ATexasBankruptcyLawyersBlog

Today I had the opportunity to debate venue reform at the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges in Chicago.   We had two excellent teams of debaters.   Arguing for the pro-reform position were Prof. Samir Parikh, retired Bankruptcy Judge Leif Clark and myself.   The pro-status quo team consisted of Prof. Douglas Baird, retired Bankruptcy Judge Arthur Gonzalez and Dennis DeFranceschi of Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A.   Jamie Sprayregen of Kirkland & Ellis moderated the debate.  We had a good, vigorous debate.

This has not been a good year for Texas homesteads involved in bankruptcy proceedings.    In April, the Fifth Circuit ruled (after nearly two years under advisement) that the non-filing spouse does not have a separate homestead estate entitled to protection when the other spouse files bankruptcy, or, as happened in this case, has an involuntary petition brought against him.    Kim v. Dome Entertainment, Inc. (In re Kim), No. 10-10882 (5th Cir.

Many cases deal with debtors who fraudulently convey away their assets before filing bankruptcy.   But what about the situation where the debtor is the victim of a fraudulent conveyance rather than the perpetrator?    In Galaz v. Galaz (In re Galaz), No. 13-50781 (5th Cir.

The Weil Bankruptcy Blog has a good posting on Goldsby v. 804 Congress, LLC, No. 12-50382 (5th Cir. 6/23/14).    In short, this was a case where the Court lifted the automatic stay and a third party bid in more than the amount of the debt.  The bank and the substitute trustee argued that they should be allowed to distribute the funds as provided by the deed of trust, while the Debtor contended that the Bankruptcy Court had authority over the funds.