Robert J. Faris

How Judge Faris rules, drawn from 10 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

Court
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Hawaii
Position
bankruptcy
Appointed by
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Commissioned
2002-02-14
Education
Reed College, B.A., 1980; University of California, Berkeley, J.D., 1983
Signed orders read
10

How Judge Faris decides

Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

What persuades

When two junior lienholders can each demand marshaling, proportional allocation can protect both from the senior creditor and from each other.

“The proportionality approach protects both junior liens from the senior creditor’s unbridled discretion and from each other, and provides for a neutral, fair, easily administered rule.”

Procedural preferences

A pending appeal prevents the bankruptcy court from altering the precise bond disposition under appellate review.

“A pending appeal divests a bankruptcy court of jurisdiction to vacate or modify an order which is on appeal.”

Cautions

Punitive or duplicative recovery requires an independent legal basis and proof beyond the underlying violation.

“the debtor is not entitled to an overlapping recovery on her various claims.”

Signed rulings

A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.

Field v. Levin (In re Maui Industrial Loan & Finance Co.)
· 2011-06-29
Motions to dismiss (defendants) Granted in part

“The defendants’ motion to dismiss is granted as to count 1, and denied as to all other counts.”

Motion for partial summary judgment (Chapter 7 trustee) Granted in part

“The trustee’s countermotion for partial summary judgment is granted to the following extent:”

Field v. Trust Estate of Rose Kepoikai (In re Maui Industrial Loan & Finance Co.)
· 2011-05-04
Motions to dismiss (Kepoikai defendants) Granted in part

“count 1 of the trustee’s complaints in the Kepoikai (10-90126), Starr (10-90130), and Kost (10-90131) cases, based on section 548 of the Bankruptcy Code, is dismissed”

Motions to dismiss (Starr defendants) Granted in part
Motions to dismiss (Kost defendants) Granted in part
Motions to dismiss (DeCoite defendants) Granted in part

“count 1 of the trustee’s complaint in the DeCoite case (10-90137) is dismissed as to all transfers that occurred more than two years before the petition date”

Arakaki v. C & S Electric, Inc.
· 2010-07-16
Cross motions for partial summary judgment (parties) Granted in part

“Genuine issues of material fact preclude partial summary judgment on the question whether the ‘Unconditional Waiver and Release upon Final Payment’ is valid.”

Summit Creditors' Trust v. Hawaii Forest Preservation, LLC
· 2010-02-10
Motion for partial summary judgment (Finance Factors, Limited) Granted in part

“ORDER GRANTING IN PART AND DENYING IN PART PLAINTIFF FINANCE FACTORS, LIMITED’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT”

Countermotion for summary judgment (GBBY Ewa Limited Partnership) Granted

“ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT GBBY EWA LIMITED PARTNERSHIP’S COUNTER MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT”

In re Hoopai
· 2009-06-02
Motion to release supersedeas bond (Maluhia) Moot / procedural

“a separate order will enter denying Maluhia’s motion for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.”

In re Cha Hawaii, LLC
· 2010-03-04
Motion for adequate protection (secured creditor) Granted in part

“The protective provisions of paragraphs 2 through 6 of the interim order (docket no. 1053) shall continue to apply.”

Request for attorneys fees or sanctions (secured creditor) Denied

“I will not award attorneys’ fees or other sanctions at this time.”

C & W Asset Acquisition, LLC v. Feagins
· 2010-10-22
Nondischargeability claim (creditor-plaintiff) Denied

“counsel for Ms. Domogma shall submit a separate and final judgment in favor of the defendant.”

Civil contempt claim (debtor-defendant) Granted

“An award of reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs incurred as a result of C & W’s violation of the discharge injunction, including the fees incurred in this adversary proceeding, is an appropriate remedy.”

Emotional distress damages (debtor-defendant) Denied

“Therefore, an award for damages as a result of emotional distress is not appropriate.”

Punitive damages (debtor-defendant) Denied

“I am not convinced that C & W’s conduct was sufficiently egregious to justify a noncom-pensatory award.”

Attorneys fees (debtor-defendant) Granted

“The award of attorneys’ fees and costs is thus mandatory under section 523(d).”

Restitution (debtor-defendant) Granted

“C & W must restore to Ms. Domogma any amounts that it collected from her on the Account, including any withheld wages, plus appropriate prejudgment interest.”

Chang v. Crouch (In re Hokulani Square, Inc.)
· 2009-04-13
Summary judgment (Investors Funding Corporation) Granted in part

“The motion and countermotion are granted in part and denied in part as set forth above.”

Summary judgment (the Changs) Granted in part
Azabu Liquidating Trust v. Beecher, Ltd.
· 2008-03-11
Motion for partial summary judgment (Azabu Liquidating Trust) Granted

“The Trust has established as a matter of law that Beecher may recover interest on its domesticated judgment at the six percent rate ordered by the Japanese court.”

Kekauoha-Alisa v. Ameriquest Mortgage Co.
· 2008-09-03
Breach of contract claim (debtor-plaintiff) Granted

“Because Ameriquest and WM failed to comply with the nonjudicial foreclosure statute and the power of sale contained in the Mortgage, the foreclosure sale is void.”

Turnover claim (debtor-plaintiff) Moot / procedural

“Therefore, the turnover count shall be dismissed as moot.”

Unfair or deceptive trade practices claim (debtor-plaintiff) Granted

“the money judgment will be in the amount of $417,761.66 (plus $2,700 per month)”

Emotional distress damages (debtor-plaintiff) Denied

“No damages for emotional distress will be awarded.”

Punitive damages (debtor-plaintiff) Denied

“There will be no punitive damages”

Injunction claim (debtor-plaintiff) Granted

“Plaintiff is entitled to an injunction requiring WM to reconvey the Mortgaged Property to the debtor”

Attorneys fees (debtor-plaintiff) Granted

“The debtor is entitled to recover reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs under Haw.Rev.Stat. § 607-14.”

Draft for Judge Faris with the record in hand

Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Faris, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.

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