Postpetition Borrowing by a Consumer Debtor in Chapter 13 – Part 1 of 2

By Judge Michael A. Fagone & Career Law Clerk Ciera S. Dye

Although our Nation’s bankruptcy laws are uniform, chapter 13 practice in our Nation’s bankruptcy courts varies to a significant extent in the different judicial districts. One example of this variation is the treatment of postpetition borrowing by a consumer debtor in chapter 13.i

Neither the Bankruptcy Code nor the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure provide clear guidance about whether a consumer debtor must obtain court or trustee approval before incurring postpetition debt. The Code and the Rules are also silent . . .

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Safeguarding the Promise of a Fresh Start: Utilizing RESPA to Challenge Mortgage Servicing Errors Post-Discharge

Stephen F. Relyea

July 10, 2022

For many of the consumer debtors my firm represents, the primary purpose of filing bankruptcy is to save their home or other real estate from being foreclosed upon by their mortgage servicer. We help those debtors file and comply with chapter 13 plans that propose to resolve their defaulted mortgages in a variety of ways, which might include curing pre-petition...

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A Few of Our Favorite (Chapter 13) Things

December 20, 2020

(To be sung to the tune of Julie Andrews’ version of “These Are a Few of My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music) Raindrops on roses, and whiskers on kittens, Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens– Hey, wait a minute, that’s not what I mean; It’s time that we focus on Chapter Thirteen. We’ve been Trustees for so...

The Irony of Filing a Motion to Dismiss with Prejudice

April 12, 2020

By Daryl J. Smith, Senior Staff Attorney to Sylvia Ford Brown, Chapter 13 Standing Trustee (Memphis, TN) Are chapter 13 serial filers abusing the bankruptcy system? Maybe or maybe not. There are many reasons debtors file multiple bankruptcy cases across the nation, including but not limited to parking tickets, court fines, utilities, lack of financial literacy, foreclosure, past due rent,...

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Critical Case Comment–Should’a Returned the Car

Henry E. Hildebrand, III

January 8, 2023

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....

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From the Editor

September 27, 2020

By The Honorable William Houston Brown (Retired) Debtors’ attorney fees not authorized under Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA). Although the Chapter 13 debtors had prevailed before the Ninth Circuit, In re Sisk, 962 F.3d 1133 (9th Cir. 2020), their application for attorney fees as prevailing parties under EAJA was denied. That Act did not authorize awards of attorney fees...

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Trustees’ Pet Peeves

October 11, 2020

By Mary Viegelahn, Chapter 13 Trustee San Antonio, Texas Although Trustee Viegelahn first produced this list for an ethics panel in 2019, it is a timely heads-up now. This list was gathered from Trustees across the country. Providing ECF credentials to an outside “firm” to allow them to file a bankruptcy for a debtor the attorney has never met or...

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Negotiating Plan Confirmation with Secured Creditors – Issues Involving Balloon Payments and Other Mortgage Loans Subject to Modification Under § 1322(c) – Part 1 of 3

November 8, 2020

By David Cox,1 Cox Law Group, PLLC (Lynchburg, VA) Some Basics about Secured Claim Treatment in Chapter 13 What is a Secured Claim under § 506(a)? Secured by a lien on property of the debtor’s bankruptcy estate. Some value in the property to which the lien may attach. Must be secured by property that is property of the debtor’s bankruptcy...

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From the Editor – Claims

May 16, 2021

By The Honorable William Houston Brown (Retired) Unpaid filing fee in prior case was unsecured claim. The Chapter 13 trustee moved for authority to pay unpaid filing fee from prior case, but Court denied that to the extent the motion sought payment ahead of unsecured creditors. The unpaid filing fee was nothing more than a general unsecured claim in the...

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Duty to Update Trustee Regarding Changes Post-Plan Confirmation

Daryl J. Smith

April 23, 2023

Is there a duty to inform the trustee about changes post-plan confirmation? Yes. There is an inherent duty for the consumer debtor to update the trustee on any and all material changes, particularly windfalls, post plan confirmation. In a very recent case, In Re Robinson, the United States Trustee moved to dismiss debtor’s chapter 13 case because the debtor received...

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Chapter 13 Trustee Duties, Powers, And Limitations – Part 7

November 15, 2020

By James J. Robinson, Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge, Northern District of Alabama Is the trustee’s service worth her commission? The Eleventh Circuit recently issued its opinion in In re Dukes, 909 F.3d 1306 (11th Cir. 2018), which spoke primarily to the issue of what it means for a mortgage to be “provided for” in the plan. The court found...

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