The Daily Docket: Big Frowns for Small Smiles

The financially struggling operator of Small Smiles Dental filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to begin the process of selling its operations to repay its debts. Read the Daily Bankruptcy Review article here.

A bankruptcy judge cleared the biggest lender behind the Hooters Casino Hotel to swap $60 million in debt for the struggling Las Vegas attraction themed after the risque restaurant chain. Click here to read the article in DBR Small Cap.

(The Daily Bankruptcy Review and DBR Small Cap are daily newsletters with comprehensive coverage and analysis of emerging and in-progress insolvencies and turnarounds. For a two-week trial to DBR, click here. For DBR SC, click here.)

Hostess Brands Inc.’s bid to reject its collective-bargaining agreements has generated a fresh flurry of criticism from fellow food companies, pension funds and a nonprofit group. Read the DBR article via The Wall Street Journal.

A judge has scrapped some of Bernard Madoff trustee Irving Picard’s claims against Italian bank UniCredit SpA and three other defendants, WSJ reports.

According to Bloomberg, Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. is set to ask a judge Wednesday to endorse a plan that would let it increase its first payment to creditors.

Thousands of former MF Global Holdings Ltd. clients haven’t yet gotten tax forms detailing their profits and losses, Reuters reports.

According to the New York Times, taxpayers have spent almost $50 million in legal payments to defend former Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae executives since the government rescued the companies.

Developments takes a look at Sam Zell’s bid for a stake in the Archstone apartments.

So does the New York Times.

Follow Bankruptcy Beat on Twitter.