Rosenberg v. DVI Receivables XVII LLC

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Rosenberg is the “principal architect” NMI and NMI Holding, which are affiliated with limited partnerships (LPs) that operate medical imaging centers. To finance the purchase of medical imaging equipment, the LPs entered into leases with DVI entities. DVI Financial was the initial servicer of the leases and U.S. Bank acted as trustee. When DVI Financial entered bankruptcy in 2004, Lyon acquired the servicing contracts. During state court litigation over money owed under the leases, DVI filed involuntary bankruptcy petitions against Rosenberg, NMI, and NMI Holding. The bankruptcy court dismissed the petitions because the DVI entities were not Rosenberg’s creditors. Rosenberg then filed an adversary action under 11 U.S.C. 303(i), alleging bad faith filing. Rosenberg obtained awards of fees and costs, $1.1 million in compensatory damages, and $5 million in punitive damages. Rosenberg’s wife, the Rosenberg Trust, and other Rosenberg Affiliates then sought damages based on the involuntary bankruptcy petitions, alleging tortious interference with contracts and business relationships. NMI Real Estate Partnerships owned the medical imaging facilities subject to mortgages. Rosenberg Affiliates alleged that the involuntary bankruptcy filings were intended to cause those Partnerships to default on their underlying mortgages; all but one of the properties have been lost. The district court dismissed, finding the claim preempted by the Bankruptcy Code. The Third Circuit reversed, stating that section 303(i) does not preempt the state law claims of nondebtors predicated on the filing of an involuntary bankruptcy petition. View "Rosenberg v. DVI Receivables XVII LLC" on Justia Law