A common misconception surrounding an ante nuptial contract is that it provides married parties some protection when insolvency ensues. However, this is not necessarily the case. As many a solvent spouse discovers upon insolvency of their partner, the policy of the collection of maximum assets for the advantage of creditors actually overwhelms all other policies in South African insolvency law.
A service provider can rely on a debtor/creditor as security for its claim. This type of lien, conferred by virtue of an agreement between the creditor and the debtor, is a sub-species of a broader right to retain physical control of another’s property, whether movable or immovable, as a mechanism for securing payment of a claim, until the claim has been met. In other words, the service provider, who makes provision for such a lien in its contract, can refuse to release goods which are in its possession until it has received payment.
Can one proceed with legal action against a surety where the principal debtor is under business rescue? A recent judgment considered this question.
Briefly, the facts were that the Plaintiff issued summons against the Defendant based on a suretyship which the Defendant executed, binding himself for the debt of two entities - both of which were in liquidation.
The Debtor Rehabilitation and Bankruptcy Act (“DRBA”) amended on October 15, 2014 for the purpose of prohibiting business owners responsible for the bankruptcy of a company from reacquiring such company under reorganization through individual(s) who have aligned economic interests after the company receives a large amount of debt relief though rehabilitation proceedings, will be enacted on January 16, 2015.
On 19 May 2016, the National Assembly passed the bill to amend the Debtor Rehabilitation and Bankruptcy Act (“DRBA”). Key amendments include (1) improvements to the early proposed rehabilitation plan submission policy; (2) broadened scope of creditor participation in the proceedings; and (3) stronger protection of creditors with commercial claims. The revised DRBA is expected to enter into force 3 months after promulgation.
I. Improvements to the early rehabilitation plan proposal submission policy
Under the current Debtor Rehabilitation and Bankruptcy Act (“Debtor Rehabilitation Act”), even if a debtor’s debt is reduced or exempted when a rehabilitation plan is approved, this does not affect the debt of a guarantor who jointly bears certain obligations with such debtor (“Joint Guarantor”) (Debtor Rehabilitation Act, §250(2)).
Directive 2019/1023 of 20 June 2019 on preventive restructuring frameworks, on discharge of debt and disqualifications, and on measures to increase the efficiency of procedures concerning restructuring, insolvency and discharge of debt, and amending Directive (EU) 2017/1132 ("Directive on restructuring and insolvency")
Future claims and receivables commonly form part of a full security package in the Spanish lending market. Common types of claims and receivables used as security include:
In its decision in The Queen v. Callidus Capital Corporation1, rendered on August 17, 2015, the Federal Court of Canada examined, on a retrospective basis, the Crown's absolute priority regarding proceeds remitted to secured creditors from the assets of a tax debtor that are deemed to be held in trust (deemed trust) under section 222 of the Excise Tax Act (the "ETA") prior to such tax debtor's bankruptcy.
What is a Stalking Horse?
In the distressed M&A context, a stalking horse refers to a potential purchaser participating in a stalking horse auction who agrees to acquire the assets or business of an insolvent debtor as a going concern. In a stalking horse auction of an insolvent business, a preliminary bid by the stalking horse bidder is disclosed to the market and becomes the minimum bid, or floor price, that other parties can then outbid.