Critical Case Comment

By Henry E. Hildebrand, III, Chapter 13 Trustee (Nashville, TN)

Nothing requires a court to dismiss a Chapter 13 case filed by a debtor whose unsecured debts exceed the debt limits of § 109 where the excess debt derives from student loans. (Baer)
In re Pratola, 578 B.R. 414 (Bankr. N.D. Ill. Dec. 27, 2017)

Case Summary

Christopher Pratola obtained an undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Arizona State University. Upon graduation, he obtained a graduate degree in Cinema and Television Production. In the process of obtaining these degrees, Mr. Pratola incurred student . . .

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

Or Sign In Below:

No Author Biography has been linked to this Article.

2022 Bankruptcy Procedure Year in Review: Revised Statute and Rules and Selected Cases Part 8 Selected Decisions Under Part III of the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure

Lawrence R. Ahern, III

April 30, 2023

Introduction One new rule and amendments to 16 rules took effect December 1, 2022. Many reflected changes necessitated by the Small Business Reorganization Act of 2019 (SBRA), and had been in place in the same or similar form on an interim basis since that legislation took effect. Part 1 of this series summarized . . . It looks like you...

Members

Post-Petition Causes of Action, Inheritances and Windfalls Are Property of the Estate and Must Be Reported to the Trustee – Part 3 of 5

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 Email Password...

Members

ABI Commission on Consumer Bankruptcy – Post-Petition Changes in Value

July 14, 2019

By Henry E. Hildebrand, III, Chapter 13 Standing Trustee (Nashville, TN) One of the issues raised at the public hearings of the Commission concerned Chapter 7 trustees that would not take prompt action to abandon exempt or partially exempt assets but, would retain assets in the hope that there might be equity in the future to sell the asset for...

Members

Special Counsel 101: Getting Paid and Protecting Clients

Nicole P. Novak

May 1, 2022

The Bankruptcy Code imposes many duties on attorneys. One such duty requires attorneys to disclose compensation for services in contemplation of, or in connection with a bankruptcy case.1 Debtor attorneys know to disclose their fees at the start of the case. Attorneys that forget to timely file a compensation disclosure typically receive a gentle reminder to do so. However, in...

Members

2022 Bankruptcy Procedure Year in Review: Revised Statute and Rules and Selected Cases Part 10 Once Again: The Supreme Court Hands Down a Procedure Rule in Dupree v. Younger

Lawrence R. Ahern, III

June 11, 2023

Introduction This series reviews developments in bankruptcy procedure during the past year. One new rule and amendments to 16 rules took effect December 1, 2022. Many reflected changes necessitated by the Small Business Reorganization Act of 2019 (SBRA), and had been in place in the same or similar form on an interim basis since that legislation took effect.

Members

Avoidance Powers In Chapter 13 – Part 3 of 6

January 13, 2019

By John P. Gustafson, United States Bankruptcy Judge, Northern District of Ohio, Western Division (Toledo, OH) Click here for Part 1 of 6 Click here for Part 2 of 6 Click here for Part 4 of 6 Click here for Part 5 of 6

Members

Remember, Landlords Are Sacred Cows in Bankruptcy

June 27, 2021

By M. Jonathan Hayes, Resnik Hayes Moradi LLP (Los Angeles, CA) (Reprinted with permission. Originally published by the Los Angeles Daily Journal on May 20, 2021) We have been getting a lot of calls recently as you might expect from distressed small businesses. The “free” government money is starting to run out and panic is setting in. The potential client...

Members

“Jan Hamilton” – Need We Say More?

Teresa L. Arnold

September 25, 2022

Just prior to a confirmation docket in September of 2006, a local creditor attorney asked me if I would be interested in coming to work at his firm. The chapter 13 trustee was in the room and could not help but overhear. After the docket that trustee asked me if I was looking for a job. I wasn’t . ....

ABI Commission on Consumer Bankruptcy – A Chapter 7 Trustee’s Sale of Encumbered Property

July 7, 2019

By Henry E. Hildebrand, III, Chapter 13 Standing Trustee (Nashville, TN) The Commission heard from several individuals and attorneys that related tales of Chapter 7 trustees negotiating a “carve out” with a lienholder on the debtor’s real property when there was no equity available in the property. The way this works is that when property came into a Chapter 7...

Members

Remembrances of a Retired Trustee

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