Ankrah v. HSBC Bank United States, N.A. (In re Ankrah)
Ankrah v. HSBC Bank United States, N.A. (In re Ankrah)
Opinion of the Court
Dear Counsel:
The debtor filed an Amended Complaint seeking an order setting aside a foreclosure sale under section 548(a) of the Bankruptcy Code on the grounds that the sale was constructively fraudulent and/or under state law because the debtor lacked notice of the adjourned sale. Doc. No. 17. Before the court
*289The matter before the court is a core proceeding pursuant to
As the matter before the court is a Motion to Dismiss, the court considers the facts in the light most favorable to the debtor. On July 18, 2017, the sheriff of Essex County sold property located at 69-71 Stockman Place, Irvington, New Jersey (the "Property"), to 69-71 Stockman Place LLC (the "LLC") for $ 143,000. Doc. No. 17, ¶ 8. More than 10 days later, on August 14, 2017, the debtor filed a motion with the New Jersey Superior Court to set aside the sale as defective because she did not receive notice of the sale. Doc. No. 17, ¶ 7. The sheriff's deed has not yet been transferred. Doc. No. 17, ¶ 7.
On September 8, 2017, the debtor filed the instant chapter 11 case. On April 10, 2018, she commenced this adversary proceeding, and on February 1, 2019 she filed the Amended Complaint. Doc. No. 17. The debtor alleged that "Before the purported, but invalid, Sheriff's sale of the Property occurred, the Debtor was prepared to commence a bankruptcy proceeding to stay the purported Sheriff's sale from proceeding. Before, at and after the occurrence of the purported, but invalid, Sheriff's sale of the Property, the Debtor was also prepared to obtain a satisfaction of the mortgage that relates to the foreclosure action with respect to the Property."
The debtor argued that "The purported, but invalid, Sheriff's sale of the Property, without notice thereof having been received by the Debtor and without adequate and reasonable notice having been provided to the Debtor by the Bank, constitutes a significant and substantial irregularity in the conduct of the sale, which irregularity was also unduly prejudicial to the Debtor, such that the purported Sheriff's sale of the Property is invalid under applicable New Jersey state law."
HSBC filed the instant Motion to Dismiss on February 8, 2019. It stated that *290the Supreme Court's decision in BFP v. Resolution Trust Corp. ,
The debtor responded with a letter incorporating her opposition to HSBC's Motion to Dismiss the original complaint as support for the relief she seeks in her Amended Complaint. Doc. No. 23. She also argued that notice of a sheriff's sale must be actual, not constructive. She repeated that "had the Debtor received such notice, the Debtor would have commenced this Chapter 11 case before such purported sale could have proceeded."
Motion to dismiss standard
HSBC seeks dismissal of the Amended Complaint pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6),
When reviewing a motion to dismiss ..., courts "accept all factual allegations as true, construe the complaint in the light most favorable to the plaintiff, and determine whether, under any reasonable reading of the complaint, the plaintiff may be entitled to relief." Phillips v. Cnty. of Allegheny ,515 F.3d 224 , 233 (3d Cir. 2008) (internal quotation marks omitted). Under such a standard, the factual allegations set forth in a complaint "must be enough to raise a right to relief above the speculative level." Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly ,550 U.S. 544 , 555 [127 S.Ct. 1955 ,167 L.Ed.2d 929 ] (2007). Indeed, "the tenet that a court must accept as true all of the allegations contained in a complaint is inapplicable to legal conclusions." Ashcroft v. Iqbal ,556 U.S. 662 , 678 [129 S.Ct. 1937 ,173 L.Ed.2d 868 ] (2009). "[A] complaint must do more than allege the plaintiff's entitlement to relief. A complaint has to 'show' such an entitlement with its facts." Fowler v. UPMC Shadyside ,578 F.3d 203 , 211 (3d Cir. 2009).
