chapter 13

The Ninth Circuit BAP has spoken on the “hanging paragraph” issue, siding with consumer lenders. Ever since the enactment of BAPCPA, some have claimed that poor legislative drafting must be read as substantially liberalizing the treatment of certain consumer loans in chapter 13.

In re Trejos, 2007 WL 2391184 (Bankr. App. 9th Cir. July 30, 2007) interprets the following language which was added to Bankruptcy Code section 1325(a) but left “hanging” without inclusion in any of its subparagraphs:

There is now a difference of opinion in the published cases about whether means testing applies to determine chapter 7 eligibility in a case converted from chapter 13. Last month, Bankruptcy Judge Burns of the District of New Jersey decided In re Fox, 2007 WL 1576140 (Bankr. D. N.J. June 1, 2007).