Professional Responsibility Cannot Be Subordinated To Process Efficiency

Tom Waldron, a former bankruptcy judge and current Advisor to the NACTT Academy, lives in Tucson, AZ.[email protected].

Although there are many decisions discussing aspects of the current mortgage-proof-of-claim-mess, a recently published decision, In re Taylor, 2009 WL1885888 (Bkrtcy.E.D.Pa. – Judge Sigmund), makes an enormous contribution to this subject. This article is intended to present some minimal highlights from the decision; however, it is well worth reading the entire decision, perhaps with an open screen or sheet of . . .

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Fourth Circuit Overrules Own Precedent, Holds Certain Primary Residence Claims Can be Crammed Down in Chapter 13 Bankruptcies

October 20, 2019

(First published here on August 19, 2019. Used with permission.) By Daniel Cohn, Esq., Legal Department, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. General Rule: No Primary Residence Mortgage Changes The general rule in bankruptcy is that debtors cannot cram down loans secured only by mortgages on their primary residences. But wait, “what’s a cram down?” you ask. For non-bankruptcy folks, a cram...

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Plan Confirmation, Valuation of Claims, and Burden of Proof

Robert G. Drummond

November 10, 2024

Some courts require debtors to prove collateral value as part of plan confirmation, while others shift the burden to creditors if debtors cast doubt on claim validity. Here Drummond looks at a new decision casting the burden on the debtor.

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Critical Case Comment

July 11, 2021

By Henry E. Hildebrand, III, Chapter 13 Standing Trustee (Nashville, TN) A prior servicer of a mortgage claim subsequently transferred to another servicer could be held liable if the transferor servicer provided inadequate or incorrect information to the transferee. (Aron) In re Bivens vs. NewRez LLC (In re Bivens), 625 B.R. 843 (Bankr. M.D. N.C., March 25, 2021) Case Summary...

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Critical Case Comment – Creditor Not Required to Dismiss Prepetition Nonbankruptcy Action

November 14, 2021

By Henry E. Hildebrand, III, Chapter 13 Standing Trustee for the Middle District of TN (Nashville) The automatic stay does not require a creditor pursuing a prepetition nonbankruptcy court action to dismiss that action once a bankruptcy case is filed; requesting continuances and attending status conferences do not constitute “continuation” of the prepetition action for purposes of the automatic stay....

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Who Gets Grannie’s Cash – Grannie or the Bankruptcy Trustee?

Cathy Moran

February 13, 2022

When there’s a joint bank account and a bankruptcy filing, good intentions can quickly go sour. The bankruptcy trustee sees a pile of money in the bank to which the debtor has access, even though the account also bears the name of someone not in bankruptcy. If the debtor can get the money, the trustee contends, so can a bankruptcy...

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Critical Case Comment – Frontloading Attorney’s Fees

Henry E. Hildebrand, III

August 6, 2023

Nothing prohibits the confirmation of a Chapter 13 plan which frontloads the payment of attorney’s fees ahead of payments to secured and other creditors.

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Taxes & Timing: Calculating Outcomes for Bankruptcy Debtors

Cathy Moran

December 19, 2021

Bankruptcy lawyers regularly evaluate the dischargeability of taxes when deciding when to file a client’s bankruptcy case. At base, the 3 year rule, the 2 year rule, and the 240 day rule routinely drive timing of a bankruptcy. But as we approach the end of the tax year, a client’s current year tax situation becomes another moving part in the...

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District of South Carolina

The Academy

May 28, 2023

Retirement of Judge David Robert Duncan

Critical Case Comment – You Might as Well Plan for the Wrecked Car

Henry E. Hildebrand, III

September 18, 2022

Insurance proceeds generated due to a totaled car treated under the “hanging paragraph” of 1325(a) covers the entire claim; interest, however, is not recalculated even though it was a higher rate than the interest paid under the plan. (Hanan) In re Pagan, 638 B.R. 887 (Bankr. E.D. Wis. Jan. 24, 2022) Case Summary Bankruptcy judges have been overheard saying that...

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Well, I Thought We Were Surrendering the Vehicle

John Hooge

September 29, 2024

In a Chapter 7 client surrendered her vehicle. Case was filed declaring such and no vehicle ownership expense was claimed. Subsequently, the lender offered a modified loan with a reduced monthly payment that was found acceptable. Accordingly, client now plans to reaffirm. This raises several procedural questions Attorney Hooge answers for us.

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