Critical Case Comment

By Henry E. Hildebrand, III, Chapter 13 Standing Trustee (Nashville, TN)

Are private educational student loans automatically excepted from discharge by § 523(a)(8). (Jacobs) Homaidan v. Sallie Mae, Inc., Navient Solutions, LLC, 2021 WL 2964217 (2nd Cir. July 15, 2021)

Case Summary

Hilal Homaidan received a number of educational loans to attend College. Shortly after graduation, he filed a Chapter 7; dutifully scheduled all of the student loan obligations; and received a discharge under Chapter 7.

Homaidan had incurred two direct to consumer It looks like you are not signed in or registered! This content is only available to members.

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Critical Case Comment – No Such Thing as “Technical” Violation of the Stay

Henry E. Hildebrand, III

February 20, 2022

Bankruptcy Court found violation of automatic stay to be “technical”, thus no damages. Ninth Circuit BAP did not agree. Continuing to pursue state court fraudulent transfer action after transfer or filed for Chapter 7 relief violated the automatic stay; even if the violation of the stay is “technical”, damages, including attorneys’ fees and costs, should be assessed against the violator....

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Another Defeat of Bifurcated Chapter 7 Fees

The Honorable William Houston Brown

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Recent case authority has not been favorable for consumer debtor attorneys seeking approval of bifurcated fees in Chapter 7 cases.

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Critical Case Comment – Debtor Bears Burden of Proof to Be Ones Own Disbursing Agent

Henry E. Hildebrand, III

January 21, 2024

There is a presumption that the trustee will make disbursements under a confirmed Chapter 13 plan and the debtor bears the burden of demonstrating sufficient grounds to justify acting as her own disbursing agent.

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Critical Case Comment – What About a Zero Value Junior Lien?

Henry E. Hildebrand, III

November 5, 2023

Bankruptcy Court has authority to compel implementation of a confirmed Chapter 13 plan which, at its end required the release of a junior lien which had been given no value; attorney’s fees would be awarded to debtors’ counsel for pursuing the release.

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How I Got Started

George Stevenson

May 8, 2022

My life in 1982 was in a bit of turmoil. I had recently gotten married and was working as in-house counsel for a regional furniture retailer. My position included a lot of collection work – beating up on debtors in state and bankruptcy courts. I was not unhappy but I was not comfortable with my work – it was clear...

ABI Commission on Consumer Bankruptcy – Remedies for Discharge Violation

May 12, 2019

By Henry E. Hildebrand, III, Chapter 13 Trustee (Nashville, TN) One of the principle goals of a consumer that chooses to file bankruptcy is to obtain a discharge under § 524. Despite its importance, however, there is much more legal discussion on the logistics and the process of automatic stay under § 362 that is in existence during the pendency...

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Critical Case Comment

June 14, 2020

By Henry E. Hildebrand, III, Chapter 13 Trustee (Nashville, TN) Chapter 13 debtor may exclude from disposable income amounts projected to be paid to an employer sponsored 401(k) where such payments are consistent with pre-filing contributions made to the retirement account. Davis v. Helbling, 2020 WL 2831172 (6th Cir. June 1, 2020) (Larsen) Case Summary In 2017, Camille Davis filed...

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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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Recent Trends in the Interpretation of Midland v. Johnson and the Applicability of the FDCPA to Bankruptcy Cases – Part II: Thomas v. Midland Funding, LLC

February 7, 2021

By Mark C. Leffler, Boleman Law Firm, PC, Richmond, Hampton, and Va. Beach, Virginia In order to “eliminate abusive debt collection practices by debt collectors . . .”, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”) bars debt collectors from using any “false, deceptive, or misleading representation or means in connection with the collection of any debt . . .” 15...

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

December 15, 2019

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...

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