimony, Mr. Mon-tanaro’s explanation as to why Trustee’s checks were not being cashed was the fact that he was too busy but would indeed cash them if they were re-issued. As a result, Trustee re-issued the checks and they were eventually cashed by Montanaro.
2. the second such instance5 was when Mrs. Shank went to see Mr. Montanaro in person to inquire about the release of Montanaro’s hen after Debtors completed their bankruptcy. It was this instance in which, Mr. Montanaro claimed that Debtors’ still owed approximately $30,000.00 on the Homestead and provided Mrs. Shank with a handwritten explanation and mathematical calculation of the $30,000.00. Ex. 17.
At the conclusion of the Hearing, the Court reset the matter to January 4, 2017, and ordered briefing on. the issue of whether this Court’s prior ruling in In re Sierra,
On December 20, 2016, Debtors filed an Expedited Motion to Extend Time to file a brief, which was granted. ECF Nos. 101, 102. On December 22, 2016, Mr. Andrew Rozell filed a Notice of Appearance on behalf of Montanaro. ECF No. 103. That same day, the parties filed an Agreed Motion to reset the hearing to February 7,
On December 30, 2016, Debtors filed their Brief in Support of the Motion to Deem Mortgage Fully Paid & Request for Entry of Discharge. ECF No. 108. On January 16, 2017, Montanaro filed a Brief in Opposition to Debtors’ Motion to Deem Mortgage Fully Paid & for Other Relief. ECF No. 109. Thereafter, this Court granted Debtors leave to file a supplemental brief. ECF No. 111. The Court continued the February 7, 2017 hearing to March 7, 2017. ECF No, 114. On February 6, 2017, Debtors filed their Supplemental Brief. ECF No. 116.
This Court held a hearing on the Motion to Deem on March 7, 2017, during which counsel for Debtors and Montanaro, respectively, presented oral arguments, but did not offer any additional evidence on the matter. Debtors’ position can be summarized as follows:
i. An adversary proceeding is not required because Debtors are not seeking to void or invalidate Montanaro’s lien;
ii. Montanaro’s secured lien has been fully paid pursuant to the Plan;
iii. A creditor is bound to the Plan if they received notice and participated at any point in the Plan, whether or not the participation occurred prior to confirmation;
iv. Montanaro is bound to the terms of the Plan because it participated in the Plan.
Montanaro responded by asserting that:
i.An adversary proceeding is required because Debtors are asking the Court to determine the extent of Montanaro’s lien, which was paid under the Plan at 5% interest despite a 14% contract interest rate;
ii. A plan is binding on creditors who participate in the confirmation process;
iii. Montanaro did not participate in the confirmation process and therefore is not bound by the terms of the Plan;
iv. Montanaro’s act of cashing checks from Trustee after confirmation does not qualify as active participation in a Plan;
v. Montanaro admitted receiving notice of the bankruptcy and the Plan.
At the conclusion of the Hearing, the matter was taken under advisement. Briefing has now closed and the matter is ripe for consideration.
HI. LEGAL STANDARD
A. The Legal Significance Of A Debtor Filed Proof of Claim
“A proof of claim is a written statement setting forth a creditor’s claim.” Fed. R. Bankr. P. 3001(a). Typically, a proof of claim is executed by the creditor or creditor’s agent. 11 U.S.C. § 501(a)-(b); Fed. R. Bankr. P. 3001(b). Additionally, creditors can timely file a proof of claim up to 90 days after the “first date set for the meeting of creditors called under § 341(a).”
