The Federal Court of Justice has lowered the threshold for the approval of an insolvency plan by the insolvency court.
Background
The German Federal Court of Justice (BGH) in its ruling of 12 January 2023 (IX ZR 71/22) clarifies the requirements for proving an 'intent to disadvantage creditors' that it established in its landmark ruling of 6 May 2021.
Background
The German Federal Court of Justice (BGH) has ruled on the question of whether an agreement that grants release from a contract on grounds of insolvency or the opening of insolvency proceedings is effective.
Background
Key point
The Court is prepared to look at the overall nature of a directors conduct and dissect a complex series of transactions before concluding what (if any) insolvency failings have been committed by a director.
The Facts
Key points
The court has discretion to allow an insolvency practitioner to recover fees and costs from work done in realising assets for the benefit of a third party but it cannot be exercised where an insolvency practitioner takes action in relation to assets outside in the insolvency estate of his own accord.
The facts
Key Point
No recognition order was made where the main foreign insolvency proceedings had ended even where the plan agreed in those proceedings was in part still to be implemented.
The Facts
Key Point
An "establishment" requires business and business activity to be carried out involving dealings with third parties and not simply acts of internal administration.
Facts
Key point
Pensions in payment were within the ambit of section 310(7) of the Insolvency Act 1986 (the "Act"), but pensions not in payment were not payments to which a bankrupt was “entitled” as the right to draw had not been excerised. The court therefore refused to make an income payments order ("IPO").
The Facts
Key points
- Where main proceedings have been opened in one member state, secondary proceedings may be opened in another member state where the debtor has an establishment. The effects of the secondary proceedings shall be restricted to the assets in that territory.
- Local law and court discretion may apply to the opening of secondary proceedings and may be exercised, but these should not be discriminatory.
The Facts
Key points
Agreements relating to costs in the course of their office could not be set aside by liquidators subsequently appointed.
The facts