Ogbebor v. J.P. Morgan Chase, N.A. , CV163400FLWDEA,
Avoidance of the sale as a fraudulent transfer
This court will first address the fraudulent transfer allegation. A party alleging fraudulent transfer under Bankruptcy Code section 548(a)(1)(B) must prove, among other things, that reasonably equivalent value was not obtained in exchange for the property. The Supreme Court in BFP v. Resolution Trust Corp. ,
Taking the facts in the light most favorable to the debtor, this court finds that the failure to notify the debtor of the adjourned sale was not an irregularity in the sale that resulted in a constructively fraudulent transfer in this case. The BFP Court was concerned with irregularities that hamper the exchange of reasonably equivalent value in exchange for property. "How closely the price received in a forced sale is likely to approximate fair market value depends upon the terms of the forced sale-how quickly it may be made, what sort of public notice must be given, etc." BFP , at 540,
One of my colleagues explained the reasoning of BFP as follows:
Focusing on the manner in which foreclosed property is sold, the [Supreme] Court canvassed state foreclosure procedures, noting that foreclosure laws, in addition to providing notice to the borrower, typically require publication of a notice of sale, and "strict adherence to prescribed bidding rules and auction procedures." Id. at 542,114 S.Ct. 1757 .... Presumably, by these comments, the Court was opining that state procedures are designed to solicit prospective purchasers and control auction processes in order to maximize the value achieved at such sales. The Court recognized the difficulty of valuing a property that must be sold within the strictures of state-prescribed foreclosure procedures, noting that "property that must be sold within those strictures is simply worth less. " Id. at 539,114 S.Ct. 1757 ... (emphasis in original).
Matter of Varquez ,
As will be discussed below, New Jersey's foreclosure laws do not require notice to the borrower of adjournments. Thus, the state's foreclosure laws were complied with here. But more importantly, the debtor has not proffered any authority for the proposition that a sale made without notice to her caused the sale price to fall below reasonably equivalent value. The court in In re Ryker ,
Additionally, the debtor did not allege a value of the property that exceeds $ 143,000 to support that it was sold for less than reasonably equivalent value. Her request to pay $ 143,000 to HSBC suggests that she believes $ 143,000 is the true value, meaning that reasonably equivalent value was exchanged. She also failed to allege facts supporting that she was insolvent or became insolvent as a result of the transfer.
Thus, the debtor failed to state a claim for relief under section 548(a)(1)(B).
*292Vacate the sheriff's sale on state law equitable grounds
Though neither New Jersey statute nor its Court Rules require re-advertising or re-posting of an adjourned sheriff's sale, see, e.g., N.J.S.A. § 2A:61-5, 61-6; N.J. Court Rules 4:65-2, 65-3, 65-4, both parties here recognize that equity can sometimes support vacating a sale to prevent injustice. "This form of judicial interference is warranted only when necessary to correct a plain injustice; that is to say, where it would be inequitable and unjust not to set aside the sale due to fraud, accident, surprise, mistake or irregularities in the conduct of the sale." In re Ryker , at 167. The court in First Mut. Corp. v. Samojeden ,
"The general rule is that when insufficient notice of a sheriff's sale is given, the preferred remedy is that which restores the status quo ante to the greatest extent possible." New Brunswick Sav. Bank v. Markouski ,123 N.J. 402 , 425 [587 A.2d 1265 ] (1991). The court may void the sale if the party promptly seeks relief, was unaware of the pending sale, and no innocent third parties would be prejudiced.Ibid. (citation omitted).
However, the remedy to void the sale requires "some evidence of actual prejudice to an interested party." G.E. Capital Mortg. Servs., Inc. v. Marilao ,352 N.J. Super. 274 , 283 [800 A.2d 150 ] (App. Div. 2002). The power to void the sale is "discretionary and must be based on considerations of equity and justice."
*293First Trust Nat'l Ass'n [v. Merola ], 319 N.J. Super. [44] at 49 [724 A.2d 858 (1999) ].
