The worldwide press has been humming that General Motors has finally taken back the pole position from Toyota as the worldwide sales leader. In contrast, stories about the General Motors bankruptcy have mostly stalled since the automaker’s plan of liquidation took effect last March. Until now.

A recent decision by the Third Circuit in the Nortel Group bankruptcy reinforces the worldwide reach of the automatic stay and the narrow scope of the police power exception under section 362(b)(4) of the Bankruptcy Code.  In Nortel Networks, Inc. v. Trustee of Nortel Networks U.K. Pension Plan, No. 11-1895 (3d Cir. Dec. 29, 2011), the Third Circuit held that the automatic stay barred U.K. pension claimants from participating in U.K. proceedings meant to determine the debtors’ liability for their affiliate’s pension funding shortfalls.

In an Order issued yesterday by the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas in the Omega Navigation Enterprises, Inc. (Omega) chapter 11 cases, Judge Karen Brown has denied motions to dismiss or convert Omega’s chapter 11 cases or for relief from stay filed by Omega’s Senior Lenders and supported by Omega’s Junior Lenders and Unsecured Creditors’ Committee. In the view of Lloyd’s List, a leading industry publication:

In an Order issued yesterday by the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas in the Omega Navigation Enterprises, Inc. (Omega) chapter 11 cases (the Show Cause Order), Judge Karen Brown has directed Omega’s Senior Lenders, Junior Lenders and Unsecured Creditors’ Committee to show cause whether they should be sanctioned for the conduct described in the Show Cause Order, a copy of which can be found HERE.

After four long years, Australia-based Centro Properties Group (“CNP”) has consummated a global restructuring that combines a debt-for-equity swap with an aggregation of its assets into a new real estate investment trust, Centro Retail Australia (“CRF”). Bracewell & Giuliani was first engaged by Centro’s private placement noteholders in December 2007. As the restructuring progressed Bracewell’s role expanded to becoming lead counsel for CNP’s entire international lending syndicate consisting of more than 90 distressed debt investors, institutional investors and commercial bank

On November 17, 2011 the IRS issued final Treasury Regulations (the “Final Regulations”) that address the tax consequences of a debtor partnership’s issuance of equity in satisfaction of a debt obligation (a “Partnership Equity-for-Debt Exchange”). The Final Regulations provide debtor partnerships, their partners and creditors with welcome clarity regarding the federal income tax consequences of such restructuring. 

On November 11th, Reuters reported on the November 10 filing of bankruptcy court protection by Jefferson County, Alabama, the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history. The county declared bankruptcy after failing to reach an agreement with its creditors on its $3.14 billion debt. Hearings are set for November 21 and December 15 to decide who maintains control of the sewer system and to determine eligibility for Chapter 9. Bankruptcy.

On November 4th, the Federal Bankruptcy Court granted the SIPC Trustee's motion to establish procedures for the issuance of subpoenas for document production and depositions in connection with the SIPC Trustee's independent investigation into the business and affairs of MF Global. Access to documents produced by witnesses and attendance at examinations will be limited to the SIPC Trustee and his professionals. The SIPC, SEC and CFTC will have access to the discovery upon the execution of confidentiality agreements.

As MF Global, Inc. declared bankruptcy on October 31st, the CFTC and SEC released a statement advising that MF Global had informed them of possible deficiencies in customer futures segregated accounts. CFTC-SEC Press Release. On November 1st, the Wall Street Journal reported that the FBI is investigating whether MF Global diverted customer funds.

On October 18th, Bloomberg reported on H.R. 2433, the Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Venue Reform Act of 2011. The bill would restrict corporate bankruptcy filings to the state in which a firm has its principal place of business or holds most of its assets. Forum Shopping.