ATexasBankruptcyLawyersBlog

Secured Claims and the Non-Participating Creditor

08/06/13

It is a much misunderstood truism that  a "secured creditor ‘with a loan secured by a lien on the assets of a debtor who becomes bankrupt before the loan is repaid may ignore the bankruptcy proceeding and look to the lien for satisfaction of the debt.'"     In re Howard, 972 F.2d 639, 641 (5th Cir. 1992).   Of course, the Bankruptcy Code does not say this.    In the case of a chapter 11 proceeding, what the Code does say is that 

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Secured Claims and the Non-Participating Creditor

08/06/13

It is a much misunderstood truism that  a "secured creditor ‘with a loan secured by a lien on the assets of a debtor who becomes bankrupt before the loan is repaid may ignore the bankruptcy proceeding and look to the lien for satisfaction of the debt.'"     In re Howard, 972 F.2d 639, 641 (5th Cir. 1992).   Of course, the Bankruptcy Code does not say this.    In the case of a chapter 11 proceeding, what the Code does say is that 

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On Abstention, Multi-Part Tests and Being Mistaken for David Bowie (Updated)

08/05/13
Who would have thought that abstention could be so interesting? Judge Leif Clark has written an opinion on abstention which jabs at some of the boilerplate language found in motions to abstain and contains a footnote destined to become a Clark-classic. The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Schlotzsky's, Inc. v. Grant Thornton, LLP, Adv. No. 05-5109, 2006 Bankr. LEXIS 2435 (Bankr. W.D. Tex.
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On Abstention, Multi-Part Tests and Being Mistaken for David Bowie (Updated)

08/05/13
Who would have thought that abstention could be so interesting? Judge Leif Clark has written an opinion on abstention which jabs at some of the boilerplate language found in motions to abstain and contains a footnote destined to become a Clark-classic. The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Schlotzsky's, Inc. v. Grant Thornton, LLP, Adv. No. 05-5109, 2006 Bankr. LEXIS 2435 (Bankr. W.D. Tex.
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Meet Judge Davis (Expanded Version)

07/11/13
From 1989 to 2007, Judges Larry Kelly and Frank Monroe occupied the bankruptcy bench in Austin, providing a period of judicial continuity rivaled only by their colleagues in San Antonio (Judges Leif Clark and Ronald King served at the same time from 1988 to 2012).   On April 1, 2013, the Austin bar welcomed its third new judge in six years as Judge Craig Gargotta moved to San Antonio and Judge Tony Davis assumed the bench.   Here is an introduction to the newest jurist to overs
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Meet Judge Davis (Expanded Version)

07/11/13
From 1989 to 2007, Judges Larry Kelly and Frank Monroe occupied the bankruptcy bench in Austin, providing a period of judicial continuity rivaled only by their colleagues in San Antonio (Judges Leif Clark and Ronald King served at the same time from 1988 to 2012).   On April 1, 2013, the Austin bar welcomed its third new judge in six years as Judge Craig Gargotta moved to San Antonio and Judge Tony Davis assumed the bench.   Here is an introduction to the newest jurist to overs
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Supreme Court to Consider Whether Stern Allows Waiver or Consent

07/08/13

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Fifth Circuit Finds That Absolute Priority Rule Applies in Individual Chapter 11 Cases

06/30/13
Joining the Fourth and Tenth Circuits, the Fifth Circuit has ruled that BAPCPA did not implicitly repeal the absolute priority rule in individual chapter 11 cases.    Matter of Lively, No. 12-20277 (5th Cir. 5/29/13), which can be found here.
What Happened
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Supreme Court to Consider Pro Se Challenge to Exemption Surcharge

06/18/13
In an unusual move, the Supreme Court granted cert yesterday to consider the petition of a California man who filed a pro se petition for cert seeking to review the decision of a bankruptcy court to surcharge his homestead exemption under section 105.   No. 12-5196, Law v. Siegel.   The petition for cert and other documents can be found here courtesy of scotusblog.com.  
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Supreme Court Sets Defalcation Bar at Gross Recklessness under Section 523(a)(4)

05/14/13
In the only bankruptcy case pending before it this term, a unanimous Supreme Court has ruled that the archaic term "defalcation" used in 11 U.S.C. Sec. 523(a)(4) requires 
knowledge of, or gross recklessness in respect to, the improper nature of the relevant fiduciary behavior
complained of.    Bullock v. BankChampaign, No.
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