Indeed, whether a court will vacate a sheriff's sale can depend on whether that relief will remedy the situation. For example, "[i]f defendant cannot redeem the property within a reasonable period of time, ... then there is no need to vacate the sheriff's sale and title will remain with plaintiff." U.S. ex rel. U.S. Dep't of Agric. v. Scurry ,
In Emigrant Mortgage Co. ,
In Ryker , the mortgagee did not re-notice or re-advertise a sale despite the amount due having dropped by nearly $ 170,000. Ryker ,
Here the debtor failed to adequately allege the prejudice to her. She admitted that a third party purchased the property, and she did not allege that she was then prepared to redeem the property or out-bid the LLC. See Indymac Bank, F.S.B. v. Burnett , A-3529-09T3,
Moreover, the rights of a third party, the LLC, has intervened, see Samojeden , at 128-29,
The court also notes that, unlike the complaining parties in Samojeden , who reasonably believed no sale would be scheduled while the borrower continued to make monthly payments, Samojeden , at 127,
As the debtor failed to state a claim upon which relief can be granted, the court grants HSBC's motion to dismiss the amended complaint.
The court reserves the right to revise its findings of fact and conclusions of law.
This adversary proceeding is assigned to the docket of the Hon. Rosemary Gambardella. For the time being, the proceeding is being handled by the undersigned for disposition.
At oral argument, counsel agreed that the court will construe HSBC's "Supplemental Brief in Support" of its initial Motion to Dismiss the original complaint (Doc. No. 9) as a Motion to Dismiss the Amended Complaint. Counsel also agreed that the court would not convert the motion to a Motion for Summary Judgment. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(d). Accordingly, the court will not consider any of the information presented in the exhibits to the Motion to Dismiss.
Though considering its conclusion, the court need not reach this request, to the extent that the debtor seeks to cram down HSBC's judgment lien, she has not averred facts to support such relief, merely arguing without citation that, because HSBC accepted $ 143,000 from the LLC, it should have to accept the same amount from her. There is no support for this proposition in law or equity. If the court vacated the sale, it would merely put the parties back in their positions prior to the sale, i.e., the debtor owing HSBC the $ 261,933 provided for under the judgment.
HSBC also discusses preference under section 547, but the debtor did not allege a preference in either her original or amended complaint.
HSBC also cited Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1), (3). Prior to the amendment to the complaint, the court addressed whether it had subject matter jurisdiction and whether the state court was the proper venue for this dispute and determined that it would not abstain. Thus, it need not consider these grounds for dismissal now.
The debtor's adversary complaint alleging
New Jersey does not have a statutorily created right to redemption; however, in Hardyston [Nat. Bank v. Tartamella ,56 N.J. 508 ,267 A.2d 495 (1970) ], the New Jersey Supreme Court held that a mortgagor could exercise a right to redemption within the ten day period fixed by R. 4:65-5 for objections to sale and until an order confirming the sale if objections were filed under the rule. Seeid. at 512 ,267 A.2d 495 (noting that since under court rules confirmation of sale is automatic by the passage of ten days without an objection filed, the mortgagor's absolute right to redemption terminates after ten days). The Hardyston Court exercised its equitable power to create a right of redemption, and as creator of that right, defined the relevant contours, including the time period in which that right must be exercised.
In re Ryker ,
The debtor alleges in her Amended Complaint that, had she known of the adjourned sheriff's sale, she would have filed bankruptcy to prevent it from going forward. She also alleges that she was prepared before, at and after the sale to obtain a satisfaction of the mortgage. Her statement that she was prepared to satisfy the mortgage prior to the sale conflicts with her assertion that she would have filed bankruptcy to prevent the sale. Why would she need to stop the sale if she could have paid the judgment? In addition, when asked at the hearing on the motion, her counsel could not explain how the debtor was prepared to satisfy the mortgage. Taking the debtor's allegations in the Amended Complaint in the light most favorable to her but also taking into consideration her stating in opposition to the Motion to Dismiss that she only intended to filed chapter 11, her filing of bankruptcy as soon as she realized the sale had gone forward and, as her counsel conceded at the hearing, her prior bankruptcy filing, the court finds that the debtor had no ability to pay the mortgagee in full at the time of the adjourned sale.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- IN RE: Susanna ANKRAH, Debtor Susanna Ankrah v. HSBC Bank USA, N.A.
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- 3 cases
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