The Bottom Line
In Lariat Cos. v. Wigley(In re Wigley), Case No. 18-3489 (8th Cir. March 9, 2020), the Eighth Circuit held that a claim against Debtor B that arose out of a fraudulent transfer made by Debtor A to Debtor B was subject to the statutory cap applicable to lease rejection damages where Debtor A’s underlying liability was premised on its breach of a lease.
What Happened?
A successful purchase depends not just on negotiating a two-party transaction, but rather navigating the applicable process and dealing with all the competing interests successfully to allow a bid to succeed and closing to occur.
Q: Do opportunities exist for asset buyers in times of distress?
Creditors risk losing important rights in bankruptcy cases if deadlines are not met. Unfortunately, sometimes the existence or relevance of a deadline is not obvious to a creditor. Indeed, bankruptcy notices can be indecipherable and tempting to ignore, but failing to abide by deadlines comes at a high price. A recent opinion from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts underscores the need for creditors to take timely action to preserve rights, which is especially noteworthy given the current coronavirus pandemic and the expected increase in bankruptcy filings.
Americans are in an unemployment crisis due to COVID-19 business closings, and many are accruing debt in order to maintain their basic lives – unpaid utilities, buy food on credit, etc. For many, the vehicle to obtain that debt is credit cards, home-equity loans, or simply failing to pay creditors who invoice customers after providing goods and services, such as doctors.[1]
The Small Business Administration (SBA) violated federal law by imposing conditions for loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that were not enacted in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, H.R. 748, P.L. 115-136 (CARES Act), Judge David Thuma has held.
In our latest installment of our series “Bankruptcy On Ice”, we tackle temporary suspension of bankruptcy proceedings in response to the closure of “non-essential businesses” and other critical protective measures being imposed to fight the spread of COVID-19.
Several lawsuits have emerged in the last week involving the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). “The Paycheck Protection Program is a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll.”1 The listed criteria for eligibility is very broad. Companies that have 500 employees or less, pay salaries or payroll taxes and were in operation on Feb. 15, 2020, are eligible to apply.2
The combined effects of the coronavirus pandemic and falling oil prices have resulted in a surge of US bankruptcy petitions. Although the nation’s ports remain open for business, many retail and energy businesses have been unable to overcome the volatile economic climate and are seeking relief in US Bankruptcy Courts.
The Small Business Reorganization Act (“SBRA”) was signed into law in August 2019 and became effective in February 2020. The SBRA makes Chapter 11 bankruptcy more accessible and less expensive for small businesses by establishing a process for small business debtors under Chapter 11 that is similar to the bankruptcy process under Chapter 12 for family farmers and Chapter 13 for individuals.
Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, qualifying businesses may seek up to $10 million under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for funding payroll and business expenses. The US Small Business Administration (SBA) guarantees the loans, and the full principal amount of the loans and any accrued interest may qualify for loan forgiveness. For many businesses, PPP loans have served as a lifeline during the COVID-19 pandemic.