Finally, although liens generally pass through a bankruptcy unaffected— allowing a secured creditor to forgo filing a proof of claim — a secured creditor that desires to be paid through a plan must file an allowed proof of claim to be provided for under the plan. Johnson v. Home State Bank,
B. Whether a Chapter 13 Plan Attempts to Void a Lien
The Code does not define when a lien is voided. See generally 11 U.S.C. § 101. The Fifth Circuit, following the reasoning of other circuits, found that a confirmed plan “may void liens not specifically preserved.” In re Ahern Enters, Inc.,
Turning now to a subsequent case — -which permeates both the Debtors’ and Montanaro’s briefs — a chapter 11 debtor appealed the district court’s holding that a creditor’s lien survived confirmation, despite the plan failing to provide the creditor any recovery and noting that the debtor “contested the validity” of the lien. In re S. White Transp.,
Recently, the Fifth Circuit considered whether a chapter 11 plan voided a lien where the plan contained a term requiring creditors to file a request for relief to be paid post-petition interests and costs within thirty days of confirmation. In re Vitro
C. Res Judicata Bars a Creditor From Relitigating Confirmation Of A Chapter 13 Plan After a Confirmation Order Becomes Final
Section 1322(b)(2) provides that “a chapter 13 plan may modify the rights of holders of secured claims, other than a claim secured only by a security interest in real property that is the debtor’s principal residence.” In re Sierra,
Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 3015 provides that “[i]f no objection is timely filed, the court may determine that the plan has been proposed in good faith and not by any means forbidden by law without receiving evidence on such issues.” Fed. R. Bankr. P. 3015(f). The Bankruptcy Local Rules provide that “[confirmation will be set with a uniform notice, in the form promulgated from time to time by the Bankruptcy Court.” BLR 3015-l(c). “The notice shall advise creditors that the deadline for filing objections to confirmation of the plan is 7 days before the date set for confirmation.” BLR 2002-1(c)(2). Nevertheless once a plan is confirmed, even if it improperly modifies a § 1322(b)(2) claim or otherwise contradicts the Code, “[t]he provisions of a confirmed plan bind the debtor and each creditor, whether or not the claim of such creditor is provided for by the plan, and whether or not such creditor has objected to, has accepted, or has rejected the plan.” 11 U.S.C. § 1327(a); see also In re Chesnut,
The application of res judicata produces finality for the parties and promotes judicial economy. Parties know that when final judgment is entered and all appeals are exhausted, the case is over and the decision will be binding on all issues determined in the lawsuit or proceeding. To determine whether a confirmation order has res judicata effect, the Fifth Circuit applies the following test:
For a prior judgment to bar an action on the basis of res judicata, the parties must be identical in both suits, the prior judgment must have been rendered by a court of competent jurisdiction, there must have been a final judgment on the merits and the same cause of action must be involved in both cases.
In re Chesnut,
Another case at the root of both Debtors’ and Montanaro’s briefs is In re Chesnut, 3
In addition to the four element res judicata test, the basis of determining when a final order is binding upon a party turns on whether the challenging party received notice and was afforded an opportunity to litigate the contents of a plan or order. Compare id. at 736 with Espinosa,
Although notice is an integral component of this inquiry, the Fifth Circuit determined that a non-participating secured creditor cannot have its lien voided merely by receiving effective notice which satisfies the due process standard, instead, participation is required when a lien is voided by a plan. In re S. White Transp., Inc.,
Further, Supreme Court precedent implicitly affirms the Fifth Circuit’s holding in Chesnut because a confirmation order “remains enforceable and binding” provided the creditor “had notice of the error and failed to object or timely appeal.” Compare Espinosa,
D. Adversary Proceedings to Determine the Validity, Priority, or Extent of Liens
An adversary proceeding is required to “determine the validity, priority, or extent of a lien or other interest in property.” Fed. R. Bankr. P. 7001(2)'. The Code provides a specified order demonstrating which expenses and claims have priority over others in a confirmed plan. 11 U.S.C. § 507. The Code does not define ‘validity* or ‘extent,’ however, this Court may consider the ordinary meaning of each in determining whether an adversary proceeding is required pursuant to Rule 7001(2). Compare § 101 with Invalid, Black’s Law Dictionary (10th ed. 2014) (defining as “not legally binding”) and Valid, Black’s Law Dictionary (10th ed. 2014) (defining as “legally sufficient; binding”) and 7 Collier on Bankruptcy, ¶ 7001.03 (16th ed. 2017) (noting that “[t]he term ‘extent of a lien’ may be misleading” and that an adversary proceeding is required to determine the extent to which a lien attaches to specific property claimed). The requirement to determine the extent of a lien in an adversary proceeding derives from “procedural rules adopted by the Court for the orderly transaction of its business that are not jurisdictional.” Espinosa,
