Lately, the global economic market has been tumultuousMajor changes such as inflation and interest rate hikes may cause individuals or legal entities to fall into the abyss of insolvency. According to the Consumer Debt Clearance Statute and the Bankruptcy Act, if a debtor is unable to repay his/her debts, he/she may clear his/her debts according to the rehabilitation or liquidation process set out by the Consumer Debt ClearanceStatute, or file an application for bankruptcy in accordance with the Bankruptcy Act. Both are procedures to help debtors clear their debts.

近來全球經濟市場瞬息萬變，通貨膨脹、利息調升等重大變動，可能造成個人或法人步入不能清償債務的萬丈深淵。按消費者債務清理條例、破產法之規定，債務人若有不能清償債務之情形時，得依消費者債務清理條例聲請更生、清算，或依破產法聲請破產，二者都是協助債務人清理債務之程序，但從司法案件統計上，准駁情形卻有相當大的差異。

依司法院民國110年統計年報有關「地方法院消債聲請事件終結情形」之統計數字，自101年起至110年止聲請更生事件總計為33,997件，裁准更生之案件總計為24,699件（裁准比率為72.7％）；聲請清算事件總計為9,995件，裁定開始清算之案件總計為7,984件（裁准比率為79.9％）。

然而，有關「地方法院民事破產事件終結情形」同期間之統計數字，聲請破產事件總計僅有2,013件，而宣告破產之案件更只有287件（裁准比率為14.3％）。二者同為清理債務之程序，同樣期待債務人能夠透過債務清理程序重獲新生，何以破產事件不論是案件數量或裁准比率，均大幅低於更生或清算事件？

這些聲請破產之個人或法人，在破產程序中，究竟是因為什麼原因而被法院駁回聲請？或許可以從法院駁回破產聲請的理由，探知我國破產程序何以難如登天。

商事合同中通常会订有合同解除条款，比如满足约定条件或情形下，一方得以解除合同的单方解除条款。单方解除条款系商事主体在一定情形下为脱离合同而预先设置的退出机制，它保证了商事主体的意思自治，同时避免了各方受到已无价值的合同关系的拖累。近几年来，受经济大环境的影响，不少商事主体的经营遭遇困难，破产成为企业面临的高概率情形。破产不仅会影响到破产企业本身，亦会影响与破产企业签署商业合同的其他主体，例如，在《企业破产法》（“《破产法》”）第十八条的规定下，前述单方解除权的行使就会受到一定限制。在本文中，我们将提示和阐释该限制，并提出相应的解决方案与风险防范措施。

一、合同约定解除权

一份完整的合同通常会约定合同解除的条款，通常包括双方协商一致解除合同，以及约定条件下一方单方解除合同。关于单方解除合同条款，一般会有类似以下的约定：

“当一方进入破产程序、破产重整、清盘、资不抵债或其它类似的法律程序时，另一方有权立即书面通知对方解除合同。”

Many years ago, back when mediation is a rarity in bankruptcy disputes, I asked an old-timer this question:

Why is the bankruptcy system a lagging adopter of mediation?”

A Surprising Answer

The old-timer gave this surprising answer:

“At the time of the Bankruptcy Code’s enactment, the bankruptcy judge was viewed as a mediator in the judge’s own court.”

The old-timer added this.  When the Bankruptcy Code was enacted:

The Bankruptcy Protector

Darren Azman and Natalie Rowles, McDermott Will & Emery

This is an extract from the third edition of GRR's The Art of the Ad Hoc. The whole publication is available here.

Introduction

For a decade or more, restructuring professionals have predicted the coming of a bankruptcy boom. This may be the year those predictions finally come true. Inflation, interest rates, supply chain issues, global conflict and domestic politics have created a challenging macro environment. At the same time, dry powder abounds, with new distressed debt funds cropping up daily. Will this result in a bankruptcy tidal wave, or an increase in workouts and distressed M&A? Perhaps all of the above.

Este mes apenas se han publicado resoluciones que consideremos reseñables, sólo tres de tres audiencias provinciales nos han parecido dignas de atención. A cambios las tres hacen pronunciamentos muy interesantes.

Audiencias Provinciales

Compensación de pagos entre un hotel y su operador por derivarse de una misma relación contractual.

This article is the China Chapter of Sporting Succession in Football, a publication by Sports and Policy Centre, print copy available at: http://www.sportslawandpolicycentre.com/

A. Applicable Regulation of the Member Association

Over the last two years, courtesy of a once-a-century pandemic, government-mandated business closures, nationwide stay-at-home orders, and—unprecedented—disruptions to the global supply chain have illuminated, previously unknown, vulnerabilities across a whole host of industries. Would anyone have seriously questioned the viability of office space two years ago? Now, inflation, in keeping with the recent chaos, may be upending the viability of another tried-and-tested institution: the supply contract.