On October 12, 2010, Consolidated Horticulture Group, LLC and Hines Nursery LLC (the "Debtors"), filed petitions for bankruptcy in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. According to the Declaration filed by Debtors' President and CEO, Stephen Thigpen (the "Declaration"), Debtors are one of the largest commercial nurseries in North America, selling shrubs and container-grown plants to commercial and retail customers. Decl.
Introduction
American Safety Razor Company ("ASR"), one of the largest manufacturers of shaving razors and blades, filed for bankruptcy protection in Delaware on July 28, 2010. According to the Declaration of ASR's Chief Financial Officer, Andrew Bolt (the "Bolt Declaration"), the company's net sales for 2009 totaled $330 million, down from the $351 million in sales achieved in 2008. See Bolt Declaration, pgh. 11.
Introduction
In a 33 page decision released March 29, 2017, Judge Sontchi of the Delaware Bankruptcy Court ruled on competing motions to dismiss the remaining claims and counterclaims in an adversary proceeding in the Affirmative Insurance bankruptcy – Adversary Proceeding Case No. 16-50425.
On November 28, 2016, Judge Laurie Selber Silverstein of the Delaware Bankruptcy Court ruled on a motion for relief from the automatic stay (we she treated as a motion for relief from the discharge injunction) in the Altegrity bankruptcy, Case No. 15-10226. The “Opinion” is available here. The Opinion was issued following legal argument and, by agreement of the parties, based only upon undisputed facts. Opinion at *1.
On August 24, 2016, Judge Mary F. Walrath of the Delaware Bankruptcy Court overruling an objection to claim for reclamation. The decision was issued in the Reichold Holdings US, Inc. Bankruptcy (Case No. 14-12237) in the Delaware Bankruptcy Court. A copy of the Opinion is available here.
What is the impact of a bankruptcy filing on the ability of a franchisee to continue utilizing the trademarks of the franchisor?
Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 3003(c)(3) provides that "the [bankruptcy] court shall fix and for cause shown may extend the time within which proofs of claim or interest may be filed." For various reasons, creditors sometimes miss the claims "bar date" and need to seek permission from the court to file a late filed claim or deem the late-filed claim allowed. In order to succeed, the creditor must convince the court that the late claim was the result of excusable neglect. In re Garden Ridge Corp., 348 B.R. 642, 645 (Bankr. D. Del.
Earlier this month, James Carroll in his capacity as the "Wind Down Professional" for the Velocity Express bankruptcy, began filing preference actions against various defendants. As alleged in the preference complaints, Carroll was appointed as Velocity's Wind Down Professional under a "Wind Down Order" entered by the Delaware Bankruptcy Court in July of last year. At the time it filed for bankruptcy, Velocity was a package delivery (aka "logistics") provider whose services included customer bulk shipments, pick-up and delivery services as well as "expedited point to point servi