Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-akb-1_05-ap-90024/USCOURTS-akb-1_05-ap-90024-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Bruce Allen Romine
Plaintiff
Linda Lou Romine
Plaintiff
GMAC Mortgage Corporation
Defendant
Far West Credit Services
Defendant
Trans Union, LLC
Defendant
Experian Information Solutions, Inc.
Defendant

Document Text:

UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ALASKA

In re: Case No. A01-00785-DMD

BRUCE ALLEN ROMINE and LINDA

LOU ROMINE, 

Debtors. 

 

Chapter 7

BRUCE ALLEN ROMINE and LINDA

LOU ROMINE, 

 Plaintiffs, 

v.

GMAC MORTGAGE CORPORATION,

d/b/a ditech.com, FAR WEST CREDIT

SERVICES, TRANS UNION, LLC, and

EXPERIAN INFORMATION

SOLUTIONS, INC., 

Defendants.

Adversary No. A05-90024-DMD

MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF MOTION

TO WITHDRAW THE REFERENCE

Debtors Bruce and Linda Romine obtained a chapter 7 discharge in November

of 2001. They initiated this adversary proceeding on July 13, 2005. Their complaint seeks

damages for the defendants’ purported violations of the discharge injunction, 11 U.S.C. §

524, the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.), the Federal Fair Credit

Billing Act (15 U.S.C. § 1666), and for the common law tort of defamation. 

The Romines have made a timely jury demand. The court requested briefs on

the issue of whether they were entitled to a jury trial. I agree with the Romines that they do

have a right to a jury trial, at the very least with respect to their counts relating to violations

Filed On

11/3/05

Case 05-90024 Filed 11/03/05 Entered 11/03/05 12:13:41 Doc# 28 Page 1 of 3	
1

Dunmore v. United States, 358 F.3d 1107, 1114 (9th Cir. 2004).

2

28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(1).

3

Dunmore, 358 F.3d at 1114.

4

28 U.S.C. § 157(c). This subsection also requires the district court to refer the non-core proceeding

to the bankruptcy court for adjudication. The United States District Court for the District of Alaska has

entered an order of reference which permits this court to determine non-core proceedings.

5

28 U.S.C. § 157(e).

2

of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. While defendant Trans Union concedes that the plaintiffs

have a right to a jury trial, neither Trans Union nor GMAC Mortgage consent to a jury trial

in the bankruptcy court. 

This adversary proceeding includes both core and non-core claims. Core

proceedings are defined in 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2) and “include matters affecting the

administration of the estate, determinations as to the dischargeability of particular debts, and

other proceedings affecting the liquidation of assets of the estate or the adjustment of the

debtor-creditor relationship.”1

 The bankruptcy court can enter final judgments in core

proceedings.2

 Non-core proceedings are ones which do not depend on the Bankruptcy Code

for their existence and could proceed in a forum other than the bankruptcy court.3

 A

bankruptcy court can hear non-core proceedings, but can only enter a final judgment therein

if all parties to the proceeding so consent.4

 Additionally, the bankruptcy court can conduct

a jury trial in non-core proceedings only with the express consent of all parties.5

In this proceeding, the Romines’ counts relating to violation of the discharge

injunction found in 11 U.S.C. § 524 are core proceedings. The other counts of the Romines’

Case 05-90024 Filed 11/03/05 Entered 11/03/05 12:13:41 Doc# 28 Page 2 of 3	
3

adversary complaint, however, which allege violations of the Federal Fair Credit Reporting

Act (15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.), the Federal Fair Credit Billing Act (15 U.S.C. § 1666), and

the common law tort of defamation, are non-core proceedings. Because the defendants do

not consent to trial of the non-core counts by the bankruptcy court, the bankruptcy court

moves for withdrawal of the reference so that this matter can be tried by the District Court,

in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 157(c).

DATED: November 3, 2005

BY THE COURT

/s/ Donald MacDonald IV 

DONALD MacDONALD IV

United States Bankruptcy Judge

Serve: D. Bruce, Esq.

J. Travostino, Esq.

W. Earnhardt, Esq.

M. Parise, Esq.

K. Odza, Esq.

P. Gingras, Adv. Case Mgr.

C. Rapp, Appeals/Reference Tracking

 11/03/05

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