Arthur C. Clarke famously observed: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Our regulatory, legislative, and judicial systems illustrate this principle whenever new technology exceeds the limits of our existing legal framework and collective legal imagination. Cryptocurrency, such as bitcoin, has proven particularly “magical” in the existing framework of bankruptcy law, which has not yet determined quite what bitcoin is—a currency, an intangible asset, a commodity contract, or something else entirely.

Arthur C. Clarke famously observed: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Our regulatory, legislative, and judicial systems illustrate this principle whenever new technology exceeds the limits of our existing legal framework and collective legal imagination. Cryptocurrency, such as bitcoin, has proven particularly “magical” in the existing framework of bankruptcy law, which has not yet determined quite what bitcoin is—a currency, an intangible asset, a commodity contract, or something else entirely.

Model Reorg Acquisition, LLC, along with eighteen of its subsidiaries and affiliates, has filed a petition for relief under Chapter 11 in the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (Lead Case No. 17-11794).

USAE, LLC, f/k/a U.S. Aerospace LLC, has filed a petition for relief under Chapter 11 in the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (Case No. 17-11778). Based in Wilmington, DE, USAE produces aircraft assemblies, structural components and highly engineered, precision machined details for the U.S. Government, U.S. Airforce and companies such as Lockheed Martin and Boeing.

Takata Corporation, a Japanese corporation, as well as two of its subsidiaries and affiliates have filed a petition for recognition of a foreign main proceeding in the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (Case No. 17-11713).

True Religion Apparel, Inc., a company that designs, markets, sells and distributes premium fashion apparel through wholesale and retail channels, and four of its affiliates, has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (Lead Case No: 17-11460).

TK Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Takata Corporation, and eleven (11) of its subsidiaries and affiliates have filed petitions for relief under Chapter 11 in the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (Lead Case No. 17-11375).

Keystone Tube Company, LLC and four affiliates, including A.M. Castle & Co. (OTC: CASL), HY-Alloy Steels Company, Keystone Service, Inc. and Total Plastics, Inc., have filed chapter 11 petitions before the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (Lead Case No. 17-11330). The debtors are a specialty metals distribution company.

As we have noted in another post, Non-Final Finality: Does One Interlocutory Issue Resolved in a Bankruptcy Court Order Render All Issues Addressed in the Order Non-Appealable?, not all orders in bankruptcy cases are immediately appealable as a matter of right. Only those orders deemed sufficiently “final” may be appealed without additional court authorization.

Upcoming Committee Formation Meeting: Thursday, March 16, 2017, 1:00 p.m.

Case Name: 17-10500 (KJC)

Location: J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building 844 N. King Street 3rd Floor – Room 3209 Wilmington, DE 19801