August 05, 2019

Shareholders Lack Standing to Appeal in Fifth Circuit, District Judge Holds

Reasonableness of breakup fee is measured by the total contract price, not the amount retained by the debtor.

July 16, 2019

Liquidation Value Required in a Chapter 12 Cramdown

Idaho judge seems to disagree with the Second Circuit’s ruling that a chapter 12 debtor can surrender less than all of the collateral to confirm a plan.

9th Circuit, Idaho

July 15, 2019

Ninth Circuit BAP Allows a Complaint to Revoke Discharge After 180 Days

The Ninth Circuit BAP follows a Pennsylvania bankruptcy court decision with facts more similar than those in Ninth Circuit precedent.

9th Circuit

July 11, 2019

Michigan Court Allows Curing a Chapter 13 Payment Default After Five Years

Some lower courts don’t allow chapter 13 plan payments after five years, but two circuits do.

6th Circuit, Michigan, Michigan Eastern District

June 25, 2019

Intercreditor Agreement Didn’t Apply to Plan Distributions, Third Circuit Holds

The Third Circuit wrote an important decision on distributing collateral under an intercreditor agreement, but it wasn’t precedential.

3rd Circuit

June 24, 2019

Failure to Appeal Confirmation Bars Claims to Estate Property, Fifth Circuit Holds

A plan’s declaration that disputed property belongs to the debtor’s estate must be challenged before confirmation becomes final.

5th Circuit

June 10, 2019

Bankruptcy Judge Says Espinosa Overrules Eleventh Circuit Precedent

A chapter 13 plan that improperly modifies a home mortgage remains binding unless the lender has objected to confirmation.

11th Circuit, Florida, Florida Southern District

May 29, 2019

Fourth Circuit Eliminates a Split on Modifying Short Term Mortgages in Chapter 13

Joining two other circuits, the Fourth Circuit now permits a chapter 13 debtor to strip down a short term home mortgage to the value of the property.

4th Circuit

May 16, 2019

Direct Mortgage Payments Are ‘Under the Plan,’ Ninth Circuit BAP Says

BAP joins the majority of courts by saying that defaulting on direct mortgage payments precludes a chapter 13 debtor from receiving a discharge.

9th Circuit

May 14, 2019

Circuits Split on Bankruptcy Jurisdiction for Social Security, Medicare Suits

Fifth Circuit rejects the ‘recodification canon’ to divest bankruptcy courts of jurisdiction over Social Security suits.

5th Circuit