Trustees’ Pet Peeves

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 spoken to.

Filing schedules where the debtor has no clothing or jewelry and the debtor appears at the first meeting obviously clothed and wearing jewelry – i.e. not carefully reviewing the . . .

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Critical Case Comment

June 16, 2019

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...

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Fourth Circuit Examines Tenancy by Entirety

The Honorable William Houston Brown

May 19, 2024

The Fourth Circuit ruled that federal tax debts can affect one spouse's interest in such property, even if the debt isn't jointly held. They also clarified that the value of a debtor's share in this type of property isn't necessarily the fair market value of the whole property, but rather their interest in the tenancy.

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Rule 3002.1, Contempt and Sanctions – How a Lender Can Create a Mess

Thomas D. DeCarlo

October 16, 2022

The facts in In re DeWitt, 2022 WL 4588320 (Bankr. S.D. Ohio 2022), are a bit “unusual”. Debtor filed Chapter 13 to reinstate her mortgage. The mortgage was “non-escrowed” and Debtor was required to pay property taxes directly. Surprisingly, she did not pay her property taxes. The first time, the Lender paid the property taxes but decided not to pursue...

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I Know You Think You Know What I Said

Cathy Moran

June 30, 2024

“The client now claims that my words were a license to fail to disclose the gifts. Huh?”

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Fourth Circuit Overrules Own Precedent, Holds Certain Primary Residence Claims Can be Crammed Down in Chapter 13 Bankruptcies

October 20, 2019

(First published here on August 19, 2019. Used with permission.) By Daniel Cohn, Esq., Legal Department, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. General Rule: No Primary Residence Mortgage Changes The general rule in bankruptcy is that debtors cannot cram down loans secured only by mortgages on their primary residences. But wait, “what’s a cram down?” you ask. For non-bankruptcy folks, a cram...

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Judge Carol A. Doyle: Pre-Retirement Interview

Samantha Ruben

May 14, 2023

(Reprinted with permission. Bankruptcy Court Liaison Committee Newsletter – Spring 2023 (Northern District of Illinois)) During her tenure as a bankruptcy judge for nearly 24 years, Judge Carol A. Doyle has presided over countless chapter 7, 11, and 13 cases, leaving a lasting impact on the Chicago bankruptcy landscape. She has been a dedicated and respected member of the bankruptcy...

From the Other Side

January 19, 2020

By Craig Shopneck, Chapter 13 Standing Trustee for the Northern District of Ohio Retired It was many months ago when Mike Joseph asked, if, as a retired trustee, would I be interested in writing an article for the NACTT Academy. This may seem like a rather straightforward task but before putting pen to paper I needed time to reflect not...

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Supreme Court Camping!

David Jacob

July 28, 2024

“Just call me the third-party release clause groupie. . . . After another security check and metal detector, we were in and I had a seat where I could see all of the justices in their glory!”

From the Editor

March 31, 2019

By Wm. Houston Brown, United States Bankruptcy Judge (Retired) Lien Modification - Modification of mortgage on mixed-use property. Reviewing the split of authority on whether a Chapter 13 debtor may modify a mortgage on property used for both business and residential purposes and when the use determination is made, the bankruptcy court adopted the filing date as the appropriate time...

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6 Steps to Ethical Unbundling of Bankruptcy Representation

March 21, 2021

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,...

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