Chapter 13 Trustee Duties, Powers, And Limitations

Chapter 13 Trustee Duties, Powers, And Limitations – Part 3

By James J. Robinson, Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge, Northern District of Alabama

Can the trustee challenge the debtor’s attorney’s fee?

In re Rodriguez Perez, 2018 WL 3655656 (Bankr. D.P.R. 2018). In this case, the chapter 13 trustee asked the bankruptcy court to assess the contract between the debtor and counsel under § 526-528. The trustee alleged that the contract did not clearly explain the attorney’s services or fees and was open-ended with no cap on the attorney fees. The debtor’s counsel contested the request . . .

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Lien Avoidance, Pre-Existing Liens and Notice

Robert G. Drummond

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“Can a Debtor avoid a lien when a creditor holds a secured position that preceded the Debtor’s ownership interest . . . ? Judge Michelle Harner, . . . recently addressed this issue.

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We Love You Dan (“Stingray”) Brunner!!

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Dan grew up in Spokane, Washington, and graduated from Gonzaga University in 1966 with a BA in political science. After finishing his undergraduate degree, Dan entered active duty in the United States Army. He was stationed in Korea from 1967 to 1968 where he commanded a HAWK missile battery. Dan retired from the United States Army in 1994 with the...

Can a Secured Claim Still “Ride-Through” Bankruptcy Despite BAPCPA? – Part 1 In re Rhodes Says, “Let Me Count the Ways”

Lawrence R. Ahern, III

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Background A recent Chapter 7 case out of the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of California, In re Rhodes,1 addresses reaffirmation in a context that is very significant and should be of interest to all debtor's attorneys. It points out that the "ride-through" of a debtor's secured debt in Chapter 7—which Congress tried to eliminate in 2005—still exists. In...

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Creditors’ Rights and Debtors’ Protections at the Intersection of Consumer Bankruptcy and UCC Article 9 – Part IV

October 4, 2020

By Lawrence R. Ahern III, Brown & Ahern (Nashville, TN) PART IV – INTRODUCTION TO CONSUMER FORECLOSURE PROCEDURES 2020 portends a flood of bankruptcy filings. In the consumer bankruptcies, trustees and debtors' counsel often are uncomfortable with the rules in Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC). In this space, we have looked at topics involving the interplay of...

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The Academy

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Critical Case Comment

February 3, 2019

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...

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What I Learned about Bankruptcy on Facebook

Cathy Moran

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For nearly a year, I’ve been hanging out on a Facebook “bankruptcy support” group. It’s a world full of misunderstanding, fear, and anguish. But it’s also clear to me that our profession can learn some things from that stew, both individually and collectively. We need to work together to fix the disconnect. Ideas? We would love to hear them.

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The Day the Music Died

Henry E. Hildebrand, III

May 8, 2022

I never set out to be a bankruptcy lawyer, much less a trustee. It was always my intent to be trial lawyer. The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, and the captive audience of a jury; having to think fast on your feet was exciting. Facing jurors and witnesses with a modicum of confidence was what my view of...

From the Editor

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By Wm. Houston Brown, United States Bankruptcy Judge (Retired) Debtor’s Attorney - Suspension of firm upheld. The District court affirmed the 90-day suspension of Law Solutions Chicago, LLC (d/b/a UpRight Law, LLC), with the record supporting the bankruptcy court’s findings that the firm failed to adequately represent the debtor in a “simple” consumer case. Disgorgement of fees was appropriate under...

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Interest Starts at Confirmation

Henry E. Hildebrand, III

February 2, 2025

The present value “interest” that must be paid on a secured claim in accordance with § 1325(a)(5)(B), as determined by Till, is to be paid from the effective date of the plan – confirmation – and not calculated from the date the plan was filed.

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