Bank of America, N.A. v. Belinda Brown

Filing

Opinion issued by court as to Appellant Bank of America, NA in 13-14298, 13-14438, Appellant Bank of America, N.A. in 13-14908, 13-15839, 14-10137, 14-11012, 14-11387, 14-11676. Decision: Affirmed. Opinion type: Non-Published. Opinion method: Per Curiam. [13-14298, 14-11012, 13-14438, 13-14908, 13-15839, 14-10137, 14-11387, 14-11676] (DC)

Case: 13-14298

Date Filed: 10/28/2014

Page: 1 of 8

[DO NOT PUBLISH]

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
________________________
No. 13-14298
Non-Argument Calendar
________________________
D.C. Docket No. 1:13-cv-02703-SCJ,
Bkcy No. 13-bkc-59123-MGC
In Re: BELINDA TOLBERT BROWN,
Debtor.
___________________________________________________
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
versus
BELINDA TOLBERT BROWN,
Defendant-Appellee.
________________________
No. 13-14438
Non-Argument Calendar
________________________
D.C. Docket No. 4:13-cv-00209-HLM,
Bkcy No. 13-bkc-41719-PWB

Case: 13-14298

Date Filed: 10/28/2014

Page: 2 of 8

RANDALL LEE MADDEN,
BARBARA LYNN MADDEN,
Debtors.
________________________________________________
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
versus
RANDALL LEE MADDEN,
BARBARA LYNN MADDEN,
Defendants-Appellees.
________________________
No. 13-14908
Non-Argument Calendar
________________________
D.C. Docket No. 1:13-cv-03050-SCJ,
Bkcy No. 13-bkc-60912-JRS
In Re: BETTY JEAN BOYKINS,
Debtor.

_______________________________________________________
BANK OF AMERICA BANK, NA,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
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versus
BETTY JEAN BOYKINS,
Defendant-Appellee.
________________________
No. 13-15839
Non-Argument Calendar
________________________
D.C. Docket No. 1:13-cv-03853-JEC,
Bkcy No. 12-bkc-81760-WLH
IN RE: PAMELA FAE PEELE,
Debtor.
_____________________________________________________
BANK OF AMERICA BANK, NA,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
versus
PAMELA FAE PEELE,
Defendant-Appellee.
________________________
No. 14-10137
Non-Argument Calendar
________________________
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D.C. Docket No. 1:13-cv-04141-WBH,
Bkcy No. 13-bkc-68483-BEM
In Re: TONI RENEE HAMILTON-PRESHA,
Debtor.
__________________________________________________
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
versus
TONI RENEE HAMILTON-PRESHA,
Defendant-Appellee.
________________________
No. 14-11012
Non-Argument Calendar
________________________
D.C. Docket No. 1:14-cv-00355-JEC,
Bkcy No. 13-bkc-74836-BEM
In Re: ILYA BELOTSERKOVSKY,
Debtor.
_____________________________________________________
ILYA BELOTSERKOVSKY,
Plaintiff-Appellee.

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versus

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
Defendant-Appellant.
________________________
No. 14-11387
Non-Argument Calendar
________________________
D.C. Docket No. 1:13-cv-04076-WSD,
Bkcy No. 13-bkc-64749-BEM
BEVERLY JOHNSON,
Debtor.
__________________________________________________
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
versus
BEVERLY JOHNSON,
Defendant-Appellee.
________________________
No. 14-11676
Non-Argument Calendar
________________________

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Case: 13-14298

Date Filed: 10/28/2014

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D.C. Docket No. 1:13-cv-03405-ODE,
Bkcy No. 13-bkc-60795-BEM
In Re: ROSA LILIANA GARRO,
Debtor.
__________________________________________________
BANK OF AMERICA BANK, NA,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
versus
ROSA LILIANA GARRO,
Defendant-Appellee.
________________________
Appeals from the United States District Court
for the Northern District of Georgia
________________________
(October 28, 2014)
Before ED CARNES, Chief Judge, JORDAN and ROSENBAUM, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:
The following facts are undisputed. The appellees filed voluntary petitions
for bankruptcy under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code. In their petitions, they
reported that their homes were subject to two mortgage liens. In every case,
appellant Bank of America, N.A. held the second-priority mortgage liens. In every
case, the value of the home was less than the balance of the senior lienholder’s
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mortgage. Each petitioner sought a determination from the bankruptcy court that
Bank of America’s junior mortgage lien was wholly unsecured and, therefore, void
under 11 U.S.C. § 506(a) and (d). The bankruptcy court granted each motion.
Bank of America appealed in every case and the district court affirmed every time.
Bank of America brought separate appeals to this Court. The appellees filed
motions to consolidate the appeals, which this Court granted. Bank of America
filed a motion for initial hearing en banc, which this Court denied.
When the district court affirms the bankruptcy court’s order, we review only
the bankruptcy court’s decision on appeal. Educ. Credit Mgmt. Corp. v. Mosley,
494 F.3d 1320, 1324 (11th Cir. 2007). We review de novo the bankruptcy court’s
legal conclusions. Hemar Ins. Corp. of Am. v. Cox, 338 F.3d 1238, 1241 (11th
Cir. 2003).
In Folendore v. United States Small Bus. Admin., 862 F.2d 1537 (11th Cir.
1989), we held that an allowed claim that is wholly unsecured — just as Bank of
America’s claims are here — is voidable under the plain language of section
506(d). Id. at 1538–39. Bank of America contends that the Supreme Court’s
decision in Dewsnup v. Timm, 502 U.S. 410, 112 S.Ct. 773 (1992), abrogated our
Folendore decision. Bank of America concedes, however, that “[u]nder our prior
panel precedent rule, a later panel may depart from an earlier panel’s decision only
when the intervening Supreme Court decision is ‘clearly on point.’” Atl. Sounding
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Co., Inc. v. Townsend, 496 F.3d 1282, 1284 (11th Cir. 2007). Bank of America
also concedes that our decision in In re McNeal, 735 F.3d 1263 (11th Cir. 2012),
held that the Supreme Court’s decision in Dewsnup is not clearly on point because
it “disallowed only a ‘strip down’ of a partially secured mortgage lien and did not
address a ‘strip off’ of a wholly unsecured lien.” Id. at 1265. Our Folendore and
McNeal decisions control this case.
AFFIRMED.

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