The bankruptcy court applied the proper standard for determining “reasonably equivalent value” in the tax sale of the debtor’s home where it used a hypothetical foreclosure sale as the comparator rather than the fair market value. The Rooker-Feldman doctrine prevented the bankruptcy court from nullifying the sale despite procedural irregularities. And even where the debtor won, she lost. The court limited her damages based on the tax buyer’s violation of state consumer protection laws to minor pecuniary loss where it found emotional distress damages are unavailable under state law. Marshall v. Abdoun (In re Marshall), No. 22-10 (E.D. Pa. March 20, 2023). Read More
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Tax Sale Survives Multiple Attacks
Posted by NCBRC - March 31st, 2023
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“Sham” Carve-Out Agreement Rejected
Posted by NCBRC - March 29th, 2023
Calling the agreement a “sham,” the district court affirmed the bankruptcy court’s denial of a carve-out agreement between the chapter 7 trustee and the state and federal tax creditors. The court found the agreement would adhere to no one’s benefit but their own. The court also upheld the bankruptcy court’s finding that the debtor’s homestead exemption applied to section 724(b). Summerlin v. Turnage (In re Turnage), No. 22-122 (W.D. N.C. March 14, 2023). Read More
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Punitive Damages for Stay Violation Were Excessive
Posted by NCBRC - March 24th, 2023
The punitive damages awarded by the bankruptcy court were unconstitutionally excessive where they were seven times greater than actual damages and the bankruptcy court increased the damages on remand because it found the lender’s success at the BAP level would eliminate a substantial disincentive to engage in the conduct establishing the automatic stay violation. Rushmore Loan Mgmt Serv., LLC v. Moon, No. 22-1126 (D. Nev. Feb. 6, 2023). Read More
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Ex-Wife’s Interest in Home Not Property of Debtor’s Bankruptcy Estate
Posted by NCBRC - March 22nd, 2023
Under Colorado law, spouses in dissolution proceedings own marital property as co-owners. Therefore the debtor’s ex-wife had a vested equitable interest in an up-front sum plus 50% of the proceeds from the sale of their marital residence as ordered by the divorce court, and that interest did not enter the debtor’s chapter 13 estate. Williams v. Goodman (In re Williams), No. 22-1067 (10th Cir. Dec. 13, 2022) (non-precedential). Read More
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No Harm in Failure to Disclose
Posted by NCBRC - March 16th, 2023
The debtor was entitled to reopen her bankruptcy case to disclose a post-confirmation, pre-discharge lawsuit where she successfully completed her 100% plan so there was no harm to creditors by her failure to timely disclose the lawsuit, and the debtor would benefit from the opportunity to comply with Eleventh Circuit disclosure requirements. In re Calixto, No. 17-18317 (Bankr. S.D. Fla. Jan. 31, 2023). Read More
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Trustee Entitled to Attorney’s Fees for Exemption Dispute
Posted by NCBRC - March 14th, 2023
Where the debtor’s original exemption claim was for bodily injury, the trustee had a reasonable argument that the actual post-petition settlements of her personal injury case, which specified that they were for non-bodily-injury damages, did not fall under that exemption. Because the trustee’s objection related to the post-settlement exemption claim, it was timely. Biondo v. Gold, Lange, Majoros & Smalarz, P.C., No. 22-1666 (6th Cir. Feb. 8, 2023). Read More
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Debt Owed to Trust is DSO
Posted by NCBRC - March 9th, 2023
Where the debtor’s payments to his ex-wife’s Trust were in lieu of alimony and were understood by both the debtor and his ex-wife to be for her future support, the payments were in the nature of a domestic support obligation not dischargeable in bankruptcy. Hundt v. Ventrone (In re Ventrone), No. 21-11643, Adv. Proc. Nos. 22-00005, 22-00026 (Bankr. E.D. Pa. Jan. 2023). Read More
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Debt Collector Can’t Blame Debtor or FDCPA for Discharge Violation
Posted by NCBRC - March 3rd, 2023
A debt collector’s efforts to collect an unsecured judgment that had been discharged in bankruptcy violated the discharge injunction even though the debtor requested information about the debt. The statement sent to the debtor was explicitly designated an “attempt to collect a debt,” and the debt collector had sufficient information to alert it to the debtor’s bankruptcy discharge. Skaggs v. Gooch (In re Skaggs), No. 17-50941 (Bankr. W.D. Va. Jan. 19, 2023). Read More
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Good Faith in Failure to Disclose Lawsuit
Posted by NCBRC - February 27th, 2023
Where the debtor failed to amend her schedules before her case was closed, she forfeited the right to do so as a matter of course, but based on the facts and circumstances in this case, the debtor’s neglect was excusable. The court allowed her to reopen her case to claim an exemption in a personal injury settlement. In re Wantz, No. 18-2851 (Bankr. W.D. Mich. Jan. 5, 2023). Read More
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Passive Voice and 1885 Case Sink Debt Discharge
Posted by NCBRC - February 23rd, 2023
SCOTUS determined that section 523(a)(2)(A), which excludes from discharge debts incurred by fraud, applies to innocent partners of the fraudulent actor where the statute does not draw any connection between the individual debtor and the fraudulent conduct but instead is written in passive tense saying merely that a debt owed by an individual and procured by fraud is nondischargeable. Bartenwerfer v. Buckley, No. 21-908, __ U.S. __ (Feb. 22, 2023). The decision was unanimous with a concurring opinion by Justice Sotomayor adding that the decision turned on the fact that the debtor had an agency relationship with the fraudulent actor. Read More
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HAVEN Act Guide
The Honoring American Veterans in Extreme Need Act of 2019 (“HAVEN Act”) excludes certain benefits paid to veterans or their family members from the definition of current monthly income (“CMI”) found in the Bankruptcy Code. The HAVEN Act amends § 101(10A) of the Bankruptcy Code and supplements the 2005 amendments to the Code that excluded other government benefits, such as social security income.
This Guide provides an overview of the HAVEN Act identifies benefits that are excluded, and answers frequently asked questions.
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American College of Bankruptcy
The American College of Bankruptcy is an honorary public service association of bankruptcy and insolvency professionals who are invited to join as Fellows based on a proven record of the highest standards of professionalism plus service to the profession and their communities. Together with its affiliated Foundation, the College is the largest financial supporter of bankruptcy and insolvency-related pro bono legal service programs in the United States.NACBA
The only national organization dedicated to serving the needs of consumer bankruptcy attorneys and protecting the rights of consumer debtors in bankruptcy. Formed in 1992, NACBA has more than 3,000 members located in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.O. Max Gardner Foundation, Inc.
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