United States v. Olayer (In re Olayer)United States v. Olayer (In re Olayer)
This matter came before the Court upon the Motion for Relief from Automatic Stay filed by the United States through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (“FSA”).
I.
The Property consists of a 110-acre farm with a brick home and is valued at $246,573.
To understand PSA’s motivations, a brief review of the agency’s past interactions with Olayer is necessary. Olayer first petitioned for bankruptcy relief under chapter 12 of title 11 of the U.S. Code on March 5,1996, but the case was dismissed just four months later.
In February 2000, FSA initiated a mortgage foreclosure action against Olayer in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania (“District Court”).
FSA initiated a second mortgage foreclosure action against Olayer in the District Court on September 19, 2007 and was awarded summary judgment in the amount of $210,276.24 plus continuing interest.
FSA scheduled a U.S. Marshal’s sale of the Property for March 17, 2010.
After nearly seven years, Olayer received a discharge in the fourth bankruptcy case.
Olayer admits he has failed to pay taxes on the Property since 2010 and that his fifth bankruptcy petition additionally canceled a tax sale previously scheduled for September 2017 by the Tax Bureau.
After a hearing on the motion, the Court took the matter under advisement to review the relevant authorities. The Court has jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(G) and § 1334. Venue is proper in this district pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1408(1).
II,A.
FSA bears the burden of proof to show it is entitled to in rem relief from the stay.
FSA relies on In re Mazza,
Had the FSA sought in rem relief at the outset of Olayer’s fourth bankruptcy case, it is quite possible the Court would have granted the request. Olayer’s first two bankruptcy cases failed to last more than six months, and he was unable to satisfy his plan obligations in the third. After several appellate maneuvers through the Third Circuit yielded nothing more than a two-and-a-half-year delay of the execution proceedings, Olayer was back in this Court with his fourth voluntary petition and an outstanding obligation to FSA which had grown to $217,433.53.
But the current motion requires a determination as to whether the fourth bankruptcy case is part of a “scheme to delay, hinder, or defraud” creditors. After examining the events that transpired, the Court concludes that Olayer’s conduct did not sink to the same level of disregard the Mazza debtors showed. Although his 2010 case spanned more than six years and involved eleven different plans,
The progress made during the 2010 bankruptcy case cannot be ignored. The balance presently outstanding on the FSA judgment is nearly 70% less than the amount owed when the fourth case was commenced. For this reason, the Court cannot conclude that Olayer lacked the requisite intent to reorganize while pursuing his fourth bankruptcy case.
FSA also argues that Olayer has not prosecuted the present case in good faith because he requested an extension to file his schedules.and did not file a plan, citing In re Danley,
Olayer’s conduct is again distinguishable. In the present ease, he timely filed a motion to extend the deadline to file his required documents.
Having concluded that there is insufficient proof to justify in rem relief at this stage, the Court cautions that it may revisit the matter under the appropriate circumstances if Olayer is shown to act in bad faith through his subsequent conduct. Despite his prior acknowledgement and consent to the amounts owed to FSA,
II.B.
FSA also bears the initial burden of showing it is entitled to relief for cause under 11 U.S.C. § 362(d)(1).
If a creditor is secured, a slim and eroding equity cushion is sufficient to establish cause.
FSA argues that cause exists in the present case under factors this Court identified In re Kohar,
As. an initial matter, Olayer has not produced any evidence that the Property is currently insured. The failure to maintain adequate insurance to protect the value of estate assets is a breach of the debtor’s fundamental obligations,
There are several additional factors that may constitute a prima facie case establishing cause under § 365(d)(1). He failed to disclose the existence of an oil-and-gas lease on his bankruptcy schedules, nor did he report his alleged royalty income on Schedule I or in the statement of financial affairs.
The burden then shifts to Olayer to show FSA is adequately protected without relief from the stay. The sole argument Olayer provided in his response to this claim is that “by any reasonable calculation[,] there is a significant equity cushion based on the value of the property.”
