Chapter 13 Trustee Duties, Powers, and Limitations

By James J. Robinson, Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge, Northern District of Alabama

Who appoints the standing chapter 13 trustee?

The United States Trustee appoints the standing chapter 13 trustee for each judicial district where the UST system is in place, while the court appoints the standing chapter 13 trustee under the Bankruptcy Administrator program. See 11 U.S.C. § 1302 for the UST authority; Guide to Judiciary Policy, Vol. 9, § 210(g); and see Rule 9035, 1991 Advisory Committee note 2(e) (which points out that the bankruptcy court . . .

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From the Archives – Escrow 101 and 102

Michael J. McCormick, Esq.

April 7, 2024

In the fall of 2021, Michael McCormick provided subscribers with an EXCELLENT, expository, seven-part outline on mortgage escrow. This information is still relevant today.

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Critical Case Comment–Sex, Lies and the Barton Doctrine

Henry E. Hildebrand, III

March 27, 2022

The issuance of a subpoena to a Chapter 7 trustee by a third party was subject to the Barton Doctrine and could not be permitted without the parties seeking bankruptcy court consent. (Clarkson) In re Eagan Avenatti, LLP, 2022 WL 630332 (Bankr. C.D. Cal. March 3, 2022) Case Summary Eagan Avenatti, LLP, was the California law firm of the somewhat...

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Lawyers are People Too: An Interview with Aki Koyama, Staff Attorney to Chapter 13 Standing Trustee Kathy Dockery

M. Jonathan Hayes

March 27, 2022

(Used with permission,Volume 1, Issue 3:3 6 March, 2022 cdcbaa) Jon: Hi Aki. I can’t believe after knowing you for 30 years now that I don’t know where you were born. Aki: Ha! I was born in Tokyo, Japan although we moved to California when I was about one. We’ve been here ever since. Jon: Why the move? Aki: Well,...

From the Editor

March 31, 2019

By Wm. Houston Brown, United States Bankruptcy Judge (Retired) Debtor’s Attorney - Chapter 13 debtors not required to seek approval to employ special counsel. The Chapter 13 debtors moved to employ special counsel for representation in state-court litigation, but § 327(e) did not apply to Chapter 13 debtors when no request was being made to pay the special counsel from...

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From 5 Divisions to 4 Grandchildren, 3+ pets, 2 Hobbies and 1 Private Practice: The “Retirement” of Robert Wilson

Katherine L. Davis

March 20, 2022

“The trouble with retirement is that you never get a day off!” [Abe Lemons] There is no better way to describe Robert Wilson in his career as an attorney, as a trustee, in his life thus far, and surely in his retirement! He has filled and will continue to fill every second of every day with meaning and purpose and...

Between the 1st and the 15th: Is Mortgage Current?

Cathy Moran

May 7, 2023

The no man’s land between the mortgage due date and late payment is a persistent trouble spot for Chapter 13 practitioners. For example, are there arrears when the case is filed during the grace period and the payment made before it was late? In Borre, Judge Ronald Sargis of ED CA said no. He held that the payment was not...

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Bankruptcy Court Broadly Interprets “Engaged in Business” Requirement for Subchapter V Eligibility

May 23, 2021

By Lawrence R. Ahern, III, Brown & Ahern (Nashville, TN) Introduction The Bankruptcy Court for the District of Colorado ruled recently, in a case styled In re Ikalowych,1 that while eligibility for subchapter V of Chapter 112 requires that 50% of a debtor's debt must arise from commercial or business activities, the debtor was not required to be directly involved...

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Ask Ms. Ps & Qs

Nancy B. Rapoport

June 25, 2023

Dear Readers: By now, I’m hoping that all of you are aware of the sad story of the plaintiff’s lawyers in Mata v. Avianca, Inc., Case No. 22-cv-1461 (PKC) (S.D.N.Y). Lawyer A used ChatGPT to “research” a brief; Lawyer A was not admitted in the jurisdiction, so Lawyer B (same firm) entered a notice of appearance; Lawyer B filed Lawyer...

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Deconstructing the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act: Obduskey Says Lawyers Conducting Nonjudicial Foreclosure Are Not “Debt Collectors”

April 7, 2019

By Lawrence R. Ahern III, Brown & Ahern (Nashville, TN) Introduction On March 20, 2019, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in Obduskey v. McCarthy & Holthus LLP1 that actions required by state law in a nonjudicial foreclosure are not regulated by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).2 The decision resolved a split in the circuits. In addition to the...

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Critical Case Comment

September 20, 2020

By Henry E. Hildebrand, III, Chapter 13 Standing Trustee for the Middle District of Tennessee (Nashville) A Non-Governmental Private Student Loan Obligation is not always excepted from discharge by § 523(a)(8). (Holmes) McDaniel v. Navient Solutions, LLC, 2020 WL 5104560 (August 31, 2020) Case Summary Bryon and Laura McDaniel filed a Chapter 13 petition in 2009. They acknowledged that, among...

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