In re Migell
In re Migell
Opinion of the Court
MEMORANDUM OPINION OVERRULING CREDITOR’S AMENDED OBJECTION TO DEBT< JR’S CLAIMED EXEMPTION IN FLORIDA HOMESTEAD
Creditor, Alice Migell, objects to the Debtor’s, Andrew Bruce Migell’s, claimed exemption for Florida homestead property located at 11 Timicuan Drive, Ormond
The Florida Constitution protects a debtor’s homestead from forced sale,
The overwhelming weight of the evidence supports a conclusion that the Debtor has physically lived in his Homestead since 2011. The Court further finds the Debtor subjectively intends to remain a Florida resident for the foreseeable future. Creditor simply has failed to prove otherwise.
Debtor has filed two Chapter 11 bankruptcy petitions exactly one year apart— on December 22, 2014
Creditor’s objection relates to a dispute pending in Massachusetts between the Debtor and the Guardian for his Mother,
Rather, Creditor points to actions and statements made by the Debtor in the Massachusetts litigation to raise questions as to the legitimacy of the Debtor’s right to claim the Homestead exempt. For example, Debtor has received mail at four separate mailing addresses in recent years.
Creditor also suggests the Debtor may have relied on health insurance supplied only to residents of Massachusetts. Creditor, however, did not provide any credible evidence that the Debtor uses the health insurance program or details as to when he, if ever, acquired the health insurance. Debtor again credibly testified that neither he, nor his family, use the government subsidized health insurance provided by Massachusetts.
The only plausible piece of evidence supporting Creditor’s objection is that the Debtor filed a homestead declaration exemption in Massachusetts in 2014.
Creditor merely argues that the Debtor is not entitled to Florida homestead exemption because the Florida home is not his primary residence.
Alternatively, Creditor argues that, even if this Court finds that the Debtor physically lived in and intended to remain a Florida resident when he filed his bankruptcy petition, Section 522(b)(3)(A) of the Bankruptcy Code
First, this Court already has found the Debtor has continuously resided in Florida since 2011, approximately 1,400 days before this bankruptcy case was filed. Second, both this Court and the Massachusetts Court have found the Debtor’s misguided filing of a Declaration of Homestead in Massachusetts invalid and less than credible. As such, there is no logical basis to calculate the Debtor’s residency from the filing of this fishy Declaration on June 24, 2014. Third, even if this Court were to find that the Debtor’s Massachusetts Declaration valid, the Creditor offered no evidence, to prove that the Debt- or’s domicile was not in Florida for the 180 days immediately preceding the 730 day period.
Creditor next argues that Section 522(q) of the Bankruptcy Code would limit the aggregate value of the Debtor’s homestead exemption to $160,375. “Section 522(q) prevents a debtor from claiming a home exempt if certain prerequisites or thresholds contained in Section 522(p) are met.”
Creditor’s final argument is that the Debtor bought the homestead property with ill-gotten funds stolen from parents. Creditor asserts that there is a constructive lien or trust on the homestead property for $153,066.67.
Once again, Creditor has failed to prove this allegation.
Creditor did not meet the burden of proof to find that the Florida homestead exemption does not apply to the Debtor’s Homestead property. Creditor’s Objection is overruled.
ORDERED.
. Doc, No. 126. The trial was held on April 13, 2017.
. Fla. Const, art. X, § 4.
. In re Harle, 422 B.R. 310, 314 (Bankr. M.D. Fla. 2010) (quoting In re Bennett, 395 B.R, 781, 789 (Bankr. M.D. Fla 2008) (quoting Hillsborough Investment Co. v. Wilcox, 152 Fla. 889, 13 So.2d 448, 452 (1943))) (internal quotation marks omitted).
. Colwell v. Royal Int’l Trading Corp. (In re Colwell), 196 F.3d 1225, 1226 (11th Cir. 1999).
. Havoco of Am., Ltd. v. Hill, 790 So.2d 1018, 1020 (Fla, 2001), opinion after certified question answered, 255 F.3d 1321 (11th Cir. 2001).
. In re Franzese, 383 B.R. 197, 202-03 (Bankr. M.D. Fla, 2008) (citing Trustee v. Robert Laing (In re Laing), 329 B.R, 761, 770 (Bankr. M.D. Fla. 2005). and quoting In re Harrison, 236 B.R. 788, 790 (Bankr. M.D. Fla. 1999)).
. In re Harle, 422 B.R. at 314.
. Case No. 6:14-bk-13714-KSJ, Doc. No. 1.
. Doc. No, 1.
. Doc. No. 185, p. 20; Case No. 6:14-bk-13714-KSJ, Doc. No. 17, p. 8.
. Debtor's Exh. No. 1. The license remains valid. Debtor’s prior Massachusetts driver’s license expired on December 13, 2016. Credi- ■ tor's Exh. No. 1.
. Creditor’s Exh. No. 15, p. 52, ¶¶ 13-22.
. Creditor’s Exh. No. 15, p, 50, ¶¶ 14-24. Debtor also sufficiently described the Homestead property, Creditor’s Exh, No. 14, p. 19, ¶¶ 1-23.
. Doc. No, 126-3; Creditor’s Exh, No. 4-6.
. Creditor’s Exh, No. 4-6.
. Creditor’s Exh. No. 7.
. Creditor's Exh. No. 9, p. 2.
. Creditor’s Exh. No. 14, p. 89, ¶¶ 2-23, and p. 90, ¶¶ 1-24. Debtor has received mail at the following addresses; (1) 323 Tremont Street, Massachusetts, (2) 215 Lakeshore Dr., Way-land, Massachusetts, (3) 11 Timicuan Drive, Florida, and (4) a P.O. Box in Waltham, Massachusetts. Id.