“The validity of a lien may be determined in contexts other than adversary proceedings.” Id. In Chesnut, Tem-pleton alleged that the confirmed plan was not res judicata because the bankruptcy court could only have its lien released through an adversary proceeding. In re Chesnut,
E. A Chapter 13 Discharge Is Granted Only After Debtors Have Completed All Payments Under The Plan
Section 1328(a) provides, inter alia, a bankruptcy court shall grant a debtor a discharge of debts provided for in the plan “as soon as practicable after completion by the debtor of all payments under the plan.” See also In re Gonzales,
ÍY. CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
A. Jurisdiction & Venue
This Court holds jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1334, which provides “the district courts shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction of all cases under title 11.” Section 157 allows a district court to “refer” all bankruptcy and related cases to the bankruptcy court, wherein the latter court will appropriately preside over the matter. 28 U.S.C. § 157(a); see also In re: Order of Reference to Bankruptcy Judges, Gen. Order 2012-6 (S.D. Tex. May 24, 2012). At its core, this case involves issues regarding the possible modification of a home mortgage; the effect of plan confirmation on a home mortgage proof of claim filed by Debtors on behalf of Montanaro; acceptance of payments by Montanaro un
This Court may only hear a case in which venue is proper, 28 U.S.C. § 1408. In their petition, Debtors list their residence as Brownsville, Texas. ECF No. 1 at 1. Therefore, venue is proper.
B. Constitutional Authority to Enter a Final Order
This Court has an independent duty to evaluate whether it has the constitutional authority to sign a final order. Stern v. Marshall,
The Court agrees with Debtors’ assessment of the constitutional posture of this case. As discussed above, the issue before the Court is a core matter because it falls squarely within the Code. § 157(b)(2)(A), (B), (L), (O). Stem held that a bankruptcy court “lacked the constitutional authority to enter a final judgment on a state law counterclaim that is not resolved in the process of ruling on a creditor’s proof of claim."
Accordingly, this Court has the constitutional authority to enter a final order in this matter. In re Gonzales,
C. Debtors’ Plan, and Related Confirmation Order, Did Not Void Mon-tanaro’s Lien and Require Mon-tanaro to Release its Lien Upon Entry of Debtors’ Discharge
In order to determine whether Montanaro should be bound by the terms of the confirmed Plan vis-á-vis the Confirmation Order, the Court must take pause and first examine the Plan itself and query whether Debtors’ Plan attempted to void Montanaro’s lien, or whether the Plan provided for something less deleterious. See ECF Nos. 25, 38; In re S. White Transp., Inc.,
Here, Debtors’ Plan provisioned payments for Montanaro’s lien in the amount of $23,320.00, pursuant to Claim No. 12. Compare ECF No. 25 at 6 and Claim No. 12-1 with In re Vitro Asset Corp.,
Therefore, taking into consideration the relevant jurisprudence in addition to the evidence in the record and arguments presented by the parties, this Court considers whether Debtors’ Plan, and related Confirmation Order, which provisioned for Mon-tanaro to be paid pursuant to the amount listed in Claim No. 12, voided Montanaro’s lien. See ECF No. 25. Montanaro argues that pursuant to Fifth Circuit precedent, it must, inter alia, have “parti<jipate[d] in the reorganization” in order for its lien to be voided. ECF Ño. 109; see also In re Ahern Enters. Inc.,
Although the Code does not define what constitutes voiding a lien, Fifth Circuit establishes that a confirmed plan attempts to void a lien when, inter alia, a creditor recovers nothing on its lien under the plan and when the lien is not specifically preserved by the plan. Compare § 101 with In re Vitro Asset Corp,,
Having determined that Debtors’ Plan did not provide for the voiding of Montana-ro’s lien, the Court now turas to the Confirmation Order itself to ascertain whether it, rather than the Plan, provisioned for the voiding of Montanaro’s lien. See ECF No. 38. The Confirmation Order dictates that “each secured creditor shall retain [its] lien existing prior to the commencement of the case to secure payment of the allowed amount of its claim until the Debt- or is discharged.” Id. Accordingly, the Confirmation Order unequivocally requires secured creditors, such as Montanaro, to release their lien on two conditions: to wit, (1) when the secured creditor receives the full amount of its allowed claim, and (2) when the Debtor is discharged. Id.; Compare Exs. 3, 6, 7 and Tex. Prop. Code § 53.152(a) (requiring a creditor to furnish a “release of the indebtedness and any lien claimed, to the extent of the indebtedness is paid” when the debt “is satisfied or paid by collected funds”) with In re Howard,
Now that the Court has established that neither the Plan nor the Confirmation Order voided Montanaro’s lien, the Court must now decide whether Montanaro should be bound by the Plan and Confirmation Order if, as Montanaro contends, it did not participate in the bankruptcy proceeding, particularly the Plan’s confirmation.
