Third Circuit

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit recently became the first circuit court to address the question of whether a corporate parent can set off an obligation that it owes to a bankrupt company against a claim owed by such company to the parent’s subsidiary. A couple of years ago, in the chapter 11 case of Orexigen Therapeutics in the District of Delaware, former Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Gross denied a motion to allow such a “triangular” setoff.

The economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic will leave in its wake a significant increase in commercial chapter 11 filings. Many of these cases will feature extensive litigation involving breach of contract claims, business interruption insurance disputes, and common law causes of action based on novel interpretations of long-standing legal doctrines such as force majeure.

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear the case of Czyzewski v. Jevic Holding Corp. during the new term that began last week.  The questions it presents are relatively simple.  First, can a bankruptcy court, in dismissing a case under the U.S.

On September 14, 2015, the Third Circuit released a precedential opinion (the “Opinion”) which addressed payments from a buyer to non-debtor parties in a 363 sale.  The Third Circuit’s opinion is available here.  If you prefer the version of the Opinion published by Westlaw, it is ICL Holding Company, Inc., et al. v. United States, 2015 WL 5315604 (3d Cir. Sept. 14, 2015).

Fisker Automotive’s chapter 11 case began in what has become a depressingly familiar fashion – a fast-tracked sale to a secured lender.  However, two rulings by Judge Kevin Gross of the U.S.