July 13, 2017

Ninth Circuit Revises an Automatic Stay Opinion from Three Years Ago

Appeals court avoids a split of circuits by deciding a different issue this time.

9th Circuit

July 11, 2017

Collecting Criminal Restitution Does Not Violate the Automatic Stay

Three circuits permit collection of criminal restitution despite the automatic stay.

9th Circuit

July 10, 2017

Can a Plan Modify and Pay Off a Secured Claim Without Creditor Participation?

Texas judge circumvents Fifth Circuit’s requirement of secured creditor participation in chapters 11 and 13.

July 07, 2017

Life Insurance Proceeds Beyond 180 Days Are Estate Property in Chapter 13

Courts split on inclusion of life insurance proceeds in a chapter 13 estate.

11th Circuit, Florida, Florida Middle District

July 06, 2017

Rooker-Feldman Protects Unperfected Mortgages and Permits Foreclosure

Unperfected mortgage can be perfected after discharge, BAP implies.

6th Circuit

July 03, 2017

Monetary Sanctions Are Available to Remedy Violations of the Co-Debtor Stay

Section 105(a) was utilized because Section 1301 is silent on sanctions.

8th Circuit, Iowa, Iowa Northern District

June 30, 2017

District Judge Okays Extraterritorial Application of a State’s Exemptions

Liberal exemptions save the day for debtors who moved before filing.

June 29, 2017

Means Test Applies in a Chapter 7 Case Converted from Chapter 13, Circuit Rules

Eleventh Circuit relies on the ‘evolution’ of Section 707(b) to proscribe an evasion of the means test.

11th Circuit

June 27, 2017

Look Forward 5 Years, Not 25, on Debtor’s Inability to Repay Student Loans, Judge Says

Term of the loan is the ‘relevant period’ for judging student loan dischargeability.

3rd Circuit, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Eastern District

June 26, 2017

Bankruptcy Court Can Rule on Personal Injury Claim with Creditor’s Implied Consent

Supreme Court held that Section 157(b)(5) is not jurisdictional, Delaware district judge says.

3rd Circuit, Delaware