Southerland v. Smith

ORDER

KOVACHEVICH, District Judge.

The debtor appellant, Columbus J. South-erland (Southerland) filed a Chapter 13 action fro se in the Bankruptcy Court of the Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division. In a related adversary proceeding, Souther-land named several defendants, including Ann Southerland Laird (Laird) his ex-wife, all of whom are Georgia citizens.

At the pre-trial conference before the Bankruptcy Court, Judge Baynes found that all the causes of action arose out of appellant’s divorce case that was still pending in Pickens County, Georgia. Specifically, the Bankruptcy Court stated…