By Cathy Moran, Esq. (Redwood City, CA) No matter how many hoops the client dutifully jumped through, without adequate inquiry and communication, the bankruptcy attorney was slammed for unbundling his services. The representation agreement at issue excluded representation in any adversary proceeding filed, as do most such agreements, I imagine. The client initialed every paragraph of the 19-paged representation agreement,...

In order to invoke remedies granted under the CARES Act, Chapter 13 debtor need not have been current on the date of enactment as long as the debtor satisfies the conditions in the CARES Act. (Grabill) In re Gilbert, 622 BR 859 (Bankr. E.D. La. Oct. 6, 2020) Case Summary Chapter 13 Trustee sought dismissal of a number of cases...

By Henry E. Hildebrand, III, Chapter 13 Trustee for the Middle District of TN (Nashville) Where a Chapter 13 plan provides that a mortgage payment will be paid “outside the plan,” the plan does not “provide for” the mortgage payment and, accordingly, the discharge under § 1328 is not applicable to the mortgage obligation. Dukes v. Suncoast Credit Union, 909...

Post-petition repossession of debtor’s automobile, deliberate indifference to debtor’s request for return and ignoring hearings before the Court merit not only award of damages for violation of the stay but substantial punitive damages. (Bonapfel) In re Hamby, 2022 WL 17428947 (Bankr. N.D. Ga. November 29, 2022) Case Summary Cole Hamby purchased a 2012 GMC Sierra from Everybody Rides Auto Sales....

By James J. Robinson, Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge, Northern District of Alabama When do the trustee’s duties end, and who gets the money? Harris v. Viegelahn, 135 S. Ct. 1829 (2015). This opinion of the unanimous Court requires the trustee to return to the debtor undistributed plan payments—originating from wages earned postpetition—on hand at a good-faith, post-confirmation conversion rather...

After the CARES Act’s 120-day moratorium on evictions ended, the Centers for Disease Control (“CDC”) extended the moratorium, with the CDC’s order based on authority under the Public Health Service Act of 1944. CDC stepped into the landlord-tenant arena to make and enforce regulations necessary to prevent spread of COVID-19, citing 42 U.S.C. § 264(a). Subsequent to CDC’s action, Congress...

There is no special language/verbiage. Keep is simple. Stick to one issue per NOE. Pertinent loan/debtor information – “name, rank, and serial number” Called bank twice. Tried to get borrower reviewed for FHA Recovery Mod. Both times I was essentially told that the loan was “too many months delinquent” to be reviewed for FHA Recovery Mod. I was also told...

By Herbert L. Beskin, Chapter 13 Trustee for the Western District of Virginia (Charlottesville) The Seventh Circuit thought that it had finished dealing with the intersection of cars, fines, Chapter 13, and the City of Chicago when it rendered its decision earlier in 2019 in “Steenes I.” In re Steenes, 918 F.3d 554 . Alas, it was not to be,...

By Henry E. Hildebrand, III, Chapter 13 Standing Trustee for the Middle District of Tennessee Mortgage creditor may not withdraw a notice of fees, costs, and charges filed in a case after the supplement to the claim has been challenged without court approval; the allowance of such a notice will not be permitted where a state statute forbids it. Quicken...