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On February 14, 2019, Judge Lane of the Bankruptcy Court for the SDNY issued an opinion in Republic Airways Holdings Inc. addressing whether the liquidated damages provisions in certain aircraft “true leases” under Article 2A of the New York UCC were enforceable and, if not, whether they would still be enforceable against the debtor-guarantor of the leases.

On January 29th, PG&E Corporation and its regulated utility subsidiary, Pacific Gas and Electricity Company (collectively, “PG&E”), commenced bankruptcy cases in the Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California. Here are nine things to watch for in the PG&E bankruptcy.

On January 29th, PG&E Corporation and its regulated utility subsidiary, Pacific Gas and Electricity Company (collectively, “PG&E”), commenced bankruptcy cases in the Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California. Here are nine things to watch for in the PG&E bankruptcy.

1. REPLACE THE BOARD? In the wake of PG&E’s announcement to file bankruptcy, certain equity holders are pushing to replace the board of directors at the upcoming annual shareholder meeting.

On May 25, 2018, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (the “Court”) affirmed a district court’s affirmance of a bankruptcy court’s decision in In re Sabine Oil & Gas Corp. that permitted a debtor to reject a midstream gathering agreement as an “executory contract.”1 The Court’s decision, which is the first Court of Appeals to address the rejection of a midstream gathering agreement, firmly establishes a debtor’s right to do so under certain circumstances.

BACKGROUND

The ATP Oil & Gas Corporation bankruptcy case (Case No. 4:12-bk-36187, S.D. Texas) (“ATP”) involved the intersection of energy and bankruptcy law on a variety of issues. Most recently, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals rendered a decision arising from that case dealing with the relative rights or priorities between the holder of overriding royalty interests (“ORRI”) and parties asserting lien claims or privileges under the Louisiana Oil Well Lien Act (“LOWLA”) (La. Rev. Stat § 9:4861) in a case titled OHA Investment Corporation f/k/a NGP Capital Resources Company v.

In In re Spanish Peaks Holdings II, LLC, Case No. 15-35572 (9th Cir. Sept. 12, 2017), the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held that a bankruptcy trustee may use Section 363(f) of the Bankruptcy Code to sell real property free and clear of unexpired leases without affording the non-debtor lessees the right to retain possession of the property.