. Creditor's Exh, No. 15, p. 105-07, ¶¶ 20-24, ¶¶ 1-8, and ¶¶ 9-16.
. Creditor’s Exh. No. 2.
. Creditor’s Exh. No. 12.
. On June 24, 2009, the Massachusetts Probate Court found that the deed conveying the property located at 215 Lakeshore Dr. in Wayland, Massachusetts was null and void. Creditor’s Exh. No. 4, p. 1, ¶ 3. On November 2, 2016, the Appeals Court for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts upheld the original finding that the deed conveying the Wayland property was void. Creditor’s Exh. No. 6, pp. 4-6.
. Doc. No. 126.
. Creditor primarily relied on only four facts to prove that the Debtor was not entitled to Florida homestead, First, Debtor has a Massachusetts driver's license, which was issued on May 17, 1984 and expired on December 13, 2016. Creditor’s Exh. No.l. Second, Debtor filed a Massachusetts homestead exemption for 215 Lakeshore Drive, Wayland MA on June 24, 2014. Creditor’s Exh. No. 2. Third, Debtor receives mail at the Massachusetts home. Creditor's Exh, No. 14, p. 89, ¶¶ 2-23, and p. 90 ¶¶ 1-24. Lastly, Debtor may have a government subsidized healthcare plan provided by the State of Massachusetts. Creditor’s Exh. No. 15, p. 105-07, ¶¶ 20-24, ¶¶ 1-8, and ¶¶ 9-16.
. All references to the Bankruptcy Code refer to 11 U.S.C. §§ 101, etseq. (2012).
. 11 U.S.C. § 522(b)(3)(A).
. Id.; In re Crandall, 346 B.R. 220, 221 (Bankr. M.D. Fla. 2006).
. The date of this petition was December 22, 2015. Debtor filed a homestead protection form in Massachusetts on June 24, 2014. Creditor’s Exh. No. 2. The time period of 730-days preceding the date of filing is December 22, 2013. The time period of 180-days plus 730-days preceding the date of filing is June 25, 2013. Creditor did not prove that the Debtor was not domiciled in Florida from June 25, 2013 through December 22, 2013.
. Additionally, if this Court finds that the Massachusetts homestead exemption was valid, Debtor terminated any homestead rights he had when he filed bankruptcy and. expressed his intent to again make Florida his domicile and residence. Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 188, § 10(3). ‘‘[T]he Supreme Judicial Court [of Massachusetts’s] would rule that a homestead estate could be terminated by abandonment.” In re Marrama, 307 B.R. 332, 338 (Bankr. D. Mass. 2004). "Whether there has been an abandonment is largely a question of intention. Intent to abandon a homestead is difficult to determine. These cases strongly suggest that intention can be manifested by the outward acts of the declar-ant.” Id.
. Miller v. Burns (In re Burns), 395 B.R. 756, 763 (Bankr. M.D. Fla. 2008).
. Doc. No. 1. Debtor filed this petition on December 22, 2015.
. Doc. No. 126, p. 6, ¶22.
. Doc. 126-3, ¶¶91, 97-98. Creditor states that, at the meeting of creditors conducted by the United States Trustee on January 26, 2016, Debtor asserted privilege against self-incrimination declining to answer questions on whether money from the real estate he did not own was used to pay for his Homestead. Doc. No. 126, p. 6, ¶¶ 22, 14, 15. Debtor denies this allegation. Doc. No. 203, p. 1, ¶4. Creditor did not provide the transcript, even though the Creditor states this allegation in her amended Objection. Doc. No. 126, p. 6, ¶ 14. Without reviewing the transcript cited, the Court cannot give any weight to this argument.
. See White v. Weatherford (In re Abrass), 268 B.R. 665, 678 (Bankr. M.D. Fla. 2001) ("Florida courts have held that, to demonstrate a constructive trust, a plaintiff must prove four elements by clear and convincing evidence: 1) a promise, express or implied; 2) a transfer of property and reliance thereon; 3) a confidential relationship; and, 4) unjust enrichment.”).
. Doc. No. 203, p. 1, ¶4.
. Creditor’s Exh. No. 4, ¶¶4-10. Debtor and his wife were ordered to return the proceeds from the sales of two properties in New Hampshire, and that those proceeds would be held in a resulting trust or constructive trust. Id, Additionally, "[a]ny proceeds from the sales of the above properties [including 17 Wyola Road, Hull, Massachusetts and 215 Lakeshore Drive, Wayland, Massachusetts] are held ... by a resulting trust in favor of the Estate of Bruce A. Migell, and by constructive trust for the benefit of Alice Migell." Id. at ¶10.
.The Creditor’s Objection points to In re Harle case. In that case, the judgment against the Debtor was properly attached to the property and recorded with the Volusia County Clerk of Court. In re Harle, 422 B.R, at 313.
. Pelecanos v. City of Hallandale Beach, 914 So.2d 1044, 1047 (Fla. 4th Dist. Ct. App. 2005) (“We agree with the [T]hird [District’s recent interpretation of Havoco wherein it stated ‘an equitable lien is not permitted against homestead property unless the funds used to invest in, purchase or improve the homestead were obtained through fraud or egregious conduct....’”) (internal citations omitted),
. Doc. No. 126.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- IN RE Andrew Bruce MIGELL, Debtor
- Cited By
- 2 cases
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- Published