Because a trustee suing to recover a fraudulent transfer is acting in the interest of creditors, not the debtor, the in pari delicto defense does not apply, says Bankruptcy Judge Scott Clarkson.
Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Klein said it was ‘nonsense’ to argue that ‘a Bankruptcy Court lacks authority to permit survivor statements to be made to the Court and to the Bishop.’
In transferring venue of a related case under Rule 1014(b), the bankruptcy court can move sua sponte and need not await a venue motion by a creditor or party in interest.
Once affirmed in the Ninth Circuit, the debtor could file a petition for certiorari to resolve an important circuit split on assumption of intellectual property contracts.
Bankruptcy Judge Scott Clarkson nailed the government with $38,000 in sanctions for a ‘willful’ violation of a discovery order shown by ‘clear and convincing evidence.’
If the requisites for a preliminary injunction are met, a trustee might be able to freeze some of a preference defendant’s assets when a prejudgment attachment is not available.
