Source: http://www.scribd.com/doc/88423215/In-Re-Jones-Case-No-06-01093-Doc-470-Opinion-on-Punitive-Damages-Award-05-Apr-2012
Timestamp: 2013-05-22 03:28:06
Document Index: 353453571

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 157', '§ 157', '§ 541', '§ 362', '§ 105', 'art 2', 'art 1']

In Re Jones Case No. 06-01093 Doc 470 Opinion on Punitive Damages Award 05 Apr 2012
UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURTEASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANAIN RE:CASE NO.
MICHAEL L. JONES03-16518
DEBTORSECTION ACHAPTER 13
ADVERSARY NO.PLAINTIFF
This matter is on remand from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (“FifthCircuit”)
and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana (“DistrictCourt”).
The mandate required reconsideration of monetary sanctions in light of In re Stewart .
The parties were afforded time to file additional briefs, after which the matter was taken under advisement.
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (“Wells Fargo”) also filed an
Motion to TakeJudicial Notice
which will be addressed in this Opinion.
Cir. case no. 10-31005;
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. v. Jones (In re Jones)
, 439Fed.Appx. 330 (5
USDC, EDLA case no. 07-3599.
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. v. Stewart (In re Stewart)
, 647 F.3d 553 (5
Docket no. 455. The parties indicated that the Court should use the briefs they previously filed in connection with the Motion for Sanctions rather than submitting entirely new briefs. Docket nos. 78, 96. The parties were allowed to supplement these initial briefs.
Docket no. 459.
Case 06-01093 Doc 470 Filed 04/05/12 Entered 04/05/12 11:18:24 Main DocumentPage 1 of 21
Posted To Scribd as a Public Service by William A. Roper, Jr.
Seegenerallyhttp://www.scribd.com/wmaroper
The bankruptcy court has jurisdiction over all property of the estate wherever located.
Uponfiling of the case, all actions to collect, enforce, or possess property of the estate are automaticallyenjoined.
Proceedings to prosecute violations of the automatic stay are core proceedings.
A proceeding to enforce the automatic stay by means of civil contempt is a “core proceeding” withinthe meaning of 28 U.S.C. § 157 and within the scope of the bankruptcy court’s powers.
A contemptorder is purely civil “[i]f the purpose of the sanction is to coerce the contemnor into compliance witha court order, or to compensate another party for the contemnor’s violation.”
The Court finds thatit has jurisdiction over this proceeding for civil contempt.
This adversary proceeding was filed by Michael L. Jones, debtor, (“Jones” or “Debtor”) inan effort to recoup overpayments made to Wells Fargo on his home mortgage loan. The complaintrequested return of the overpayments, reimbursement of actual damages, and punitive damages for violation of the automatic stay. At trial, the parties severed Debtor’s request for compensatory and
28 U.S.C. §§ 157(a) and 1334(e) and 11 U.S.C. § 541.
11 U.S.C. § 362.
Budget Service Co.v. Better Homes of Virginia, Inc.
, 804 F.2d 289, 292 (4
Cir. 1986);
Milbank v. McGee (In re LATCL&F, Inc
, 2001 WL 984912, *3 (N.D.Tex. 2001).
11 U.S.C. § 105(a);
Matter of Terrebonne Fuel and Lube, Inc.,
108 F.3d 609 (5
Cir.1997);
, 575 F.3d 1079, 1083 (10
Cir. 2009);
MBNA America Bank, N.A. v. Hill ,436 F.3d 104, 108-109 (2
Cir. 2006);
In re Nat. Century Financial Enterprises, Inc
., 423 F.3d567, 573-574 (6
Lamar Financial Corp. v. Adams,
918 F.2d 564, 566 (5
Cir. 1990).2
Case 06-01093 Doc 470 Filed 04/05/12 Entered 04/05/12 11:18:24 Main DocumentPage 2 of 21
punitive damages from the merits of Debtor’s claim for return of overpayments. On April 13, 2007,the Court entered an Opinion
and Partial Judgment
awarding Jones $24,441.65, plus legal interestfor amounts overcharged by Wells Fargo. In addition, the Opinion found Wells Fargo to be inviolation of the automatic stay because it applied postpetition payments made by Jones and histrustee to undisclosed postpetition fees and costs not authorized by the Court, noticed to Debtor or his trustee, and in contravention of Debtor’s confirmed plan of reorganization and the ConfirmationOrder.
