On January 14, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court decided City of Chicago, Illinois v. Fulton (Case No. 19-357, Jan. 14, 2021), a case which examined whether merely retaining estate property after a bankruptcy filing violates the automatic stay provided for by §362(a) of the Bankruptcy Code. The Court overruled the bankruptcy court and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in deciding that mere retention of property does not violate the automatic stay.
Case Background
This week’s TGIF considers an application to wind up a company on just and equitable grounds. The Court declined to make the order, finding the suggested deadlock had an air of artificiality and the application was infused with self-interest.
Key takeaways
This week’s TGIF considers the decision of the Supreme Court In the matter of IW4U Pty Limited (In Liquidation) [2021] NSWSC 40, where the liquidators failed to recover compensation despite establishing contraventions of directors’ duties following an apparent phoenix.
Key takeaways
This week’s TGIF considers the decision in Nikitins v EncoreFX (Australia) Pty Ltd (No 2) [2021] FCA 27, where the Federal Court found that funds paid into a holding account for the provision of foreign exchange services were held on trust and were not property of the liquidation.
Key takeaways
This week’s TGIF considers a recent decision of the NSW Supreme Court which determined an application to extend the time to bring voidable transaction claims, where the potential defendants were themselves insolvent, deregistered or bankrupt and the prospect of returns from the proceedings unclear.
Key takeaways
When an individual files a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case, the debtor’s non-exempt assets become property of the estate that is used to pay creditors. “Property of the estate” is a defined term under the Bankruptcy Code, so a disputed question in many cases is: What assets are, in fact, available to creditors?
This week’s TGIF considers the most recent case involving the Octaviar group of companies where the Supreme Court gave judicial advice to liquidators of related companies within the Octaviar group regarding a proposed settlement.
Key takeaways
This week’s TGIF examines the risks of not complying with the strict rules for serving an application to set aside a statutory demand interstate, and whether a demand that mis-states the extended six-month period to comply will be set aside.
Key takeaways
This week’s TGIF looks at recent litigation involving Henclo Investments Pty Ltd, where the NSW Supreme Court refused an application to wind up a company on the basis that an outstanding debt alone is insufficient to show insolvency.
Key takeaways
Changes in Farm and Agriculture Bankruptcy
In 2019, the Small Business Reorganization Act (SBRA) and the Family Farmer Relief Act (FFRA) were passed to help American farmers who have seen an increase in financial difficulties. Recently, farms have seen a rise in debt due to market disruptions, poor weather, and lower income. The SBRA and the FFRA were passed in order to increase the ease and accessibility of Chapter 11 and Chapter 12 bankruptcies.