The EBA updated its Implementing Technical Standards (ITS) on supervisory reporting of liquidity coverage ratios (LCR) for EU credit institutions. The updated ITS includes new templates and instructions for credit institutions so as to ensure compliance with the European Commission's Delegated Act adopted in October 2014. In addition the ITS outline all the necessary steps needed for the calculation of the ratio. The amended ITS are only applicable to credit institutions and not to investment firms and will only become applicable following publication in the EU Official Journal.

BOKF, N.A. v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (In re MPM Silicones, LLC), 518 B.R. 740 (Bankr. S.D.N.Y. 2014) –

Senior lienholders sued lenders holding junior liens on common collateral, arguing that the junior lienholders violated an intercreditor agreement.  The bankruptcy court addressed the issues in the context of motions to dismiss the senior lienholder complaints. 

Deirdra Renee Gause v. Citifinancial Services, Inc. (In re Deirdra Renee Gause), 525 B.R. 35 (Bankr. M.D. N.C. 2014) –

A chapter 13 debtor sought a court determination that a mortgage loan was unsecured because there was a small typo in her name when the mortgage was indexed.  The mortgagee brought a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim.

Applicable state law included the following provisions:

In re Ramz Real Estate Co., LLC, 510 B.R. 712 (Bankr. S.D.N.Y. 2013) –

An undersecured mortgagee objected to a debtor’s proposed plan of reorganization on several grounds, including that (1) the plan was not approved by a proper impaired class and (2) retention of equity by the debtor’s members violated the absolute priority rule.

State Bank of Toulon v. Covey (In re Duckworth), 776 F.3d 453 (7th Cir. 2014) –

In re Primes, 518 B.R. 466 (Bankr. N.D. Ill. 2014) –

A mortgagee moved for relief from the automatic stay, arguing that it acquired title to property prior to the bankruptcy under a quit claim deed given to it by the debtor. However, the bankruptcy court agreed with the debtor that the deed, which was given in connection with a forbearance agreement, should be treated as an equitable mortgage.

The Department of Justice and Equality has announced that the Government is to introduce legislation before the summer recess giving Courts the power to review and, where appropriate, approve insolvency deals that have been rejected by banks. This process will represent a reform of the Personal Insolvency framework and "seeks to ensure that fair and sustainable deals are upheld for struggling borrowers willing to work their way out of difficulties with a view to keeping their family home."

In re Mississippi Valley Livestock, Inc., 745 F.3d 299 (7th Cir. 2014) –

A debtor sold cattle for the account of a cattle producer and then remitted the proceeds to the producer.  A chapter 7 trustee sought to recover the payments as preferential transfers.  The trustee lost in both the bankruptcy and district courts, and then appealed to the 7th Circuit.

Flyboy Aviation Properties, LLC v. Franck (In re Flyboy Aviation Properties, LLC), 525 B.R. 510 (Bankr. N.D. Ga. 2015) –

While section 503(b)(9) claims deserve priority payment over general unsecured claims, they do not provide a basis for stripping a debtor’s defenses in determining the allowed amount of a section 503(b)(9) claim.

Note: Pepper Hamilton LLP serves as co-counsel to the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors (the Committee) in the ADI case. The views expressed herein are solely those of the authors and not of the Committee.