Wells Fargo’s conduct was found to be willful and egregious.
A second hearing on sanctions, damages, and punitive relief was held on May 29, 2007.
At the hearing, Wells Fargo offered to implement several remedial measures designed to correctsystemic problems with its accounting of home mortgage loans (“Accounting Procedures”).
Thenew Accounting Procedures were negotiated between the Court and Wells Fargo’s representative.They were embodied in a subsequent Supplemental Memorandum Opinion,
Amended Judgment,
Docket no. 69;
, 366 B.R. 584 (Bankr.E.D.La. 2007).
Docket no. 68.
Docket no. 69.
Jones also filed a Motion for Sanctions, Including Punitive Damages. Docket no. 77.
Tr.T. 5/29/01, 48:18-23; 63:2-21; 83:4-10; 92:24-93:4. Docket no. 126.
Docket no. 153;
Jones v. Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Inc., (In re Jones)
, 2007 WL2480494 (Bankr.E.D.La. 2007).
Docket no. 154.3
Case 06-01093 Doc 470 Filed 04/05/12 Entered 04/05/12 11:18:24 Main DocumentPage 3 of 21
SearchSearch History: Searching...Result 00 of 0000 results for result for p. In Re Jones Case No. 06-01093 Doc 470 Opinion on Punitive Damages Award 05 Apr 2012 This is the opinion awarding punitive damages in the case In Re Michael L. Jones, Case No. 06-01093, a bankruptcy matter before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. The opinion is dated…
This is the opinion awarding punitive damages in the case In Re Michael L. Jones, Case No. 06-01093, a bankruptcy matter before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. The opinion is dated April 5, 2012, and was signed by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Elizabeth Magner. Debtor Michael L. Jones was awarded $3,171,154.00 in punitive damages against Wells Fargo Bank in respect of that entity's ongoing systemic miscalculation and misstatement of borrower account amounts in U.S. Bankruptcy claims, often in violation of U.S. Bankruptcy Court orders.
Download or PrintAdd To Collection437Reads5Readcasts0Embed ViewsThis is a private document.
Published byWilliam A. Roper Jr.FollowSearchTIP Press Ctrl-F⌘F to search anywhere in the document.Read without ads and support Scribd by becoming a Scribd Premium Reader.See Premium PlansInfo and RatingCategory:Business/Law > Court FilingsRating:Upload Date:04/08/2012Copyright:Public DomainTags:bankruptcyOpinionMichaelJoneselizabethlouisianaWells Fargomagnermichael jones(more tags)bankruptcyOpinionMichaelJoneselizabethlouisianaWells Fargomagnermichael joneswells fargo bankeastern districtjudge elizabeth magneru.s. bankruptcy courtin re jones0601093michael l. jones v. wells fargo home mortgagejones v. wells fargo home mortgagejones v. wells fargomichael l. joneswells fargo home mortgage(fewer)Free download or readfalse online for free.Flag for inappropriate contenthttp://www.scribd.com/doc/88423215/In-Re-Jones-Case-No-06-01093-Doc-470-Opinion-on-Punitive-Damages-Award-05-Apr-201201/16/2013pdftextoriginal
