Disregarding Bankruptcy Protections Can be Costly: How Courts Decide Punitive Damages Awards for Stay Violations

By Veronica D. Brown-Moseley and Stephen F. Relyea1

The automatic stay serves as a shield that immediately protects debtors in bankruptcy and their property from a host of creditor collection actions ranging from foreclosure, repossession, and garnishment to collection letters and phone calls. In most instances, the filing of a bankruptcy case forces creditors to cease all collection actions and provides debtors with peace of mind and the ability to obtain a fresh start. When a creditor willfully continues to engage in collection efforts in violation of the automatic stay, the harm . . .

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Courts Continue to Fill in the Gaps on the Interplay of Bankruptcy and the FDCPA

March 7, 2021

By Chris Hawkins, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP (Birmingham, AL) The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) published its debt collection final rule in the Federal Register on November 30, 2020, revamping the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) for the first time since its enactment in 1977. Despite written comments submitted by several industry groups requesting clarity in areas where...

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SCOTUS Cases Every Bankruptcy Lawyer Should Know – Part 8 of 8

The Honorable John P. Gustafson

January 11, 2026

The final in our series of key decisions every bankruptcy practitioner should recognize—both by name and by the issues they resolve. This week’s ‘memory work’ is: Baker Botts v. ASARCO; Northern Pipeline v. Marathon Pipe Line; Exec. Benefits Ins. v. Arkison; and Wellness v. Sharif

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Yet Another Arrow in the Quiver of the “Less Than Honest Debtor”?

January 6, 2019

By Academy Staff In July of 2016 ConsiderChapter13.org posted an article, “Another Arrow in the Quiver of the ‘Less Than Honest Debtor’.” That article addressed a decision of the Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee in In re Hurt, 2015 WL 9592064 (Bankr. E.D. Tn. 2015), in which the Court overruled the Trustee’s objection to exemptions. In Hurt,...

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Bankruptcy Rules, New and Proposed

James M. Davis

December 8, 2024

The amendments to the Bankruptcy Rules that took effect on December 1, 2024, are primarily stylistic, but they do include a few substantive changes. More controversial changes are in the pipeline for December 2025, however, with significant changes to Rule 3002.1 proposed.

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Critical Case Comment – No POC, No Money

Henry E. Hildebrand, III

April 30, 2023

A secured creditor would not be granted relief from the stay because the motion was based on the creditor’s failure to file a timely proof of claim. (Grant) In re Flores, 2023 WL 2787514 (Bankr. N.D. Ind. March 8, 2023) Case Summary Mr. Flores filed a petition under Chapter 13 proposing to pay Gaeta Auto Sales in full, with interest,via...

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Assessing the Ailing Business Post Pandemic

June 28, 2020

By Cathy Moran, Esq. (Redwood City, CA) Long after the human patients recover from the coronavirus, small businesses will still be ailing. And long nights will be spent deciding whether to try to stay in business. As bankruptcy lawyers, we’re going to see people in pain trying to assess what to do next. Business owners may see the exit heading...

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Critical Case Comment–IRS and the “Innocent Spouse”

Henry E. Hildebrand, III

May 14, 2023

Bankruptcy courts lack jurisdiction to apply “innocent spouse” relief to determine the amount of a tax claim to be paid in a Chapter 13 case. (Taddonio) In re Geary, 2023 WL 2996720 (Bankr. W.D. Pa. April 19, 2023) Case Summary When a taxpayer signs a joint tax return with their spouse, the Internal Revenue Code is very clear. Both signatories...

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IRS Updates Guidance for Deductible Business, Charitable, Medical and Moving Expenses

November 17, 2019

11/14/19, the IRS issued guidance for taxpayers with certain deductible expenses to reflect changes resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). Revenue Procedure 2019-46, posted today on IRS.gov, updates the rules for using the optional standard mileage rates in computing the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving expense purposes. The guidance also...

2019 Legislation Affecting Bankruptcy Practice – Part VI

December 8, 2019

By Lawrence R. Ahern, III, Brown & Ahern (Nashville, TN) Part VI Two Things Debtors Should Know About the Small Business Reorganization Act of 2019 (SBRA), Including a Primer on Chapter 11 Confirmation Introduction This series focuses on four bankruptcy-related bills that were enacted during the 116th Congress and signed into law on August 23, 2019.1 One bill, the Small...

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Disregarding Bankruptcy Protections Can be Costly: How Courts Decide Punitive Damages Awards for Stay Violations

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Courts Continue to Fill in the Gaps on the Interplay of Bankruptcy and the FDCPA

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