The Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth) (the Act) provides a regime by which a debtor can compromise with his/her creditors outside formal bankruptcy. The provisions are found in Part X (Personal Insolvency Agreements) and Part IX (Debt Agreements) of the Act.

DEBT AGREEMENTS

In family law property settlement proceedings, if a spouse is declared bankrupt, the trustee in bankruptcy may join the proceedings in an effort to recover funds from the property pool to pay the bankrupt’s creditors.

While in theory this approach sounds sensible, it may not always be prudent for a trustee in bankruptcy to seek to be joined or consent to being joined. In particular, recent trends suggest that trustees are being very cautious about getting involved in proceedings between a bankrupt and their spouse.

The involvement of a trustee in bankruptcy

When a buyer’s characteristics can determine whether they are misled about the features of a property

Orchid Avenue Pty Ltd v Hingston & Anor [2015] QSC 42 per McMurdo J

This case highlights the importance of buyers making their own enquiries when purchasing properties for reasons that relate to features external to the property, such as ocean views. 

Di Cioccio v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy (as Trustee of the Bankrupt Estate of Di Cioccio) [2015] FCAFC 30

Whether inconsistency between Div 4B of Pt VI, s 58(1)(b) in Div 4 of Pt IV and s 116 of Pt VI of the Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth)

An appeal from the decision of Di Cioccio v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy [2014] FCA 782.

THE PERILS OF AMBIGUITY IN BANKRUPTCY NOTICES

The Bankruptcy Act ('the Act') is prescriptive as to the form and content of bankruptcy notices. Courts have often observed that close observance of the rules is necessary in light of the serious consequences faced by debtors upon bankruptcy and failure to do so may result in the notices being rendered invalid.

BACKGROUND

In Condon (Trustee), in the matter of Rayhill (Bankrupt) v Truthful Endeavour Pty Ltd [2015] FCA 7, Condon, as trustee of the bankrupt estate of Colleen Ann Rayhill (known as Colleen Lewis), sought a declaration that various payments made in respect of a property (the Property) rendered Lewis a creditor of the Kenthurst Investment Trust (KI Trust). 

In brief - Courts identify three circumstances for ordering priority repayments

Property acquired by a bankrupt after the date of bankruptcy becomes property that is divisible amongst the bankrupts’ creditors. However, case law supports the conclusion that after-acquired income remains vested in the bankrupt. The question then becomes: what happens to property that is purchased by the bankrupt with after-acquired income? This question was considered in the recent case of De Santis v Aravanis [2014] FCA 1243.

Background 

"Once in a generation" review

Shortly before the Christmas break, the much anticipated review of the United States "Chapter 11 bankruptcy" regime was published by the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI). This is one of very few such major "root and branch" reviews of Chapter 11 since its enactment in 1978, and the first since the 1990s.

Need to know

In a first for the US and Australian markets, the Buccaneer Energy group of companies successfully had bankruptcy plans approved by the US Bankruptcy Court for both US and Australian incorporated debtor companies.