D. Montanaro’s claim is barred by Res Judicata
Prior to addressing Montanaro’s contention that it cannot be bound to the Plan or the Confirmation Order because it did not participate in the bankruptcy proceeding, much less plan confirmation, the Court must consider whether equitable doctrine of res judicata applies and if Montanaro had notice sufficient to satisfy due process and an opportunity to litigate the contents of the Plan and related Confirmation Order. Compare Espinosa,
The doctrine of res judicata bars litigation of a claim previously litigated or one that should have been raised in a prior suit if: (1) the parties are identical in both actions; (2) a court of competent jurisdiction rendered the prior judgement; (3) there was a final adjudication on the merits; and (4) the both cases involve the same cause of action. In re Chesnut,
Second, the Court had jurisdiction to issue the Confirmation Order. See § 157(b)(2)(L). Although Montanaro disputes the Court’s subject matter jurisdiction in this case, implicit in the Confirmation Order was a determination that the Court has subject matter jurisdiction. See ECF No. 38. Montanaro had the opportunity to raise the question of jurisdiction prior to confirmation but failed to do so. The Confirmation Order was therefore issued by a court of competent jurisdiction. Shoaf,
Third, Montanaro never objected to nor appealed the Confirmation Order and therefore, it is a final adjudication on the merits. The Notice of Confirmation sent by Trustee on August 22, 2011, stated that:
If the Court confirms the plan, its terms and conditions will legally bind all parties. If you object to confirmation, you must file a written objection with the Bankruptcy Clerk at least seven (7) days before the confirmation hearing, serve a copy of your objection on the Trustee and the attorney for the Debtors and appear at the confirmation hearing to present your objection to the Court.
ECF No. 17. The Notice of Confirmation was served on Montanaro, and yet, no objections to confirmation were filed by January 26, 2012, as required by the local rules. ECF No. 20. The Court confirmed the Debtors’ Plan, which treated Montana-ro’s claim, on February 2, 2012, and became a final order because the Confirmation Order was not timely appealed. See Eubanks v. F.D.I.C.,
Finally, the same cause of action is involved in both suits. Under the
Accordingly, Debtors’ Plan and Confirmation Order satisfy the four required elements to bar Montanaro from relitigating the amount of its claim under res judicata pursuant to Fifth Circuit precedent, however, this Court’s inquiry does not end here. See In re Chesnut,
1. Montanaro Received Actual Notice of the Plan and Confirmation Order
Accordingly, this Court must address whether Montanaro received notice and if so, whether such notice met the due process standard of notice “reasonably calculated, under all the circumstances, to apprise [Montanaro] of the pendency of the action and afford[ed] [it] an opportunity to present [its] objections.” Id. (quoting Mullane,
