Fundamental restructuring of insolvent companies—in any sector— is a fight for survival.
Given the global nature of the industry, it is perhaps no surprise that shipping companies and their advisors have sought appropriate court protection to alleviate creditor pressure and a possible break-up of the business where a consensual restructuring is not possible.
In re GAC Storage Lansing, LLC, No. 11-40944 (Bankr. N.D. Ill., Feb. 27, 2013)
CASE SNAPSHOT
The court denied confirmation of the debtor’s plan, finding that: (i) the debtor failed to demonstrate that it would be able to obtain financing to pay off the balloon payment; (ii) the proposed transfer of new equity to an individual with indirect ownership interest violated the absolute priority rule; and (iii) the plan’s injunction barring actions by the secured creditor against the guarantors was overly broad.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
In re Zota Petroleums, LLC, 482 B.R. 154 (Bankr. E.D. Va. 2012)
CASE SNAPSHOT
In re RAG East, LP– Case no. 12-04545-CMB (Bankr. W.D. Pa. March 4, 2013)
CASE SNAPSHOT
The court granted summary judgment in favor of a defrauded lender in a lien priority dispute with subsequent third-party lenders. The court determined that the lien of a purchase money mortgage that was allegedly released pursuant to a fraudulent satisfaction piece nonetheless had priority over the liens held by innocent third parties who provided loans to the debtor without notice of the fraud.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
The Unsecured Creditors Comm. v. Community Bank(In re Stinson Petroleum Co., Inc.), Case No. 12-60234 (5th Cir., Jan. 7, 2013)
CASE SNAPSHOT
Teed v. Thomas & Betts Power Solutions, LLC, (7th Cir., No. 12-2440, Mar. 26, 2013)
CASE SNAPSHOT
Dill Oil Company, LLC v. Stephens, No. 11-6309 (10th Cir., Jan. 15, 2013)
CASE SNAPSHOT
The Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, in a case of first impression before the court, joined the Fourth Circuit in holding that the absolute priority rule remains applicable in individual chapter 11 cases.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
LAS VEGAS (AP) - With a bitter legal fight nearly over, "Mr. Las Vegas" Wayne Newton is moving from his estate of 45 years, "Casa de Shenandoah," to another mansion about a mile away.
The downsizing from a 40-plus acre spread to a $3 million mansion and several adjacent properties totaling 20 acres is taking place this week, the crooner's sister-in-law, Tricia McCrone, and Newton publicist Kevin Sasaki said Wednesday.
On a matter of first impression, the Fourth Circuit issued an opinion in the Derivium Capital, LLC bankruptcy case on May 24, 2013,1 affirming the District Court’s ruling that Grayson Consulting Inc. ("Grayson"), the chapter 7 Trustee’s assignee, could not avoid as fraudulent conveyances Wachovia’s2 commissions, fees, and margin interest payments because those payments were protected from recovery by the safe harbor of United States Bankruptcy Code (the "Bankruptcy Code") section 546(e).
Secured lenders often resort to non-judicial foreclosure sales of personal property upon a borrower’s default. Article 9, Part 6 of the Uniform Commercial Code requires that every aspect of such a sale must be commercially reasonable. However, the courts have historically provided little guidance as to what exactly constitutes a commercially reasonable sale. Fortunately, the Delaware Chancery Court recently issued a decision, entitled Edgewater Growth Capital Partners, L.P. v. H.I.G. Capital, Inc., C.A. No. 3601-CS (Del.Ch. Apr.