Taylor v. Axion Power International, Inc.

MEMORANDUM

Appellants Lewis Chip Taylor, Chip Taylor In Trust, Jared Taylor, Elgin Investments, Inc., Sharon Taylor, Nicole Taylor Pignatelli, Paul Pignatelli, Colin Taylor, Louise Taylor, 1407580 Ontario Limited, 1248136 Ontario Limited, Mega C Tech., Ltd. (collectively, the Taylor Family Group) appeal the bankruptcy appellate panel’s (BAP) affirmance of the bankruptcy court’s summary judgment dismissal of the Taylor Family Group’s claims in an adversary proceeding concerning ownership of the rights to a lead-acid-carbon battery device, filed by Axion Power Inter national, Inc., et al, (Axion), in the involuntary bankruptcy action of Mega-C Power Corp., a Chapter 11 debtor. Axion cross-appeals the BAP’s affirmance of the Bankruptcy Court’s denial of sanctions and contempt. As the facts and procedural history are familiar to the parties, we do not recite them here except as necessary to explain our disposition. We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 158 , and we affirm.

At the outset, we affirm the BAP’s holding and legal analysis that the bankruptcy court had jurisdiction over the Taylor Family Group. The bankruptcy court had personal jurisdiction over the Taylor Family Group…