February 22, 2024

Equitable Mootness Didn’t Stop the Court from Taking Away Stock Bought in a Plan

If a confirmation order is found not to be equitably moot on appeal, the debtor can’t raise equitable mootness again on remand.

11th Circuit, Florida, Florida Southern District

February 09, 2024

Creditors Don’t Receive Estate Assets Recovered After the Last Chapter 13 Plan Payment

Absent a provision in the plan to the contrary, creditors aren’t given estate assets recovered after the final plan payment.

9th Circuit, Idaho

February 07, 2024

Judge Rails Against Subchapter V Cases Taking as Long as ‘Regular’ Chapter 11s

An opinion by Denver’s Judge McNamara describes the four interpretations of Section 1189(b) and follows the meaning given to Section 1221.

10th Circuit, Colorado

February 05, 2024

Sitting on the Sidelines in a Chapter 11 Case Sometimes Doesn’t Pay Off

Knowledge of a chapter 11 case is enough to bind a creditor to the terms of a plan, even if the creditor hasn’t filed a claim, the Fifth Circuit says.

5th Circuit

January 19, 2024

Alabama Judge Gives a Mixed Message on Who Gets Postpetition P.I. Settlements

District court rules that proceeds from a postpetition personal injury claim are ‘additional disposable income’ that ordinarily goes to creditors in a chapter 13 plan.

11th Circuit, Alabama, Alabama Southern District

January 16, 2024

Supreme Court Seems Disinclined to Pay Refunds for Overpayment of U.S. Trustee Fees

Several justices seemed to believe that ‘prospective relief’ is sufficient to remedy the due process violation because the alternatives are ineffective.

Supreme Court

January 09, 2024

Denial of Modification of a Chapter 11 Plan Is Final and Appealable

Baltimore district judge applies the Fourth Circuit’s ‘substantial and unanticipated’ test to modifications of chapter 11 plans.

4th Circuit, Maryland

January 04, 2024

With Reservations, a Chapter 11 Debtor with No Financial Distress Avoids Dismissal

Bankruptcy Judge Whitley says that a no-opt-out plan for a solvent debtor might violate creditors’ due process and jury trial rights.

4th Circuit, North Carolina, North Carolina Western District

December 20, 2023

Judge Harner Gives Contours to the Amorphous Notion of ‘New Value’

The ‘new value’ offered by old equity in a chapter 11 plan was insufficient because it was only a small fraction of claims and because the dividend to creditors was also small.

4th Circuit, Maryland

December 19, 2023

IRS Standard Deduction for Housing Can Be Taken Without Mortgage or Rent Expense

Official Form 122C-2 could be read to deprive a chapter 13 debtor of the IRS standard housing deduction when the statute permits the deduction.

10th Circuit, New Mexico