Claim to set aside transfer of land as fraudulent conveyance was dismissed

Fraudulent transactions

Claim to set aside transfer of land as fraudulent conveyance was dismissed

Plaintiffs obtained judgment against defendants. SM made payments subsequent to judgment. One of plaintiffs signed release with regard to debt owed. Plaintiffs asserted defendants represented that plaintiffs would be paid notwithstanding bankruptcy. Plaintiffs brought claim seeking to set aside transfer of land as fraudulent conveyance based on allegation that SM at time of transfer was indebted to plaintiff pursuant to unpaid judgment debt. Defendants asserted SM was released from any liability by assignment in bankruptcy and subsequent discharge from bankruptcy. Defendants asserted that SM acquired his interest in land after date of his discharge and transfer of land was made more than 10 years after his discharge from bankruptcy. Defendants brought motion for summary judgment to dismiss plaintiffs’ action. Motion granted. There was no genuine issue requiring trial. Defendants made out prima facie case . Claim was based on SM being indebted to plaintiffs at time of transfer in 2010, but at time of transfer SM was released from his obligation under judgment as result of discharge from bankruptcy. There was no basis on which to set aside transfer of lands made by SM 10 years after his discharge from bankruptcy and where he acquired lands three years after discharge from bankruptcy. Release and confirmation of financial settlement, and payment were sufficient to release SM from all further payments traceable to judgment, or any alleged agreement to pay judgment notwithstanding SM’s discharge from bankruptcy. Evidence failed to establish that plaintiff who did not sign release was aware of agreement to withhold filing proof of bankruptcy in exchange for promise by defendants to pay judgment. Failure of SM to list plaintiff as creditor when making assignment in bankruptcy had no effect on validity of SM’s discharge from bankruptcy. Pleadings could not be interpreted as basis of claim in contract or detrimental reliance arising out of alleged representations by defendants at time of SM’s assignment in bankruptcy.
Youssef v. Meddaoui (Aug. 31, 2016, Ont. S.C.J., Victor Mitrow J., 5261/11) 270 A.C.W.S. (3d) 770.