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Ninth Circuit Holds That Joint Plan Covering Multiple Debtors Must Be Approved by Only One Impaired Class Per Plan, Not One Impaired Class Per Debtor

The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit recently held that section 1129(a)(10) of the Bankruptcy Code – a provision which, in effect, prohibits confirmation of a plan unless the plan has been accepted by at least one impaired class of claims – applies on “per plan” rather than a “per debtor” basis, even when the plan at issue covers multiple debtors. In re Transwest Resort Properties, Inc., 2018 WL 615431 (9th Cir. Jan. 25, 2018). The Court is the first circuit court to address the issue.

USA, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, Ninth Circuit
Energy Future Wins Round Two in Fight to Skirt Liability for Make-Whole Premiums

In February 2016, Energy Future Holdings Corp. (“EF”), which obtained confirmation of a chapter 11 plan on December 3, 2015, prevailed at the district court level in related appeals brought by first- and second-lien noteholders of bankruptcy court orders disallowing the noteholders’ claims for make-whole premiums allegedly due under their note indentures. The forum in this hotly contested and long-running dispute has now moved to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

Enforceability of Make-Whole Premiums in Bankruptcy

USA, Delaware, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, Jones Day, United States bankruptcy court
Energy Future redux: no automatic stay relief to decelerate notes and collect make-whole premiums

In Del. Trust Co. v. Energy Future Intermediate Holding Co. LLC (In re Energy Future Holdings Corp.), 527 B.R. 178 (Bankr. D. Del. 2015), the bankruptcy court ruled that, even though a chapter 11 debtor repaid certain bonds prior to maturity, a "make-whole" premium was not payable under the plain terms of the bond indenture because automatic acceleration of the debt triggered by the debtor's chapter 11 filing was not a "voluntary" repayment.

USA, Delaware, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, Private Client & Offshore Services, Jones Day, Debtor, US District Court for the Southern District of New York
Dashed expectations: Delaware Court rules make-whole premium not payable upon early repayment of bond debt in bankruptcy

Whether a provision in a bond indenture or loan agreement obligating a borrower to pay a “make-whole” premium is enforceable in bankruptcy has been the subject of heated debate in recent years. A Delaware bankruptcy court recently weighed in on the issue in Del. Trust Co. v. Energy Future Intermediate Holding Co. LLC (In re Energy Future Holdings Corp.), 527 B.R. 178 (Bankr. D. Del. 2015).

USA, Delaware, Banking, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, Jones Day, Bankruptcy, Debtor, Debt, Maturity (finance), United States bankruptcy court
Risk and opportunity amid falling oil prices

The mainstream media have been trying to predict, on almost a daily basis, the causes of, and the winners and losers (mostly focused on the latter category) resulting from, the current volatility in oil and gas prices.

USA, Energy & Natural Resources, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, Jones Day, Market liquidity
Restructuring Department Bulletin - December 2025
USA, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison LLP, Insolvency, Supreme Court of the United States