Mort Ranta and the Threshold Question of Jurisdiction: An Appealing Holding on Appellate Review

By Mark C. Leffler, Esquire,1 Boleman Law Firm, P.C., Richmond, VA

In its recent decision in Robert D. Mort Ranta v. Gorman, Trustee (In re Mort Ranta), --- F.3d ---, 2013 WL 3286252 (4th Cir. 2013), the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals considered whether debtors must commit their Social Security income in order meet the disposable income test of 11 U.S.C. § 1325(b). Ultimately, the court held that “for both above-median income and below-median income debtors, Social Security income is excluded from the calculation of ‘projected disposable . . .

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ABI Commission on Consumer Bankruptcy – Dischargeability of Homeowner Association Fees

May 19, 2019

By Henry E. Hildebrand, III, Chapter 13 Standing Trustee (Nashville, TN) Homeowner association fees that obligate homeowners of condominium and planned unit developments can be a substantial obligation that accrue on a monthly basis. These obligations are generally a burden when a debtor files for bankruptcy relief. To be fair, homeowners’ associations provide a significant benefit to homeowners. Exterior maintenance,...

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Parker, HOA, and Sanctions – Multiple Thrills to a Bankruptcy Lawyer’s Heart

May 2, 2021

By Cathy Moran, Esq., (Redwood City, CA) I don't know just what makes Parker such a treat for me, but it delivers multiple thrills to my bankruptcy lawyer heart. It's a stay violation case with a BIG sanctions award. It's a clearly, simply written opinion that lays out the circuit law on multiple issues. It hits hard at HOA hubris....

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From the Editor

September 20, 2020

By The Honorable William Houston Brown (Retired) Chapter 13 debtor lacked “person aggrieved” standing to appeal objection to trustee’s final report. The bankruptcy court had overruled the debtor’s objection to the trustee’s final report, and debtor’s appeal was dismissed, with the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel finding that debtor lacked “person aggrieved” standing to appeal. Debtor’s objection had not included amount of...

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Arbitration in Bankruptcy: Reading Opinions & Tea Leaves in Recent Supreme Court & Lower Court Actions

March 10, 2019

By Lawrence R. Ahern III, Brown & Ahern (Nashville, TN) PART III: The Lower Courts Struggle with Arbitration Guidelines Introduction Click here for Part I Click here for Part II

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Eviction Diversion Programs and Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

February 3, 2019

By Edward C. Boltz, The Law Offices of John T. Orcutt (Durham, NC) (Originally published in pertinent part at ncbarblog.com, December 19, 2018) With the publication of Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, author Matthew Desmond has brought increasing attention both nationwide and in North Carolina to the growing eviction crisis. With . . . It looks like...

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Meet a New Trustee

The Academy

December 19, 2021

One of our very newest trustees is very familiar to many of us. After serving ten years as Chief of Staff (a/k/a Staff Attorney) to Martha Bronitsky, on August 1, 2021, Nima Ghazvini was appointed Chapter 13 Standing Trustee for the Districts of Hawaii, Guam, and Northern Mariana Islands. What you may not know is that Ghazvini was born in...

Student Loans in Existing Chapter 13’s

Josh Cohen, Scott Waterman

October 1, 2023

In conjunction with The Academy’s recent webinar on Student Loans, Scott and Josh offer a follow-up check list – a MUST READ! “With all the new student loan servicing changes, what should debtor attorneys be doing as to pending chapter 13 cases where their clients owe federal student loans? Here’s the short list:”

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Tax Projections and the Means Test – Part II

September 22, 2019

By Cathy Moran, Esq. (Redwood City, CA) I wrote earlier about calculating the projected income tax deduction on the means test when the year of filing situation looks much like last year. But what if things aren't the same year over year? Your job as a bankruptcy attorney becomes more complicated. It's suddenly more than figuring the tax refund or...

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Why Junk the Whole System When Minor Remedies Would Suffice?

December 27, 2020

By Shannon Garrett, Esq. (Topeka, KS) As a Debtor’s bankruptcy practitioner, I was encouraged to see Senator Warren’s proposed reform plan. Bankruptcy is one of the few areas where bipartisan support and action are possible, and being a fan of the current structure, I welcome the reform as a chance to make a good system better. Chapter 7 and Chapter...

Ask Ms. Ps & Qs

September 27, 2020

By Professor Nancy Rapoport Dear Readers: The Academy staff has raised an important issue: Given the mental health issues associated with the pandemic, what should someone do when he or she sees a colleague lawyer in distress? Before we get to the ethics implications, let’s talk about the mental health issue itself. When people are under great stress, they try...

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