Judge Christopher Sontchi

Judge Christopher Sontchi recently issued an important opinion in the Molycorp chapter 11 case.  He held that a standard carve-out in a financing order for the fees of counsel and other professionals for an official creditors’ committee will not later limit the ability of such professionals to be paid in full under a confirmed plan of reorganization.  As with

Energy Future Holdings (“EFH” or “Debtors”) has cleared all of the preliminary hurdles in its path as it moves towards the confirmation of its plan of reorganization (the “Plan”). Last week Judge Christopher Sontchi of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware approved the Debtors’ disclosure statement in support of the Plan, authorized the Plan to be distributed to creditors for voting purposes, and scheduled the hearing on Plan confirmation to begin on November 3.

Judge Christopher Sontchi issued a notable opinion last week in the bankruptcy case of Energy Future Holdings Corp., et al. (“EFH”), Case No. 14-10979 (D. Del.), ruling that the repayment in full of certain senior secured notes did not trigger an obligation by the debtors to pay a make-whole premium.

Many commentators have remarked that a “new normal” has evolved for Chapter 11 proceedings, wherein the major constituents negotiate the salient terms and exit strategy of the debtor’s restructuring prior to the filing of the bankruptcy petition, generally leading to shorter, less litigious cases. This dynamic, often evidenced by a plan support agreement, a proposed sale of assets under