08/23/2021
LANDLORD TENANT COURT IN NEW JERSEY - HACKENSACK 07601 | 201-646-3333
Hi, I'm Vanessa. I recommend Rafael Gomez as a lawyer to everyone if you need help with anything, for simple cases, actually for anything you need.
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CHARLES W. STRUNCK, III, Plaintiff-Appellant,
v.
CARMEN M. FIGUEROA, Defendant-Respondent.
No. A-1224-14T4.
Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division.
Submitted October 20, 2015.
Decided May 3, 2016.
Begelman, Orlow & Melletz, attorneys for appellant (Marc M. Orlow and Daniel S. Orlow, on the briefs).
The Micklin Law Group, attorneys for respondent (Brad M. Micklin and Richard M. Muglia, on the brief).
Before Judges Fisher and Espinosa.
NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THE APPELLATE DIVISION
PER CURIAM.
Plaintiff Charles W. Strunck, III, appeals from an order that denied his motion to enforce litigant's rights. We affirm.
On August 31, 2011, plaintiff and defendant Carmen M. Figueroa were granted a divorce by the Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania. The divorce decree awarded plaintiff the sum of $23,369 to be transferred from defendant's "Fidelity account" by way of a qualified domestic relations order (QDRO). The divorce decree directed that plaintiff be responsible for the preparation and cost for the QDRO. However, defendant withdrew all funds from the Fidelity account before the divorce decree was entered and filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition on December 6, 2011.
Schedule F (Creditors Holding Unsecured Nonpriority Claims) of defendant's bankruptcy petition lists plaintiff as a creditor, states the $23,269 claim was incurred in August 2011 and provides the following description: "Matrimonial judgment — This judgment is not a domestic support obligation under Section 523(a)(5) of the Code." Plaintiff does not dispute that he received notice of the bankruptcy petition and the inclusion of the $23,369 as an unsecured claim in that petition.
Plaintiff states he consulted with a bankruptcy attorney who advised him that, "as a practical matter, [he] was better off not pursuing legal action against the Defendant for her failure to comply with the terms of the [divorce decree]."
Pursuant to the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure, a creditor may contest the dischargeability of a debt by filing "a complaint . . . objecting to the debtor's discharge . . . no later than 60 days after the first date set for the meeting of creditors under § 341(a)," or as extended by the court. Fed. R. Bankr. P. 4004(b).
Plaintiff did not file an adversary complaint to challenge the dischargeability of the $23,369 claim. See Fed. R. Bankr. P. 4007(a). Defendant was granted a discharge of this and all other debts listed on her petition in March 2012. See 11 U.S.C.A. § 727.
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Hi, I'm Vanessa. I recommend Rafael Gomez as a lawyer to everyone if you need help with anything, for simple cases, actually for anything you need.
Hi, I'm Vanessa. I recommend Rafael Gomez as a lawyer to everyone if you need help with anything, for simple cases, actually for anything you need.----------...