chapter 7

Saw three couples this month who needed to file bankruptcy, because they were getting sued–garnished in one case–by the second mortgage after a short sale.

It was surprising that they were surprised.   At the peak of the crisis, for or five years ago, second mortgages would take what they could get at a short sale and let the rest of it go.  But they don’t often do that anymore.  (At least not without intense negotiation.  I’ve seen it once in the last year.)

Prior to his filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy one of my clients was victim of a home break-in and theft. Valuable personal property was stolen. A police report was filed. After filing the petition, the police recovered some property and the thief was ordered to pay restitution to my bankruptcy client.

One of my clients says his creditors have threatened to force him into Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The client is in default of a loan agreement over $1 million, but the creditor has not yet filed a lawsuit. The client’s recently purchased Florida homestead would not be exempt in a bankruptcy case filed in the near future.

A debtor owes money to his parents, and his parents long ago recorded a mortgage on the debtor’s real property. The debtor was behind in the note payments to the parents. The debtor is concerned about that paying his loan to his parents would be an improper preferential payment in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceeding.

By: Shane Malone

St. John’s Law Student

American Bankruptcy Institute Law Review Staff