October 11, 2021

Student Loans Were Discharged Only with Assistance from Pro Bono Counsel

A debtor with negative disposable income was forced to go through two trials and three appeals to discharge student loans.

11th Circuit, Alabama, Alabama Middle District

October 07, 2021

On Student Loan Discharge, District Judge Requires Responses to Unasserted Defenses

New York district judge requires a student loan debtor to prove the reasonableness of living expenses when the lender never objected.

2nd Circuit, New York, New York Southern District

October 04, 2021

On an ‘Involuntary,’ Denial of Summary Judgment Doesn’t Mean the Claim Is Disputed

The Iqbal and Twombly standards don’t apply to involuntary petitioners who are required to use Official Form 105.

5th Circuit, Texas, Texas Southern District

September 30, 2021

A Claim Objection Can Head Off Election of a Permanent Chapter 7 Trustee

A creditor can’t elect a trustee to pick its adversary in a lawsuit, Bankruptcy Judge Gunn says.

D.C. Circuit

September 29, 2021

Objections to Priority Claims May Follow Confirmation of a Chapter 13 Plan

Confirming a chapter 13 plan on the assumption that a claim was entitled to priority didn’t bar the debtors from later objecting to the priority of the claim.

7th Circuit, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Eastern District

September 28, 2021

Time Limits for Effecting Service of Process Can Be Flexible, Eleventh Circuit Says

Under unusual circumstances, a two-year delay in completing service of process was not fatal in the Eleventh Circuit.

11th Circuit

September 27, 2021

Issue and Claim Preclusion Didn’t Bar Challenging a Lien Previously Considered Valid

Newly applicable law permitted a chapter 13 debtor to cram down a lien that the debtor previously had considered to be valid.

3rd Circuit, Delaware

September 24, 2021

Estate Claims Can’t Be Sold for Trivial Recovery by Unsecured Creditors

Had the purchaser of estate claims offered to waive its own unsecured claim, the sale might have been approved.

2nd Circuit, New York, New York Eastern District

September 21, 2021

Texas Judge Disagrees with Second Circuit on Sanctions for Violating Rule 3002.1

Bankruptcy Judge Eduardo Rodriguez explained why the Second Circuit was wrong in ruling that violators of Rule 3002.1 are only liable for compensatory damages.

2nd Circuit, New York, New York Southern District

September 14, 2021

Chapter 13 Debtor Keeps a Whopping Increase in the Value of a Home

On a question where the courts are split, a New Jersey bankruptcy judge allowed the chapter 13 debtor to retain a $100,000 increase in value when he sold his home.

3rd Circuit, New Jersey