It’s no secret that Delaware, New York (Southern District), and Texas (at least since the oil and gas crisis) have become known as the “hotspots” for filing large chapter 11 bankruptcy cases. Whether due to desirable precedent, well qualified judges, the responsiveness of the Courts to the need for prompt scheduling of hearings, or a sense of uniformity, most large companies have historically chosen to file in these venues. However, these popular venues appear to have a rival.
Exelco North America, Inc., a diamond wholesaler based in Wilmington, DE, along with three affiliates, has filed a petition for relief under Chapter 11 in the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (Lead Case No. 17-12029).
TK Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Takata Corporation, and eleven (11) of its subsidiaries and affiliates have filed petitions for relief under Chapter 11 in the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (Lead Case No. 17-11375).
In this post-Stern opinion (the “Opinion”), the United States District Court for the District of Delaware (the “Court”) addresses two main issues with respect to the approval of nonconsensual third-party releases provided for in a chapter 11 plan of confirmation, namely whether a Bankruptcy Court has (1) subject matter jurisdiction to approve, and (2) the constitutional authority to grant such releases. Opinion at 2.
Prepetition, Millennium Lab Holdings II, LLC, Millennium Health, LLC, and RxAnte, LLC (the Debtors) reached a settlement with various government entities (the USA Settling Parties) relating to, among other things, claims against the Debtors for violations of the Stark law, Anti-Kickback Statute and False Claims Act (FCA). The Debtors also negotiated a restructuring support agreement with an ad hoc group of lenders (the Ad Hoc Group) holding debt under a 2014 existing credit agreement in the original principal amount of $1.825 billion (the Credit Agreement).
On June 15, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its opinion in the case of Baker Botts L.L.P. v. ASARCO LLC, 135 S. Ct. 2158 (2015), denying compensation to two law firms for the fees they incurred in defending objections to their fee applications. Subsequent to confirmation of ASARCO’s plan of reorganization, the law firms of Baker Botts L.L.P. and Jordan, Hyden, Womble, Culbreth & Holczer, P.C.
Stimwave Technologies Inc., a Pompano Beach, Fla.-based medical device manufacturer and provider of permanently implanted neurostimulation products for chronic pain, filed a petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (Case No. 22-10541).
On January 11, 2021, Seadrill New Finance Limited (“NSNCo”), issuer of Seadrill secured notes due 2025, and several affiliates filed a petitionfor relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas (Case No. 22-90001).
On September 8, 2021, A.B.C. Carpet Co., Inc., dba ABC Carpet & Home, along with two affiliates, filed a petition under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (Lead Case No. 21-11591). ABC Carpet & Home is a New York City-based luxury furniture retailer. The company estimates $10 to $50 million in assets and $50 to $100 million in liabilities.
On June 7, 2021, Katerra Inc., a Scottsdale, AZ-based “technology-enabled construction company,” filed a petition under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas (Case No. 21-31861) along with several affiliates. The company estimates $500 million to $1 billion in assets and $1 billion to $10 billion in liabilities.