Conflicting Interpretations: A Chapter 13 Trustee’s Compensation After Pre-Confirmation Dismissal or Conversion*Part 1 of 3

(Used with expressed permission from the MI Bankruptcy Journal and the Steven W. Rhodes Consumer Bankruptcy Conference)

I. Introduction

Although the Bankruptcy Code has been around for decades, bankruptcy courts continue to be faced with significant disputes regarding the interpretation of its provisions. An emerging issue that has gained traction in recent years involves the compensation of a chapter 13 trustee upon the dismissal or conversion of a case prior to confirmation.1 This issue turns on courts' interpretation of the seemingly conflicting directives of 28 U . . .

It looks like you are not signed in or registered! This content is only available to members.

Or Sign In Below:

AAA_4864
Judicial Law Clerk to the Hon. John T. Gregg, United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Michigan

Brittani Bushman is ajudicial law clerk to the Hon. John T. Gregg in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Michigan.She received her J.D. from Albany Law School and obtained an undergraduate degree in Family, Consumer and Human Development, with an emphasis in Family Finance from Utah State University. Ms. Bushman passed the July 2021 Uniform Bar Exam and her application for bar admission is pending.

While in law school, Ms. Bushman was a judicial extern for Judges Kevin R. Anderson,William T. Thurman, and Joel T. Marker at the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Utah, an intern at the United States Trustee office in Albany, New York, and a law clerk for Chapter 7 Trustee Marc Ehrlich in Troy, New York. She also received the prestigious Distinguished Bankruptcy Law Student Award for the Second Circuit from the American College of Bankruptcy.

Prior to law school, Brittani worked as a personal financial counselor and educator, where she advised numerous individuals and families on their financial circumstances and often helped her clients get out of debt, improve their credit, or evaluate the benefits of bankruptcy. This experience led Ms. Bushman to her interest in bankruptcy law.

Related Articles

July 28, 2019
By John P. Gustafson, United States Bankruptcy Judge, Northern District of Ohio, Western Division Click here for Part 1 Click here for Part 2 C. What Post-Petition Assets Are Property . . . It looks like you are not signed in or registered! This content is only available to members. Join Now Or Sign In Below: Username or E-mail:
Members
NBR cropped 2
November 12, 2023
Cathy Moran’s article Bankruptcy Lawyer Must Have Otherworldly Powers raised an interesting issue: what should a lawyer do when a client calls and says, “what the heck IS this [notice, letter, order, whatever] that I just got?” Professor Rapoport’s take on this issue is not at all what you would expect. She puts the responsibility squarely on . . .
Members
October 6, 2019
By Mike Fitzgerald It has been almost one full year since I retired as the Chapter 13 Standing Trustee in Seattle. I am happy to report that my family and I are enjoying ourselves immensely. As retirement grows more comfortable, I find myself looking back with mostly very fond memories at the nineteen years I served as a Trustee, as...
Members
Academy Circle Logo Final
January 7, 2024
As a follow-up to The Academy’s December 3, 2023, issue, three Emeritus Trustees weighed in. The 12/3/23 issue included Cathy Moran’s Chapter 13 NoLook Fees: The Horns of a Dilemma and Trustee Hildebrand’s Critical Case Comment, You Gotta Fix Your Own Screw-ups, On Your Own Dime. You may also want to take note of comments on each article and add your own. Today, we offer the thoughts of two additional Emeritus Trustees. Thus a follow-up to our follow-up. 😊
Members
January 6, 2019
By Academy Staff In July of 2016 ConsiderChapter13.org posted an article, “Another Arrow in the Quiver of the ‘Less Than Honest Debtor’.” That article addressed a decision of the Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee in In re Hurt, 2015 WL 9592064 (Bankr. E.D. Tn. 2015), in which the Court overruled the Trustee’s objection to exemptions. In Hurt,...
Members
Copy of Hildebrand-2016
July 30, 2023
By Henry E. Hildebrand, III, Chapter 13 Standing Trustee for the Middle District of Tennessee (Nashville) Post-petition, pre-conversion equity that accrues in a debtor’s residence during the pendency of a Chapter 13 plan is property of the estate in the Chapter 7 estate following conversion.  (Hastings) Goetz v. Weber (In re Goetz), 651 B.R. 292 (8th Cir. BAP, June 1,...
Members
March 15, 2020
By Professor Nancy Rapoport, University of Nevada Dear Readers: The marvelous, indefatigable Regina Logsdon just forwarded me this hypothetical: Post-confirmation, debtor/client gets upset with attorney. Let’s assume for this scenario that the attorney hasn’t done anything wrong – perhaps just a difference of opinion on a plan modification (or not). Debtor/client says ugly things to attorney – name-calling, etc. THEN...
Members
NN Photo
March 5, 2023
In a recent opinion, an Ohio bankruptcy court joined the majority of other courts by holding the Code excludes Social Security Act (“SSA”) benefits from disposable income.i The issue was brought before the Court by the Chapter 13 Trustee’s objection to confirmation. The objection to confirmation asserted the Debtors failed to commit all disposable income to their plan and included...
Members
August 11, 2019
By John P. Gustafson, United States Bankruptcy Judge, Northern District of Ohio, Western Division Click here for Part 1 Click here for Part 2
Members
March 17, 2019
By Cathy Moran, Esq. (Redwood City, CA) Because its treatment varies so, we need to be asking more pointed questions of clients about both insurance policies and the debtor as beneficiary. Unmatured life insurance Starting with exemptions, §522(d)(7) makes an unmatured life insurance policy exempt without limit. So, the insurance element of a policy owned by the debtor is exempt...
Members

Looking to Become a Member?

ConsiderChapter13.org offers a forum to advance continuing education of consumer bankruptcy via access to insightful articles, informative webinars, and the latest industry news. Join now to benefit from expert resources and stay informed.

Webinars

These informative sessions are led by industry experts and cover a range of consumer bankruptcy topics.

Member Articles

Written by industry experts, these articles provide in-depth analysis and practical guidance on consumer bankruptcy topics.

Industry News

The Academy is the go-to source for the latest news and analysis in the Chapter 13 bankruptcy industry.

To get started, please let us know which of these best fits your current position: