June 26, 2018

Courts Split on Paying Chapter 13 Debtor’s Counsel if Conversion Precedes Confirmation

Arizona judge declines to expand Harris v. Viegelahn to cases when conversion precedes confirmation.

9th Circuit, Arizona

June 25, 2018

Bankruptcy Court’s Contempt Power Includes Incarceration for More Than Three Years

Ninth Circuit gives short shrift to a man who continues defying an order to turn over $1.4 million of estate property.

9th Circuit

June 22, 2018

Colleges Beat Back Another Fraudulent Transfer Suit Aimed at Tuition Payments

Federal student loan proceeds were never the parents’ property and thus could not be recovered by a trustee.

2nd Circuit, Connecticut

June 21, 2018

Ninth Circuit BAP Nullifies Section 541(b)(8) When Pawnbroker Must Give Notice

BAP agrees with Title Max that pawned property drops out of an estate automatically when state law does not require notice.

9th Circuit

June 20, 2018

Ninth Circuit Finds a Loophole to Reduce a Pre-Bankruptcy Fee Award

Prepetition judgments for attorneys’ fees are not sacrosanct in bankruptcy.

9th Circuit

June 18, 2018

Assuming a Lease Under Section 365(p) Doesn’t Also Require Reaffirmation, Some Say

Courts are split on the interpretation of BAPCPA’s treatment of automatically rejected leases in chapter 7.

11th Circuit, Florida, Florida Southern District

June 15, 2018

Notice Can Be Ok if Given to Attorney Who Represented Creditor Four Years Earlier

Fraudulent intent can’t be inferred from failure to disclose assets that became worthless before bankruptcy, Tenth Circuit says.

10th Circuit

Ninth Circuit BAP Nullifies Section 541(b)(8) When Pawnbroker Must Give Notice

BAP agrees with Title Max that pawned property drops out of an estate automatically when state law does not require notice.

9th Circuit

June 14, 2018

‘Cert’ Petition Wants Discharge Violations to Be Arbitrated

Petitioner contends the Second Circuit was wrong to bar arbitration in view of the Supreme Court’s decision in Epic Systems.

Supreme Court

June 12, 2018

First Circuit Splits with the Ninth over Good Faith Defense to Discharge Violation

Seven weeks apart, two circuits reach diametrically different conclusions about good faith as a defense to an intentional act that violates the discharge injunction.

1st Circuit