Disagreeing with the much-critiqued SDNY opinion in Enron, the SDNY bankruptcy court disallowed claims brought by secondary transferees because the original claimants allegedly received millions of dollars in fraudulent transfers and preferences from the Debtors that have not been repaid. Deepening the district spilt on the nature of Section 502(d) of the Bankruptcy Code, the Court held that the defense barring fraudulent transfer-tainted claims focuses on claims—not claimants—and cannot be “washed clean” by a subsequent transfer in the secondary market.
The policies implemented to address the COVID-19 will have far reaching economic consequences. While federal and state governments are doing what they can to ease the short term impact, the fact remains that businesses of all sizes are addressing crises caused by a lack of consumption and a disruption of most all of the other factors that keep an economy afloat.
While it did not focus on bankruptcy relief, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act contained provisions relating to small bankruptcy debtors.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit recently affirmed the denial of bankruptcy discharge for a Chapter 7 debtor due to the debtor’s failure to keep adequate records.
In particular, the Eighth Circuit focused on a sudden and financially significant return of hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of high-end watches and jewelry that left significant unanswered questions as to the whereabouts of the assets and the legitimacy of the creditor jeweler’s claim.
In a potentially ground-breaking decision, Judge David R. Jones of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas temporarily enjoined the Small Business Administration (SBA) from denying a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan to Hidalgo County Emergency Service Foundation due solely to its status as a Chapter 11 debtor in bankruptcy. While the order will expire on May 8, 2020, and only applies to Hidalgo, the order could mark a significant change in the SBA’s administering of the PPP.
Q: What is a Chapter 11 bankruptcy?
A: It is one tool, but perhaps the most dramatic remedy, in the toolbox of restructuring attorneys. Chapter 11 is the business reorganization section of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Most corporations, LLCs and other business entities are eligible to file for bankruptcy protection in one of two places: the state where they were created or the site of their principal place of business/assets.
Q: Why do companies file for bankruptcy?
A: Some of the most common reasons to file for bankruptcy include:
The nearly $350 billion loan program made available to small businesses by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was tapped out in less than two weeks. In response to this overwhelming demand, on Friday, April 24, 2020, an additional $320 billion was funded into the loan program, and the second round of applications for small businesses requesting these loans will open on Monday, April 27, 2020.
The Southern District of New York recently reminded us in In re Firestar Diamond, Inc., et al., Case No. 18-10509 (Bankr. S.D.N.Y. April 22, 2019) (SHL) [Dkt. No. 1482] that equitable principles in bankruptcy often do not match those outside of bankruptcy. Indeed, bankruptcy decisions often place emphasis on equality of treatment amongst all creditors and are less concerned with inequities to individual creditors.
Hotel Lawyers: Lender tips on forbearances, loan modifications, recapitalizations, receiverships, workouts, turnarounds, restructurings, and bankruptcies
CMBS lenders and others use SPEs for expedited remedies
Hotels, resorts, marinas, retail mixed-use, and other hospitality-related assets will likely continue to present challenges to lenders seeking expedited relief from bankruptcy stay provisions available to creditors in “single asset real estate” bankruptcy cases.