The United States Trustee filed a motion to dismiss this case as an abuse of the provisions of Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code, pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 707(b).  Section 707(b)(1) provides that a court may dismiss an individual case under Chapter 7 if (1) the debtor’s debts are primarily consumer debts and (2) it would be an abuse of the provisions of Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code to grant relief to the debtor.  Section 707(b)(2) provides that abuse is presumed if a debtor's net monthly income exceeds a certain threshold amount as determined by the means test.  Section 707(b)(3)(B) provides that if the presumption in Section 707(b)(2) does not arise or is rebutted, the court must consider the totality of the debtor's financial circumstances in determining whether proceeding in Chapter 7 would be an abuse.  The United States Trustee has the burden of proof to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that allowing the Debtor to continue in Chapter 7 would constitute abuse.

The Court, applying the factors enumerated by the Fourth Circuit in Green v. Staples (In re Green), 934 F.2d 568 (4th Cir. 1991), concluded that it would not be a substantial abuse to permit the Debtor to continue under Chapter 7.  Although the Debtor might have some disposable income to fund a Chapter 13 plan, there is a significant possibility that the plan would not be feasible.  While the Debtor did not experience a financial trauma, there is nothing else on the record indicative of substantial abuse.  Accordingly, the Court denied the United States Trustee's motion to dismiss this case for abuse.