Thoughts on the Law: Stay at the Crossroads – The Code of the Wild, Wild West?

By The Honorable John P. Gustafson, United States Bankruptcy Judge, Northern District of Ohio (Toledo)

There are two legal battles going on that may end up being dysfunctionally related….

1. What Happens If The Automatic Stay Is Not Extended In A “Second Case Pending Within One Year”?

A split of authority has been percolating since 2005, involving the all too common case, where a debtor with a second bankruptcy case pending within one year has failed to seek an extension of the automatic stay within the 30-day statutory time period. The issue that divides the . . .

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Critical Case Comment – A Mixed Bag of Inheritance

Henry E. Hildebrand, III

June 18, 2023

When a debtor fails to disclose a post-petition asset as required by Local Rule and the terms of her plan, the trustee may seek a modification of the plan notwithstanding the expiration of the applicable commitment period; the best interest of creditors test applies only at commencement of the case and not to a plan modification; a trustee’s motion to...

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Critical Case Comment

Henry E. Hildebrand, III

April 17, 2022

In re Galloway, 2022 WL 1017951 (Bankr. N.D. Ill. April 5, 2022) A Chapter 13 trustee’s final audit and notice of completion of payments is not necessary or a precondition to the court granting a discharge to a debtor who has satisfied the requirements of § 1328. (Judge Thorne) Case Summary Tara Galloway filed a Chapter 13 petition in May...

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Critical Case Comment – Bad Faith to Not Pay Both Tests?

Henry E. Hildebrand, III

February 27, 2022

Chapter 13 debtor is not obligated to pay both the disposable income pool and the best interest of creditors test pool to achieve confirmation, only the larger of the two; it is not a manifestation of bad faith that the debtor does not pay both the disposable income pool and the best interest of creditors test amounts. (Altenberger) In re...

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From the Editor – Eligibility

August 9, 2020

By The Honorable William Houston Brown (Retired) Disputed claim included in calculation of eligibility. The debtor’s case was dismissed for exceeding § 109(e)’s unsecured debt limit, when the debtor had signed $1,092,000 mortgage note but the mortgage was never recorded. The lender filed an unsecured claim for $1.7 million, and the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel agreed with the bankruptcy court that...

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Pump the Brakes: Bad Faith Debtors Are Not Gaming the System

January 13, 2019

By Kathryne M. Shaw,1 Boleman Law Firm, P.C. (Virginia Beach, VA) Click here for Part 2 The bankruptcy system requires good faith on the part of a debtor in exchange for the promise of a fresh start, and responsible members of the bankruptcy bar constantly work to ensure that no one “games” this powerful system. So, how does a debtor...

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Legal Aid and Who Are Our Chapter 13 “Customers”

January 31, 2021

By Rachel Jones, Staff Attorney to Chapter 13 Standing Trustee Chris Micale, Western District of Virginia (Roanoke) The events of 2020 have had a devastating impact on the very low-income population. The working poor are struggling, particularly those working in sectors such as hospitality and tourism. State and Federal funding and local programs such as food banks and community action...

Analyzing the Troubled Chapter 13 During COVID19

May 3, 2020

By Cathy Moran, Esq. (Redwood City, CA) After the pandemic, when the economy lurches back into motion, bankruptcy lawyers will confront a clutch of troubled Chapter 13 cases. In the face of disruption, distress, and the unknown, we'll be called on to guide clients forward, in one direction or another. Let's review the questions we'll need to answer in order...

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Why Creditors Should Get Less in Chapter 13

Cathy Moran

October 30, 2022

Spending every dollar they make, and then some, is often how our Chapter 13 clients got into financial trouble. Yet Chapter 13, as practiced, validates the practice of continuing to spend 100% of each month’s income during the life of the plan. In doing so, we, as a society, squander the chance to use Chapter 13 to teach new budgeting...

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Bifurcated Fees Under Examination

The Honorable William Houston Brown

May 22, 2022

Bankruptcy and appellate courts in increasing numbers are considering whether it is appropriate for debtors filing for Chapter 7 relief and attorneys representing them to enter into bifurcated fee agreements. It has been recognized that one of the reasons that debtors may decide to file Chapter 13 rather than Chapter 7 is that attorneys require payment of the Chapter 7...

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From the Editor – Claims

October 20, 2019

By The Honorable William Houston Brown (Retired) Objection sustained to one-year late proof of claim. The mortgage creditor did not object to confirmation nor file a proof of claim until one year after the bar date in the Chapter 13 case. The trustee objected to the claim, which asserted a higher arrearage than provided for in the confirmed plan. Section...

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