Relying on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision inAT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently held that California’s rule against compulsory arbitration of claims for public injunctive relief was preempted by the Federal Arbitration Act (“FAA”). The Court also underscored the key points of an enforceable arbitration clause. Kilgore v. KeyBank (March 7, 2012).

Case Background

TW Telecom Holdings Inc. v. Carolina Internet Ltd., Case No. 11-1068 (10th Cir. Nov. 15, 2011)

CASE SNAPSHOT

The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed its longstanding position, and held that section 362(a) of the Bankruptcy Code does automatically stay the debtor’s appeal of an action commenced against the debtor prior to the bankruptcy filing, regardless of whether the debtor is the appellant or the appellee. This decision aligns the Tenth Circuit with at least nine other circuits.  

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

In re Village at Camp Bowie I, L.P., 454 B.R. 702 (Bankr. N.D. Texas, 2011)

CASE SNAPSHOT

CML V, LLC v. Bax, et al., 2011 Del. LEXIS 480 (Del. Sept. 2, 2011)

CASE SNAPSHOT

Affirming the decision of the Court of Chancery for the State of Delaware, the Delaware Supreme Court held that, unlike corporate creditors, creditors of a Delaware Limited Liability Company do not have standing to sue the LLC’s officers derivatively on behalf of an insolvent LLC.  

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

D’Amico, et al. v. Tweeter Opco, LLC and Schultze Asset Management, LLC (In re Tweeter Opco, LLC), 453 B.R. 534 (Bankr. D. Del. 2011)

CASE SNAPSHOT

In a 17 page decision entered March 9, 2012, Judge Carey of the Delaware Bankruptcy Court granted a motion for relief from the Bankruptcy Code’s automatic stay to allow an undersecured creditor to exercise its remedies against a debtor’s collateral.  A copy of Judge Carey's opinion is available here (the "Opinion").  The Opinion was issued in a case nearly identical to that discussed in this post:

In re SW Boston Hotel Venture, LLC, 460 B.R. 38 (Bankr. D. Mass. 2011)

CASE SNAPSHOT

This article was first published in The Bankruptcy Strategist

Summary

LEHMAN BANKRUPTCY

In re: Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc., et al., No. 08-13555

On March 6, 2012, Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. and its affiliated debtors announced that their Modified Third Amended Joint Chapter 11 Plan, which had been confirmed by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York on December 6, 2011, had become effective. Distributions under the Plan will begin on April 17, 2012.