Supreme Court

Baker Botts v. Asarco: The Supreme Court Shows Again That It Really Doesn’t Understand Corporate Bankruptcy Cases

06/18/15

The Supreme Court has not handled its recent major bankruptcy decisions well. The jurisdictional confusion engendered by its 2011 decision in Stern v. Marshall was only partially clarified by this term’s opinion in Wellness International Network v. Sharif.

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Supreme Court Extends Dewsnup But Suggests They Really Don't Care for the Decision

06/02/15
The Supreme Court extended the holding of Dewsnup v. Timm, 502 U.S. 410 (1992) to a fully unsecured junior lien in a chapter 7 case.    However, the Court suggested in a footnote that they are ready to reconsider the underlying precedent.    This suggests that the Petitioners may have lost because they were not bold enough in challenging Dewsnup.   Bank of America v. Caulkett, No.
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Supreme Court Decides to Maintain the Viability of the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts, But a Key Question Remains Unresolved

05/28/15

Four years ago, in Stern v. Marshall, the Supreme Court stunned many observers by re-visiting separation of powers issues regarding the jurisdiction of the United States bankruptcy courts that most legal scholars had viewed as long settled. Stern significantly reduced the authority of bankruptcy courts, and bankruptcy judges and practitioners both have since been grappling with the ramifications of that decision.

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Wellness Case Brings Healing for Bankruptcy Court Authority

05/26/15
Resolving an issue left open by two prior decisions, the Supreme Court ruled that the right to entry of a final judgment by an Article III court, like the right to trial by jury, is a personal right which can be waived or consented away.    The decision left Chief Justice Roberts, whose broad language in Stern v. Marshall spawned a plethora law review articles, in the minority, while Justice Sotomayor spoke for the six justices in the majority.
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Supreme Court Rules Debtor Entitled to Funds Remaining Upon Conversion of Chapter 13 Case

05/19/15
Acknowledging that the statutory language "does not say expressly" what should happen, the Supreme Court nevertheless ruled that undistributed funds held by the Chapter 13 trustee should be returned to the debtor following a conversion.   The Court described its result as "the most sensible reading of what Congress did provide."   Justice Ginsberg wrote the opinion for an unanimous Court.   Harris v. Viegelahn, No. 14-400 (5/18/15).
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Supreme Court Says Denial of Confirmation Not Automatically Appealable

05/07/15
In a surprisingly casual opinion, the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Roberts, has ruled that denial of confirmation of a chapter 13 plan does not give rise to a final order which can be appealed as a matter of right.    Bullard v. Blue Hills Bank, No.
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Homeowner’s Bankruptcy Appeal Denied by Supreme Court

05/05/15
Joshua Roberts/Reuters

The U.S. Supreme Court Monday ruled that a homeowner who failed to win confirmation of his bankruptcy-exit plan can’t immediately appeal the decision.

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Wellness International Oral Argument: Supreme Court Justices Grapple With Implications of Narrowing Bankruptcy Court Powers

01/26/15

There were nearly a million bankruptcy cases filed by individuals and businesses in 2014.  It is safe to say that only the tiniest fraction of such debtors have any familiarity with the Supreme Court’s decision in Stern v.

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Supreme Court to Hear Dispute Over Fees for Defending Fee Application

10/28/14
The Supreme Court doesn't take many cases on bankruptcy issues.  It has only ruled on attorney's fees in bankruptcy once since the Code was adopted and that ruling was on the narrow issue of whether a chapter 7 debtor's attorney could recover fees from the estate.    As a result, it was big news when the Court granted cert in  No. 14-103, Baker Botts, LLP v.
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