The doctrine of equitable mootness is in the news again. The Supreme Court recently denied a cert. petition in a case where the petitioner wanted the doctrine ruled unconstitutional. KK-PB Financial LLC v. 160 Royal Palm LLC, Case No. 21-1197, 2021 WL 7247541 (petition), 2022 WL 1914118, (denying certiorari).

Introduction

The issue of whether directors, officers, and/or shareholders breached their fiduciary duties to a company prior to bankruptcy is commonly litigated in chapter 11 cases, as creditors look to additional sources for recovery, such as D&O insurance or “deep-pocket” shareholders, including private equity firms. The recent decision in In re AMC Investors, LLC, 637 B.R. 43 (Bankr. D. Del. 2022) provides a helpful reminder of the importance of timing in bringing such claims and the use by defendants of affirmative defenses to defeat those claims.

In the world of cryptocurrency, exchange platforms act as intermediaries allowing investors to buy and sell assets while making money through commissions and transaction fees. Any assets purchased may be held in either non-custodial or custodial wallets. If a customer chooses a custodial wallet, the platform holds and manages the assets through a private key, which is a string of characters that serves as a password. If a key is lost or forgotten, it may be impossible to recover, resulting in the permanent loss of the asset.

A discharge in bankruptcy usually discharges a debtor from the debtor’s liabilities. Section 523 of the Bankruptcy Code, however, sets forth certain exceptions to this policy, including for “any debt . . . for money, property, services, or an extension, renewal, or refinancing of credit, to the extent obtained by . . . false pretenses, a false representation, or actual fraud. . . .” 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2)(A).

Courts Begin to Wrestle with the Impact of on a Debtor’s Ability to Recover Estate Property

In a 2021 chapter 15 decision, In re Bankruptcy Estate of Norske Skogindustrier ASA,¹ the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York held that foreign law avoidance claims that are sufficiently analogous to claims under section 548(a)(1)(A)² of the Bankruptcy Code—but not identical—may fall within the intentional fraud exception to the safe harbor provisions of section 546(e)³ of the Bankruptcy Code (the “Safe Harbor”).

The COVID-19 pandemic hit the bottom line of many businesses. Among the hardest hit industries has been the travel industry and, in particular, airlines and aviation companies. Many airlines are still struggling to generate new ticket sales as compared to pre-pandemic levels and average fares remain depressed.¹ One industry source predicts that passenger numbers will not return to 2019 levels prior to 2024.² Compounding this are increased costs of fuel (up 35% so far this year) and other expenses.³

The COVID-19 pandemic hit the bottom line of many businesses. Among the hardest hit industries has been the travel industry and, in particular, airlines and aviation companies. Many airlines are still struggling to generate new ticket sales as compared to pre-pandemic levels and average fares remain depressed.¹ One industry source predicts that passenger numbers will not return to 2019 levels prior to 2024.² Compounding this are increased costs of fuel (up 35% so far this year) and other expenses.³

The Fifth Circuit recently dismissed an appeal of a confirmation order as equitably moot. The decision was based on three key factors: the appellant hadn’t obtained a stay pending appeal, the plan had been substantially consummated, and practical relief couldn’t be fashioned if the plan was unwound.Talarico v. Ultra Petro. Corp. (In re Ultra Petro. Corp.), Case No. 21-20049, 2022 U.S. App. LEXIS 8941 (5th Cir. Apr. 1, 2022).