The opinion
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
JACKSONVILLE DIVISION
In re:
Sam Parker Coats,
Frances Elaine Coats,
Debtors. Bankruptcy Case No. 3:21-bk-2641-JAB
Adversary Case No. 3:21-ap-0105-JAB
Adversary Case No. 3:22-ap-0002-JAB
_______________________________________
SAM PARKER COATS and
SAM P. COATS, surviving entities owner,
Appellants,
v. Case No. 3:22-cv-1284-TJC
AARON R. COHEN, as Trustee,
SUGAR MILL PLANTATION
HOMEOWNERS’ ASSOCIATION, INC.,
Appellees.
_________________________________________
ORDER
This bankruptcy appeal is before the Court following the timely appeal by
appellants Sam Parker Coats and Sam P. Coats, surviving entities owner,1 of
the United States Bankruptcy Court’s September 20, 2022 Amended Findings
1 The Court granted appellants’ motion to substitute Sam P. Coats,
surviving entities owner, for Frances Elaine Coats after she passed away. See
Docs. 15, 16, 20, 23.
of Fact and Conclusions of Law (BK Doc. 206); September 20, 2022 Order
Sustaining Objection to Debtors’ Claim of Exemptions Filed by Sugar Mill
Plantation Homeowners’ Association, Inc. (BK Doc. 209); September 20, 2022
Order Sustaining in Part and Overruling in Part Trustee’s Objection to Debtors’
Claim of Exemptions (BK Doc. 207); September 20, 2022 Final Judgment as to
Counts I and II of the Amended Complaint and as to Defendants’ First
Counterclaim and Second Counterclaim (Adv. Pro. Case No. 3:21-ap-00105,
Doc. 30); September 20, 2022 Final Judgment as to Count I of the Complaint
(Adv. Pro. Case No. 3:22-ap-0002, Doc. 18); and October 31, 2022 Order Denying
Debtors’ Motion for New Trial (BK Doc. 223). The parties filed the relevant
portions of the record (Docs. 1-1, 4, 7-11, 17, 19) and briefs (Docs. 6, 18, 22) in
support of their respective positions.
The Court is sitting in an appellate capacity. It therefore reviews the
bankruptcy court’s legal conclusions de novo and its factual findings for clear
error. See, e.g., In re Yerian, 927 F.3d 122, 1227 (11th Cir. 2019) (citation and
quotation omitted). Applying these standards, and upon careful consideration
of the briefs and record on appeal, the Court concludes that the bankruptcy
court committed no errors of law and made no clearly erroneous factual
findings.
The Court is not unsympathetic to the predicament in which this may
leave Mr. Coats. Judge Brown likewise described his position in making this
determination as “unenviable.” See BK Doc. 206 at 26. Indeed, as Northern
District of Florida Chief Bankruptcy Judge Karen Specie has stated, “[o]ne of
the most difficult decisions bankruptcy judges face is whether to permit debtors
to keep certain property they claim as homestead.” In re Wiley, 570 B.R. 661,
673 (N.D. Fla. 2016). Nonetheless, where the law has been faithfully applied
and no factual findings are clearly erroneous, sympathy cannot dictate a
contrary outcome; the Court must affirm.
Accordingly, it is hereby
ORDERED:
The United States Bankruptcy Court’s September 20, 2022 Amended
Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law (BK Doc. 206); September 20, 2022
Order Sustaining Objection to Debtors’ Claim of Exemptions Filed by Sugar
Mill Plantation Homeowners’ Association, Inc. (BK Doc. 209); September 20,
2022 Order Sustaining in Part and Overruling in Part Trustee’s Objection to
Debtors’ Claim of Exemptions (BK Doc. 207); September 20, 2022 Final
Judgment as to Counts I and II of the Amended Complaint and as to
Defendants’ First Counterclaim and Second Counterclaim (Adv. Pro. Case No.
3:21-ap-00105, Doc. 30); September 20, 2022 Final Judgment as to Count I of
the Complaint (Adv. Pro. Case No. 3:22-ap-0002, Doc. 18); October 31, 2022
Order Denying Debtors’ Motion for New Trial (BK Doc. 223) are AFFIRMED.
The Clerk shall close the file.
DONE AND ORDERED in Jacksonville, Florida this 28th day of
December, 2023.
NW, TIMOTHY J. CORRIGAN
Sas United States District Judge
s.
Copies:
Honorable Jacob A. Brown
United States Bankruptcy Judge
Counsel of record