Recommended1 p.In Re Jones Case No. 06-01093 Doc 471 Judgment 05 Apr 2012William A. Roper Jr.394 Reads21 p.In Re Jones webber32923293 Reads12 p.US Presidents and the Mass Media529 Reads11 p.Kirkbride v Bank of America, NA, Bankr EDNC.2010.$100,000Plusacfield131628 ReadsRecommended22 p.In Re Jones Case No. 06-01093 Doc 390 Memorandum Opinion 01 Oct 2009William A. Roper Jr.322 Reads4 p.In Re Jones Case No. 06-01093 Doc 154 Amended Judgment 29 Aug 2007William A. Roper Jr.267 Reads16 p.In Re Jones Case No. 06-01093 Doc 153 Supplemental Memorandum Opini...William A. Roper Jr.314 Reads1 p.In Re Jones Case No. 06-01093 Doc 471 Judgment 05 Apr 2012William A. Roper Jr.394 Reads11 p.Kirkbride v Bank of America, NA, Bankr EDNC.2010.$100,000Plusacfield131628 Reads21 p.In Re Jones webber32923293 Reads
More From This User22 p.In Re Jones Case No. 06-01093 Doc 390 Memorandum Opinion 01 Oct 2009William A. Roper Jr.322 Reads4 p.In Re Jones Case No. 06-01093 Doc 154 Amended Judgment 29 Aug 2007William A. Roper Jr.267 Reads16 p.In Re Jones Case No. 06-01093 Doc 153 Supplemental Memorandum Opini...William A. Roper Jr.312 Reads1 p.In Re Jones Case No. 06-01093 Doc 471 Judgment 05 Apr 2012William A. Roper Jr.394 Reads12 p.MERS v Agard US District Court Decision Vacating Judge Grossmans Ho...William A. Roper Jr.350 Reads37 p.In Re Agard Corrected Memorandum Decision 10 Feb 2011William A. Roper Jr.137 Reads17 p.MERS v Cabrera Order of Dismissal Judge Jon Gordon Miami Dade Co FLWilliam A. Roper Jr.705 Reads54 p.MERS v Cabrera Transcript 16 Sep 2005 Part 2William A. Roper Jr.258 Reads55 p.MERS v Cabrera Transcript 16 Sep 2005 Part 1William A. Roper Jr.388 Reads147 p.Baker and Hostetler Report to Fannie Mae on Nye LaValle ComplaintsWilliam A. Roper Jr.366 Reads1 p.Gingrich - Obama Deficits ComparedWilliam A. Roper Jr.359 Reads28 p.US Bank v Duvall Fannie and Freddie Amicus Brief 27 Jun 2011William A. Roper Jr.1359 Reads108 p.US Bank v Duvall Appellants Brief 24 Jun 2011William A. Roper Jr.1263 Reads3 p.In Re Wilfredo Pesante Suspension Order 27 Apr 2011William A. Roper Jr.1235 Reads24 p.U.S. Bank v. Spencer NJ Superior Decision 22 Mar 2011William A. Roper Jr.1605 Reads13 p.Beneficial Maine Inc v Carter Maine SC 07 Jul 2011William A. Roper Jr.750 Reads1 p.University Car Rentals Inc 2011 Annual ReportWilliam A. Roper Jr.248 Reads1 p.University Car Rentals Inc 2010 Annual ReportWilliam A. Roper Jr.246 Reads1 p.University Car Rentals Inc 2009 Annual ReportWilliam A. Roper Jr.216 Reads14 p.Pasillas v. HSBC Bank USA 07 Jul 2011William A. Roper Jr.621 Reads14 p.Leyva v National Default Servicing 07 Jul 2011William A. Roper Jr.877 Reads5 p.HSBC v Taher MERS Assignment to HSBC 16 Feb 2009William A. Roper Jr.738 Reads2 p.Wells Fargo Bank NA v Mastropaolo Appellants Reply Brief 03 Apr 2006William A. Roper Jr.1608 Reads2 p.Wells Fargo Bank NA v Mastropaolo Respondents Brief 22 Mar 2006William A. Roper Jr.313 Reads