Olayer valued the Property at $246,573, and there is nothing in the record to dispute this assessment.
HI.
For the reasons set forth above, FSA’s Motion for Relief from Automatic Stay is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part.
A separate Order will issue.
Notes
. Dkt. No. 15 ("Motion").
. Id. at ¶¶ 32-33, 4.
. Id. at ¶ 42.
.Response to Creditor United States of America Motion for Relief from the Automatic Stay, Dkt. No. 30 ("Response”) at ¶ 4 (admitting ¶ 4 of the Motion); Sched. A/B, Dkt. No. 28 at 1.
. Response at ¶ 5 (admitting ¶ 5 of the Motion).
. Sched. D, Diet. No. 28 at 1-2.
. The Debtor’s schedules suggest the total amount of the real estate tax obligation is $32,243.37. See Schedule D [Dkt. No. 28] (filed on 9/21/17). In its motion, FSA contends that $28,627.57 is owed to the taxing authorities and it submitted an exhibit showing an arrearage in that amount as of August 9, 2017. The Debtor admitted this allegation in his Response. For the purpose of this Opinion, the Court will use the $28,627.57 figure since it was acknowledged by each of the parties.
. In re Olayer, No. 96-21126 (Bankr. W.D. Pa. Mar. 5, 1996), Dkt. Nos. 1, 32.
. Claim No. 5, In re Olayer, No. 96-21126 [Bankr. W.D. Pa. Apr. 29, 1996).
. In re Olayer, No. 96-26033 (Bankr. W.D. Pa. Nov. 11, 1996), Dkt. No. 1.
. In re Olayer, No. 96-26033 (Bankr. W.D. Pa. May 30, 1997), Dkt. No. 25.
. Complaint in Mortgage Foreclosure, United States of America v. Olayer, No. 2:00-cv-00243 (W.D. Pa. Feb. 3, 2000), Dkt. No. 1.
. In re Olayer, No. 00-23083 (Bankr. W.D. Pa. Apr. 24, 2000).
. In re Olayer, No. 00-23083, Dkt. No. 136 at 16; Dkt. No. 140.
. Memorandum Opinion and Order of Court, United States of America v. Olayer, No. 2:07-cv-01256 (W.D. Pa. Oct. 16, 2008), Dkt. No. 25 at 11
. Opinion, United States of America v. Olayer,
. See Petition for Panel Rehearing with Suggestion for Rehearing En Banc, United States of America v. Olayer, No. 08-4581 (3d Cir. Mar. 9, 2010).
. See Verification of Service of Notice of Marshal Sale, United States of America v. Olayer, No. 2:07-cv-01256 (W.D. Pa. Aug. 6, 2009), Dkt. No. 36.
. Order, United States of America v. Olayer, No. 08-4581 (3d Cir. Mar. 10, 2010).
. In re Olayer, No. 10-21763 (Bankr. W.D. Pa. Mar. 16, 2010), Dkt. No. 1.
. Order of Discharge, In re Olayer, No. 10-21763 (Bankr. W.D. Pa. Dec. 20, 2016), Dkt. No. 357.
. In re Olayer, No. 10-21763, Dkt. No. 355.
. Order of Court Confirming Plan, In re Olayer, No. 10-21763 (Bankr. W.D. Pa. Feb. 25, 2015), Dkt. No. 317.
. Stipulation, In re Olayer, No. 10-21763 (Bankr. W.D. Pa. Feb. July 31, 2014), Dkt. No. 296 at ¶ C(1).
. Dkt. No. 15 at ¶ 30 ("It should be noted that the last payment made during Debtor’s fourth bankruptcy case was made by Debtor’s ex-wife’s estate, not Debtor.”); Response at ¶ 30.
. Response at ¶ 8 (admitting ¶ 8 of the Motion).
. Dkt. No. 1.
. Response at ¶ 28 (admitting ¶ 28 of the Motion).