1. Chapter 13 Voluntary Petition. ECF No. 1;
2. Notice Letter of Bankruptcy Filing. Ex. 8;
3. Notice of Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Case, Meeting of Creditors, & Deadlines. ECF No. 19;
4. Trustee’s Notice of Confirmation Hearing and Plan Summary, ECF No. 20;
5. Trustee’s Motion to Dismiss Case. ECF Nos. 23, 24;
6. Debtors’ Plan, ECF No. 25;
7. Trustee’s Notice of Confirmation Hearing and Plan Summary. ECF No. 36;
8. Confirmation Order. ECF No. 39;
9. Trustee’s Notice of Intent to Pay Claims. ECF No. 42;
10. Claim No. 12. Claim No. 12-1;
11. Modification Order, ECF No. 57;
12. Trustee’s Notice of Plan Completion. ECF No. 75;
13. Debtors’ Certification. ECF No. 77;
14. Motion to Deem. ECF No. 82.
In fact, Montanaro’s continuous receipt of notice throughout this case is analogous to Espinosa where the Supreme Court found that the creditor received actual notice of the debtor’s plan upon receiving a notice and copy of the bankruptcy plan in the mail from the clerk of the bankruptcy court. Compare
2. Montanaro Did Not Object to the Treatment of Claim No. 12, Debtors’ Plan, or the Confirmation Order
Having determined that Montanaro received actual notice thereby satisfying due process requirements, the Court must consider whether Montanaro at any time objected to Claim No. 12, the Plan, or the Confirmation Order such that it should not be bound to the terms of the Plan under res judicata. See Espinosa,
Conversely, as a parting shot, Montana-ro posits that in order to be bound by the Plan and Confirmation Order, Montanaro must have participated in the confirmation process, irrespective of whether it received notice and failed to object. ECF No. 109 at 6-7 (citing In re Howard,
Accordingly, the Court finds that Mon-tanaro is bound to the terms of the Plan and Confirmation Order under the res ju-dicata doctrine, and because Debtors paid the entirety of Claim No. 12 — thereby fully paying their mortgage — Montanaro must
E. Debtors are not Required to File an Adversary Proceeding under Rule 7001(2) in Order to Obtain the Release of Montanaro’s Lien
Having determined that Montana-ro is barred from relitigating the Plan and the Confirmation Order, pursuant to res judicata, should the Debtors nevertheless be required to file an adversary proceeding pursuant to Fed. R. Bankr. P. 7001(2) in order to obtain the release of Montana-ro’s lien? Montanaro asserts ordering it to release its lien would be, in essence, a violation of due process because Montana-ro “has never been served with any kind of process that would bring it under [this] Court’s authority.” ECF No. 109 at 12-13. In other words, Montanaro would have Debtors file a formal complaint to void Montanaro’s lien because, in Montanaro’s view, the Plan and related Confirmation Order attempted to do determine the extent and validity of Montanaro’s lien, which requires the filing of an adversary proceeding pursuant to Fed. R. Bankr. P. 7001. Id. at 13. Conversely, Debtors posit that an adversary proceeding is not required because Debtors are not seeking to challenge the validity, priority, or extent of Montanaro’s lien, but rather, Debtors characterize their Motion to Deem as an action enforcing the confirmed Plan. ECF No. 108 at 16-17.
Although an adversary proceeding is required to determine the validity, priority and extent of a lien, the issue before this Court is not whether the Plan challenges the “validity, priority, or extent” of Mon-tanaro’s lien, it is whether Montanaro should be bound to the Plan and related Confirmation Order. Compare Fed. R. Bankr. P. 7001(2) with ECF No. 82. Mon-tanaro does not assprt that its lien is improperly paid under the priority scheme of the Code; therefore ‘priority’ is not at issue. See § 507. Montanaro’s contention that the Plan and Confirmation Order challenge the validity and extent of its lien is incorrect. Neither the Plan nor Confirmation Order declares that Montanaro’s lien is not legally binding. Compare ECF Nos. 25, 38 with Invalid, Black’s Law Dictionary (10th ed. 2014). Further, neither the Plan nor Confirmation Order challenges the extent to which Montana-ro’s lien attaches to Debtors’ Homestead, rather they purport to pay the lien in accordance with Claim No. 12. See ECF Nos. 25, 28; Claim No. 12-1; 7 Collier on Bankruptcy ¶ 7001.03 (16th ed. 2014) (noting that valuation of a lien does not require an adversary proceeding because it is not determining the ‘extent’ of a lien as contemplated by Rule 7001(2)). Accordingly, as determined above, Montanaro is seeking to relitigate plan confirmation and the treatment of its claim; however, Montana-ro does not demonstrate that there was ever a challenge to the validity, priority, or extent of its lien as to trigger the adversary proceeding requirement. Fed. R. Bankr. P. 7001(2).
