Who Wins: A Chapter 13 Trustee or an Unrecorded Divorce Decree?

By Kara West, Staff Attorney for C. Kenneth Still, Standing Chapter 13 Trustee for the Southern Division of the Eastern District of Tennessee (Chattanooga)

It seemed so simple at first. But soon I was headed down the rabbit hole and only a spirit board and strong pot of coffee could guide me back. The issue arose at confirmation on a Trustee’s objection to confirmation. Was the debtor paying as much to the unsecured creditors in her chapter 13 plan as such creditors would receive in a hypothetical chapter 7 liquidation?

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2022 Bankruptcy Procedure Year in Review: Revised Statute and Rules and Selected Cases – Part 3 Rules Related to SBRA (Continued)

Lawrence R. Ahern, III

December 4, 2022

Introduction This series reviews developments in bankruptcy procedure during 2022. Amendments to 16 rules and new one new rule take effect December 1, 2022, absent Congressional action. Many reflect changes necessitated by the Small Business Reorganization Act of 2019 (SBRA),1 and have been in place in the same or similar form on an interim basis since that legislation took effect.

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In re Fulton: Seventh Circuit Affirms Its Position with Majority of Circuits on Passive Retention of Property as Violation of Sections 362 and 542

June 30, 2019

By Lawrence R. Ahern III, Brown & Ahern (Nashville, TN) Introduction In In re Fulton,1 the Seventh Circuit has restated its position on passive violation of the automatic stay, holding that failure by the City of Chicago to turn over impounded vehicles after the owners' bankruptcy filings violated Bankruptcy Code sections 362 and 542. Fulton – Background and Ruling The...

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What’s It Worth to You?

Cathy Moran

August 21, 2022

If all the children in Lake Woebegon are above average, all the small businesses our clients run are quite valuable.If the Chapter 13 trustee is asking the question, anyway. I rail when the Chapter 13 trustee’s business questionnaire asks, “how much would you sell your business for.” Phrased that way, the question implicates all kinds of facts that aren’t in...

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CFPB Releases Report on Debt Settlements and Credit Counseling

July 12, 2020

July 10, 2020, the CFPB released a report examining recent trends in debt settlement and credit counseling. Many Americans struggle with their debts, especially during times of crisis. Today’s report documents changes over time in how consumers have used these debt relief options for unsecured debt. Using the Bureau’s Consumer Credit Panel (CCP), a nationally representative sample of approximately five...

Rules, Means-Test Amounts and Miscellaneous Fees: Changes Wrap Up 2020

November 15, 2020

Lawrence R. Ahern, III Brown & Ahern Nashville, Tennessee Appendix A Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure Amendments Effective December 1, 2020 The proposed rules and Committee notes are set forth below, with changes indicated by striking through deleted text and underlining new text. Rule 2002. Notices to Creditors, Equity Security Holders, Administrators in Foreign Proceedings, Persons Against Whom Provisional Relief...

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From the Editor

March 31, 2019

By Wm. Houston Brown, United States Bankruptcy Judge (Retired) Lien Modification - Modification of mortgage on mixed-use property. Reviewing the split of authority on whether a Chapter 13 debtor may modify a mortgage on property used for both business and residential purposes and when the use determination is made, the bankruptcy court adopted the filing date as the appropriate time...

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The Proposed Consumer Bankruptcy Reform Act: A Political Analysis

January 17, 2021

By Kevin M. Ball, Eastern Michigan University Senator Warren and Representative Nadler introduced identical legislation entitled the Consumer Bankruptcy Report Act (“CBRA”) late in the 116th Congress. Although the bills died without action at the conclusion of that term, the sponsors have indicated their intent to reintroduce them in the 117th Congress. The legislation would bring major changes to the...

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Beyond Professional Ethics

July 25, 2021

By Merideth Akers, CPA, PHR, Comptroller forBradford W. Caraway (Birmingham, AL) I am a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Professional in Human Resources (PHR). I suspect that many who read this article are Licensed Attorneys. Others may hold a certification from other professions. These entities have their own rules of professional ethics and conduct that govern what we are...

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From the Editor – Claims

May 16, 2021

By The Honorable William Houston Brown (Retired) Unpaid filing fee in prior case was unsecured claim. The Chapter 13 trustee moved for authority to pay unpaid filing fee from prior case, but Court denied that to the extent the motion sought payment ahead of unsecured creditors. The unpaid filing fee was nothing more than a general unsecured claim in the...

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Critical Case Comment – Debtor Bears Burden of Proof to Be Ones Own Disbursing Agent

Henry E. Hildebrand, III

January 21, 2024

There is a presumption that the trustee will make disbursements under a confirmed Chapter 13 plan and the debtor bears the burden of demonstrating sufficient grounds to justify acting as her own disbursing agent.

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