Bankruptcy Blogs

Morning Scan: Stripe Leads Fintech 'Revolution'; Bitcoin Creator Revealed?

05/02/16

Wall Street Journal

Silicon Valley is investing in a startup that seeks an old-fashioned bank charter. Yes, you read that correctly. Warburg Pincus, which has plenty of experience investing in community banks, is leading an investment round in Varo Money, which is developing a mobile-banking app. Varo, led by former American Express and Wells Fargo veteran Colin Walsh, will partner with banks at first but may eventually seek its own charter, so it can accept deposits...

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Two More Oil Companies Enter Chapter 11

05/02/16

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Fifth Circuit Report: First Quarter 2016

05/01/16
During the first quarter of 2016, the Fifth Circuit handed down some important decisions relating to bankruptcy and debt.     These include cases about how attorneys get paid from PACA proceeds, standing to object, denial of discharge, dismissal for cause, enforcing a chapter 11 plan, preferences, more fallout from the Stanford Ponzi scheme and some cases of general interest.
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Next Week in Bankruptcy

04/29/16

Coal giant Peabody Energy Corp. will make its second bankruptcy-court appearance next week, requesting full and final access to $800 million in bankruptcy financing.

The company will appear before Judge Barry S. Schermer of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in St. Louis on Thursday to request the permission. Judge Schermer granted preliminary access to the financing package arranged by Citigroup two weeks ago.

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Yes, Banks Are in League with Law Enforcement. That's a Good Thing

04/29/16

The prosecution of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert illustrates why it makes sense to require bankers to share suspicions with the authorities.

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How to Encourage Bank Customers to Take 'Good' Risks

04/29/16

With consumers generally averse to risk, financial institutions have an opportunity to rethink what it means to make bets in line with their customers' well-being.

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Caesars Fee Monitor Reviewing Rate Increases

04/29/16

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Annual rate increases at some of the country’s biggest law firms are going under the microscope in one chapter 11 case.

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Texas Judge Says You Don't Have to Act Rashly to Value a Truck

04/29/16
Western District of Texas Bankruptcy Judge Tony Davis has written a very helpful opinion on valuing a truck in a chapter 13 case.   The ten page opinion is packed with extensive footnotes as well as practical guidelines.   In the end, the valuation issue depended on burden of proof and the relatively weak evidence offered by the debtor prevailed.    In re Solis, No. 15-11181 (Bankr. W.D. Tex.
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CFPB Overdraft Complaints: The Numbers Don't Lie

04/29/16

While it is true that more consumers complain to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau about their mortgages, the data still reinforces the idea that overdraft fees are more high-cost credit than protection.

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Morning Scan: ABA v. Congress; Why Banks Love Credit Cards

04/29/16

Receiving Wide Coverage…

The American Bankers Association has pressed the idea of taking Congress to court over its decision last year to cut yearly dividend payments from the Federal Reserve to its member banks. The measure is part of a broad highway spending bill that "violates several legal principles" like breach of contract and taking of property without just compensation, ABA president Rob Nichols noted in a letter he wrote to Congress Thursday. Banks are required...

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