Once again, the Fifth Circuit’s precedent in Chesnut is analogous to the case at bar because, much like Chesnut, Debtors’ Plan did not “challenge the validity of [Mon-tanaro’s] lien, its priority over any other hen ..., or its extent to the full value of [Montanaro’s] claim,” rather it simply provisioned for payment of the amount stated in Claim No. 12. Compare In re Chesnut,
F. Debtors are Entitled to Entry of a Chapter 13 Discharge Under § 1328(a)
Having determined that Montana-ro is bound to the terms of the Plan and related Confirmation Order, this Court must now determine whether Debtors are entitled to discharge. See § 1328(a); In re Gonzales,
V. CONCLUSION
At the end of Debtors’ bankruptcy, Mon-tanaro stirred and disputed that Debtors had fully paid its lien. Ex. 17. Debtors, by and through the filing of a Motion To Deem, sought guidance from this Court as to whether Debtors’ mortgage was fully paid and whether Debtors were entitled to entry of a chapter 13 discharge. ECF Nos, 77, 82. Based on Supreme Court and Fifth Circuit precedent, this Court holds that Debtors’ Plan and related Confirmation Order are res judicata as to Montanaro because Montanaro received actual notice — thereby satisfying due process — of the Plan and the Confirmation Order and had the opportunity to object, but failed to do so, and therefore, the Debtors’ mortgage is deemed fully paid pursuant to the terms of the Plan and related Confirmation Order. Espinosa,
For the reasons stated above, the Debtors’ Motion to Deem, ECF No. 82, is here
An Order consistent with this Memorandum Opinion will be entered on the docket simultaneously herewith.
Notes
. Attributed to Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto.
. Any reference to "Code'' or "Bankruptcy Code” is a reference to the United States Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C.,. or any section (i.e. § ) thereof refers to the corresponding section in 11 U.S.C.
. Mr. Montanaro is one of the owners of Montanaro.
. There is no evidence in the record as to the date of the telephone call between Mrs, Shank and Mr. Montanaro.
.There is no evidence in the record as to the date of the interaction between Mrs. Shank and Mr. Montanaro.
. Within a reasonable time after the order for relief in a case under this title, the United States trustee shall convene and preside at a meeting of creditors. 11 U.S.C. § 341(a).
. The statute controlling the effect of a confirmed chapter 11 plan, 11 U.S.C, § 1141.
. On motion and just terms, the court may relieve a party or its legal representative from a final judgment, order, or proceeding for the following reasons:
(1) mistake, inadvertence, surprise, or excusable neglect;
(2) newly discovered evidence that, with reasonable diligence, could not have been discovered in time to move for a new trial under Rule 59(b);
(3) fraud (whether previously called intrinsic or extrinsic), misrepresentation, or misconduct by an opposing party;
(4) the judgment is void;
(5) the judgment has been satisfied, released, or discharged; it is based on an earlier judgment that has been reversed or vacated; or applying it prospectively is no longer equitable; or
(6) any other reason that justifies relief.
. “[A] proceeding is core under section 157 if it invokes a substantive right provided by title 11 or if it is a proceeding that, by its nature, could arise only in the context of a bankruptcy case.”
. Montanaro’s address is listed as 3107 Boca Chica, Brownsville, XX 78521.