ATexasBankruptcyLawyersBlog

Poetic Justice

06/09/11
Way back in 1986, Judge A. Jay Cristol denied his own sua sponte motion to dismiss a chapter 7 bankruptcy case in verse. In re Love, 61 B.R. 558 (Bankr. S.D. Fl. 1986). Some 20 years later, he penned another poetic opinion, this time finding that he was not required to sua sponte dismiss a Debtor's case for failure to file the required paperwork. In re Riddle, No. 06-11313 (Bankr. S.D. Fl.
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Judge Gargotta Writes Sweeping Opinion on Jurisdiction, Reverse Veil-piercing and Cayman Islands Law

04/19/11

In law school, students cope with concepts of subject matter jurisdiction, personal jurisdiction and stating a cause of action in civil procedure class. When they move on to bankruptcy class, they must try to make sense of the constitutionality of delegating jurisdiction to an Article I court when considering the Marathon Pipeline case. These are not easy issues to get your head around.

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Not a Good Idea to Object to Every Claim

04/10/11
You know that nothing good can come from an opinion which begins like this:
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Difference in Wording Dooms Bankruptcy Discrimination Claim

03/05/11
A debtor who was denied a job based on a bankruptcy filing found out the hard way that subtle differences in wording can make a big difference. Burnett v. Stewart Title, No. 10-20250 (5th Cir. 3/4/11). You can find the opinion here.
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The Early View from Inside the Borders GOB Sale

03/01/11
This past Saturday, I was able to combine two of my interests, books and bankruptcy, in a trip to the Borders Going Out of Business Sale. Actually, my eldest daughter demanded that I take her there. However, I was happy to indulge her and I thought it would be interesting to see what a going out of business sale looked like.
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TOUSA Fraudulent Conveyance Judgment Reversed by District Court

02/14/11
In a 113 page opinion, U.S. District Judge Alan S. Gold has reversed a controversial fraudulent conveyance judgment in the TOUSA bankruptcy case. In re TOUSA, Inc., Case No. 10-60017 (S.D. Fl. 2/11/11). You can find the opinion here.

A Series of Highly Unfortunate Events

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730-Day Rule Costs Debtor Homestead Exemption

02/04/11
The Fifth Circuit's recent decision in Camp v. Ingalls allowed an itinerant debtor to claim federal exemptions that would not have been available to him had he remained in Florida. That was a small victory for the debtor. However, a decision released just a few days later reveals the darker side of the 730 day rule for claiming exemptions. In the case of In re Fernandez, No. 09-32896 (Bankr. W.D. Tex.
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Fifth Circuit Doesn't Save the Save Our Springs Alliance But Time May

01/29/11
Another chapter in the Austin development wars has played out as the Fifth Circuit affirmed the Bankruptcy Court ruling denying confirmation of the plan of reorganization proposed by the Save Our Springs (SOS) Alliance, Inc. Matter of Save Our Springs (SOS) Alliance, Inc., No. 09-50990 (1/26/11). However, intervening developments have helped to keep the feisty environmental activist group alive. You can read the opinion here.
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Antone's Records: A Tragedy in Three Acts and 46 Pages

01/26/11

Austin prides itself on being the Live Music Capital of the World. While many musicians travel to Austin with stars in their eyes, the reality is that it is difficult to earn a living in the music business, either as an artist or an independent record label. For the past eighteen months Bankruptcy Judge Craig Gargotta has received an extensive education on what can go wrong in relationships between record labels and their artists. This education was

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