. Id; see also Ex. B, Dkt. No. 15 at 4.
. Motion at ¶ 29.
. Response at ¶ 29 (declining to respond to ¶ 29 of the Motion).
. In re Mazza,
. 11 U.S.C. § 362(d)(4)(B).
. In re Gray,
. Mazza,
. In re Kohar,
. Dkt. No. 15, ¶¶ 34-37.
. Mazza,
. Id.
. In re Olayer, No. 10-21763, Dkt. No. 324.
. In re Olayer, No. 10-21763 (Bankr. W.D. Pa. 2010), Dkt. Nos. 23, 58, 83, 143, 157, 218, 244, 261, 269, 284, 296. FSA stated that Olayer filed thirteen plans during this time, Dkt, No. 15 at ¶ 15, but upon reviewing the docket, the Court finds that the plans proposed at Dkt. Nos. 218 and 284 are the same as those proposed at Dkt, Nos. 213 and 281, respectively, save altered dates in the headings.
.In a series of circumstances that demonstrates the axiom that "no good deed goes unpunished,” the Court recognizes that Olayer’s 2010 bankruptcy case was on the verge of dismissal until the debtor’s counsel, the chapter 12 trustee, and FSA negotiated for a suitable means for the case to complete. Without their diligence and persistence, it is likely the fourth case might have had a much different outcome.
. Dkt. No. 15 at ¶ 35 (citing In re Danley,
. Danley,
. Id. at 471. The debtors did not even pay their own attorney in the second case, causing him to withdraw.
. Id. at 472.
. Id. at 477-78.
. Id. at 478-79.
. Dkt. No. 24,
. Dkt. Nos, 28, 33.
. Dkt. No, 355.
. See In re Danley,
. See Stipulation, note 24 at ¶ F.
. In re Olayer, No. 10-21763 (Bankr. W.D. Pa.), Dkt. No. 335.
. Id., Dkt. Nos. 335, 343.
. In re Stuart,
. Id.
. In re Wilson,
. In re Chatkin,
. See, e.g., Chan,
. In re Continental Airlines, Inc.,
. In re Winslow Ctr. Assocs.,
. In re Liona Corp., N.V.,
. Dkt. No. 15 at ¶ 40 (citing Kohar,
. Kohar,
. Id.
. Id. at 256 (“The Debtor in the present case has continued to demonstrate a cavalier attitude, or worse, with respect to the Court’s orders.”). The Debtors filed the first four cases jointly but the second four individually. See id. at 255.
. Id. at 254-55.
. Id. at 255.
. Id. at 256.
. Id. at 256-57.
. See, e.g., In re Dye,
. See, e.g., In re Crompton,
. Dkt. No. 28.
. Dkt. No. 38.
. Dkt. No. 41.
. The Court notes that unlike the missed court-ordered payments in Kohar, Olayer did not directly violate a court order by failing to perform under the stipulation agreement. The Court incorporated this agreement as an additional term to the confirmed plan, but it did not directly order Olayer to make the payments. See Addendum to Confirmation Order, In re Olayer, No. 10-21763 (Bankr. W.D. Pa. Feb. 25, 2015), Dkt. No. 317.
. Dkt. No. 30 at ¶ 42.
. Sched. A/B, Diet. No. 28 at 1.
. Dkt. No. 15 at ¶ 5.
. See fn. 7.
. The Court takes judicial notice that at the commencement of Olayer’s 2010 bankruptcy case, MCDC held a claim in the amount of $48,342.37. See Claim No. 4, In re Olayer, No. 10-21763 (Bankr. W.D. Pa. Aug. 17, 2010).
. See 11 U.S.C. § 362(g).
. Ex. B, Dkt. No. 15-3 at 4.
. Memorandum Opinion and Order of Court, United States of America v. Olayer, No. 2:07-cv-01256 (W.D. Pa. Oct. 16, 2008), Dkt. No. 25 at 10.