Federal appeals courts have been split on whether filing a proof of claim in bankruptcy on old debt, or obligations that have expired under a statute of limitations, violates the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. In a victory for debt collectors and the debt buying industry, the Supreme Court clarified this issue on May 15, 2017 with its decision in Midland Funding, LLC v. Johnson, No. 16-348.
The oil and gas industry is in the midst of a transition, with prices falling as supply outpaces current demand. With global economic weakness and growing competition from alternative energy sources, the expectation is for continued headwinds. Low prices have caused numerous producers to default on their indebtedness and many to seek financial restructuring, including filing for bankruptcy protection.
Effective December 1, 2015, creditors will need to use a different proof of claim form in bankruptcy cases. This article summarizes the main changes to the new proof of claim form, a copy of which is attached.
Bill could significantly alter medical and financial disclosures in asbestos cases
West Virginia State Senate passes SB 411, creating the Asbestos Bankruptcy Trust claims Transparency Act and the Asbestos and Silica Priorities Act. Next, the bill goes to the House of Delegates for review and likely passage.
A recent bankruptcy decision from the Southern District of New York should caution business partners about the risks presented if the partnership becomes bankrupt. Limited liability partnerships present advantages such as flexibility in the operation of the business and tax advantages. LLPs also provide protection for partners from the business’ debts. As a result, LLPs are popular among professionals, including attorneys.
The “discharge injunction” of Section 524 of the Bankruptcy Code is one of the most, if not the most, important features of United States bankruptcy law. Debtors in bankruptcy must complete detailed paperwork regarding their assets and liabilities and either turn over their non-exempt assets to a bankruptcy trustee or execute a payment plan that repays all or a portion of their debt.
As seen in The Community Banker
As seen in the Spring 2012 issue of West Virginia Banker.
In the wake of the national attention directed towards residential mortgages in the last few years, certain revisions were made to the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure to address perceived deficiencies in bankruptcy proofs of claim. The rule changes were first proposed in 2009 by the Judicial Conference of the United States and became effective December 1, 2011.
Now that the American Land Title Association ("ALTA") has withdrawn the ALTA Form 21-06 Creditor's Rights Endorsement, what steps can a lender take to protect itself?
To recap, the Creditors' Rights Endorsement provided protection against loss or damage sustained by the lender in the event that the lender's mortgage was set aside due to a fraudulent conveyance or preference under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, state insolvency statutes or other creditor's rights laws.