Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-almd-1_06-mc-03337/USCOURTS-almd-1_06-mc-03337-1/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
CenturyTel of Alabama, LLC
Defendant
Robinson, Reagan & Young, PLLC
Defendant
Cynthia D. Shortsleeve
Debtor
Raymond G. Shortsleeve
Debtor

Document Text:

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE

MIDDLE DISTRICT OF ALABAMA, SOUTHERN DIVISION

IN RE: )

)

RAYMOND G. SHORTSLEEVE and ) BANKRUPTCY CASE NO.

CYNTHIA D. SHORTSLEEVE, ) 04-12862-DHW

) (Chapter 7)

Debtors. )

)

CYNTHIA D. SHORTSLEEVE, )

)

Plaintiff, ) DISTRICT COURT MISC. NO.

) 1:06mc3337-MHT

v. )

) (Bankruptcy Adversary

CENTURYTEL OF ALABAMA, ) Proceeding No.

LLC, and ROBINSON, ) 06-1080-DHW)

REAGAN & YOUNG, PLLC, )

)

Defendants. )

OPINION AND ORDER

Based on the representations of the parties made

during a telephone conference on October 3, 2006, and on

the papers submitted to this court and the bankruptcy

court, and for the reasons stated below, it is ORDERED

that plaintiff Cynthia D. Shortsleeve’s motion to

withdraw (Doc. No. 2) is granted. 

Case 1:06-mc-03337-MHT Document 4 Filed 10/03/06 Page 1 of 4
1. The factors to be considered by the court in

exercising its § 157 discretion include: (1) the

advancement of uniformity in bankruptcy administration;

(2) decreasing forum shopping and confusion; (3)

promoting the economical use of the parties' resources;

and (4) facilitating the bankruptcy process; (5) whether

the claim is core or non-core; (6) efficient use of

judicial resources; (7) a jury demand; and (8) prevention

(continued...)

2

The clerks of the bankruptcy court and this court are

DIRECTED to take all steps necessary to transfer to the

United States District Court for the Middle District of

Alabama the adversary proceeding, initiated by plaintiff

Shortsleeve with a complaint filed on May 8, 2006

(bankruptcy case no. 04-12862-DHW (Chapter 7) and

bankruptcy adversary proceeding no. 06-1080-DHW, M.D.

Ala.). The clerk of this court shall set up the transfer

case as a separate civil case, with a separate and new

civil action number.

% % %

For the following reasons, this court exercises its

discretion to withdraw the reference to the bankruptcy

court for cause under 11 U.S.C. § 157(d).1

 First, as the

Case 1:06-mc-03337-MHT Document 4 Filed 10/03/06 Page 2 of 4
(...continued)

of delay. In re Childs, 342 B.R. 823, 827 (M.D. Ala.

2006) (Albritton, J.).

2. It is, indeed, unclear whether the bankruptcy

(continued...)

3

claims at issue here arise mostly out of the Fair Debt

Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”), 15 U.S.C. § 1692, et

seq., the bankruptcy court has no special expertise in

resolving the claims. To the degree that Shortsleeve’s

claims have to do with enforcement of the discharge

injunction, those claims are intimately related to the

FDCPA claims. It saves judicial, and the parties’,

resources to try them together. 

Second, and also related to the preservation of

judicial and parties’ resources, the FDCPA claims are

non-core; that is, they do not “arise under” or “arise

in” Title 11. In re Toledo, 170 F.3d 1340, 1349 (11th

Cir. 1999). At most, the bankruptcy court has non-core

jurisdiction over the claims. The bankruptcy court’s

determinations, absent withdrawal, would therefore be

subject to de novo review in this court, in any event.

11 U.S.C. § 157(c)(1).2

Case 1:06-mc-03337-MHT Document 4 Filed 10/03/06 Page 3 of 4
2. (...continued)

court has jurisdiction over the FDCPA claims at all. The

bankruptcy court found that it did not.

Finally, defendants Centurytel of Alabama, LLC, and

Robinson, Reagan & Young, PLLC do not object to the

withdrawal. 

The United States District Court for the Middle

District of Alabama will therefore take jurisdiction over

Shortsleeve’s adversary proceeding against defendants

Centurytel of Alabama, LLC, and Robinson, Reagan & Young,

PLLC in its entirety. 

DONE, this 3d day of October, 2006. 

 /s/ Myron H. Thompson 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE 

Case 1:06-mc-03337-MHT Document 4 Filed 10/03/06 Page 4 of 4