June 22, 2017

Mortgage Deficiency Judgments Are Avoidable Impairments, BAP Holds

Courts divided on rationale, Sixth Circuit BAP adopts First Circuit’s approach.

6th Circuit

June 21, 2017

EDNY Changes Policies about Defaults on Direct-Pay Mortgages in Chapter 13

Mortgage payments are considered ‘under the plan’ even if made by the chapter 13 debtors directly.

2nd Circuit, New York, New York Eastern District

Plan Modifications Are Timely if Motion Is Filed Before Last Chapter 13 Plan Payment

Date of filing, not date of hearing, is pivotal on timeliness of chapter 13 plan modifications.

6th Circuit, Michigan, Michigan Eastern District

June 20, 2017

Bankruptcy Management Solutions Defeats Antitrust Attack on Fee Structure

Creditor lacked standing to allege horizontal antitrust conspiracy on software providers’ fee structure.

June 16, 2017

Discharge Revocation Deadline is NOT Jurisdictional, Ninth Circuit Holds

Ninth Circuit is hesitant to make bankruptcy time deadlines jurisdictional.

9th Circuit

June 14, 2017

Cryptic Disclosure of Fee Sharing Is Inadequate, Judge Houser Holds

Terms of fee sharing must be disclosed in the retention application, not just in an exhibit.

5th Circuit, Texas, Texas Northern District

June 13, 2017

Judgment Void for Violating Discharge Doesn’t Qualify for Rooker-Feldman Protection

Kansas judge differs with a non-precedential Tenth Circuit opinion on Rooker-Feldman.

10th Circuit, Kansas

Debtor Must Turn Over a Portion of Accrued Vacation Pay to the Trustee, District Judge Holds

The value of prepaid family expenses belongs to the trustee, even without being a fraudulent transfer.

9th Circuit, Arizona

June 12, 2017

A Debt Purchaser Is Not a ‘Debt Collector’ Regulated by the FDCPA, Supreme Court Holds

Justice Gorsuch’s maiden opinion is a unanimous decision favoring debt purchasers.

Supreme Court

June 09, 2017

Dubious Opinion Says Automatic Stay Inapplicable to Setoff Against Exempt Property

District judge refuses to give automatic stay protection to a tax evader.

6th Circuit, Michigan, Michigan Eastern District