June 17, 2016

New York District Judges Disagree on Arbitrating Violations of the Discharge Injunction

Important bankruptcy class action cases heading for the Second Circuit.

2nd Circuit, New York, New York Southern District

June 02, 2016

Courts Disagree on Necessity for Court Approval of New Debt in Chapter 13

To protect debtors from unscrupulous lenders, courts drive up the cost of chapter 13.

8th Circuit, Minnesota

May 26, 2016

Eleventh Circuit Rules Against Debt Collectors, Deepening Split of Circuits on the FDCPA

Appeals court finds no ‘irreconcilable conflict’ between the FDCPA and the Bankruptcy Code.

11th Circuit

May 23, 2016

Debt for Rape Is Dischargeable Without Proof of Subjective Intent to Injure

Proving occurrence of rape evidently does not carry a presumption of intent to injure.

10th Circuit, Oklahoma, Oklahoma Western District

May 05, 2016

District Court Bars Discharge When Student Loans Are Taken Voluntarily

District court arguably tightened Eleventh Circuit’s test on student loan dischargeability.

11th Circuit, Alabama, Alabama Middle District

April 20, 2016

Austin Judge Writes Treatise on Valuation of Personal Property

Lender needs more than Blue Book value to win a valuation trial.

5th Circuit, Texas, Texas Western District

April 16, 2016

Ninth Circuit Says 1980s Supreme Court Opinion Out of Step with Plain Meaning

High court should revisit Kelly v. Robinson from 1986, circuit court says.

9th Circuit

Lower Courts Split on Nondischargeability of Education-Related Loans

New York judges narrowly define ‘educational benefit’ to discharge student loans.

2nd Circuit, New York, New York Eastern District

April 14, 2016

Romance Can Lead to Marriage, but Not to a Nondischargeable Debt

Infatuation negates reliance in alleged fraud between lovers.

4th Circuit, Maryland

April 01, 2016

Circuit Splits Widen on Dischargeability of Tax Debts on Late-Filed Returns

Eleventh Circuit keeps taxpayer on the hook for late-filed tax returns.

11th Circuit