United States Court of Appeals
Fifth Circuit
F I L E D
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
April 16, 2003
For the Fifth Circuit
Charles R. Fulbruge III
Clerk
No. 02-50930
Summary Calendar
In The Matter Of: RODNEY K DANSEREAU; HILTRUDE M DANSEREAU;
Debtors
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CASH-N-ADVANCE
Appellant
v.
RODNEY K DANSEREAU; HILTRUDE M DANSEREAU
Appellees
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In The Matter Of:ROBERT MORGAN; TRACY LYNN KRINGS
Debtors
- - - - - - - - - - - -
CASH-N-ADVANCE
Appellant
v.
ROBERT MORGAN; TRACY LYNN KRINGS
Appellees
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In The Matter Of: MICHAEL ANDREW MADRID; LISELOTTE JENSEN MADRID
Debtors
- - - - - - - - - - - -
CASH-N-ADVANCE
Appellant
v.
MICHAEL ANDREW MADRID; LISELOTTE JENSEN MADRID
Appellees
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In The Matter Of: CHRISTOPHER HOFFMANN; ROCHELLE DENICE HOFFMANN
Debtors
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
CASH-N-ADVANCE
Appellant
v.
CHRISTOPHER HOFFMANN; ROCHELLE DENICE HOFFMANN
Appellees
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In The Matter Of: JOAN L ROSENBROCK
Debtor
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
CASH-N-ADVANCE
Appellant
v.
JOAN L ROSENBROCK
Appellee
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In The Matter Of: WILLIE LEE HODGES; DYRENDA TUTAVENA HODGES
Debtor
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
CASH-N-ADVANCE
Appellant
v.
WILLIE LEE HODGES; DYRENDA TUTAVENA HODGES
Appellees
*******************************************
In The Matter Of: DEMETRIUS DUDLEY DAVIS; MARY ANN DAVIS
Debtor
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
CASH-N-ADVANCE
Appellant
v.
DEMETRIUS DUDLEY DAVIS; MARY ANN DAVIS
Appellees
Appeal from the United States District Court
For the Western District of Texas
W-02-CV-81, W-02-CV-82, W-02-CV-83, W-02-CV-84
W-02-CV-85, W-02-CV-86, W-02-CV-87
March 17, 2003
Before DAVIS, WIENER and EMILIO GARZA, Circuit Judges
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PER CURIAM:*
Cash-N-Advance asks this court to reverse the order of the
district court upholding the bankruptcy court’s imposition of
sanctions against Cash-N-Advance for classifying unsecured claims
as “priority” claims in seven Chapter 13 Bankruptcy proceedings
with no arguable legal or factual basis for doing so. We review
the Bankruptcy Court’s imposition of sanctions for abuse of
discretion. We are satisfied that the bankruptcy court did not
abuse its discretion in imposing sanctions against Cash-N-Advance
and affirm the district court’s judgment.
Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 9011 (the counterpart of
Fed. R. Civ. P. 11) authorizes the Bankruptcy Court to impose
sanctions against attorneys, law firms or individuals who violate
the rule. Section 9011(c) grants authority to the bankruptcy
court to impose sanctions on its own initiative. “If after notice
and a reasonable opportunity to respond,” the court finds a
violation of the rule, the court may impose sanctions. Fed. R.
Bankr. P. 9011.
As applied to this case, 9011(b) required that an attorney for
Cash-N-Advance sign each of the proofs of claim submitted to the
court and certify, among other things, that “to the best of the
person’s knowledge, information, and belief, formed after an
*
Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the Court has determined that this
opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under
the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR. R. 47.5.4.
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inquiry reasonable under the circumstances” the claims were
warranted by law and the factual contentions had evidentiary
support. Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9011(a) and (b). The record amply
supports the bankruptcy judge’s finding that Cash-N-Advance filed
priority status claims without any factual or legal basis. Cash-N-
Advance also received the required notice and had more than a
reasonable opportunity to respond. Cash-N-Advance filed a Response
to the Bankruptcy Court’s Show Cause Order and participated in a
hearing on the motion for sanctions.
For the reasons given above, we AFFIRM the judgment of the
district court.
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