On Bankruptcy and Mediation
By: Donald L Swanson Domestic support obligations (e.g., alimony and child support) cannot be discharged in a Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Property settlement debts, by contrast, may be discharged in Chapter 13. Question and an Illustration Answer Question: What distinguishes a domestic support obligation from a property settlement debt in Chapter 13? Two recent opinions out of South... Continue Reading →
By: Donald L Swanson The Office of the US Trustee administers the bankruptcy system in these United States. To fund its efforts, the US Trustee receives quarterly fees from Chapter 11 debtors, which fees are a major (and often a problematic) expense for debtor’s to pay. Back in October 2017, Congress increased the amounts of such... Continue Reading →
By: Donald L Swanson What should the U.S. Supreme Court Justices do when, (i) they grant certiorari to resolve a circuit split on whether a rule of law is valid, but (ii) no party to the appeal argues in favor of that rule? That’s exactly the circumstances in Rodriguez v. FDIC, Supreme Court Case No. 18-1269... Continue Reading →
It's as if they don't want to mention the Bankruptcies Clause because, in doing so, they'd have to give it weight and authority.
By: Donald L. Swanson The Haven Act is short for: “Honoring American Veterans in Extreme Need Act of 2019.” It is a newly-enacted law of the land. The Haven Act does a great and valuable thing for many of our military veterans: it allows middle class veterans to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy, instead of being stuck for... Continue Reading →
By: Donald L. Swanson “every creditor in the country should be lining up behind our side of the podium.” --Respondent’s counsel in Ritzen v. Jackson oral arguments at U.S. Supreme Court on 11/13/2019. Here’s a link to the transcript. On October 11, 2019, the Office of Solicitor General files an amicus brief in Ritzen v. Jackson... Continue Reading →
By: Donald L. Swanson “I’m very proud of the fact that, in four decades of practicing law, I’ve had only one client go to federal prison for lying on these bankruptcy schedules.” —Yours truly, emphasizing to clients the importance of accuracy and full disclosure in preparing bankruptcy schedules. One of the great challenges in representing... Continue Reading →
By: Donald L Swanson “The Congress shall have Power . . . To Establish . . . uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States.” --Bankruptcies Clause in the U.S. Constitution, Art. I, Sec. 8, Cl. 4. Bankruptcy Exception to Arbitration -- A Constitutional Argument Try this argument on for size: The Constitution's... Continue Reading →
By: Donald L Swanson The case before the U.S. Supreme Court is Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico v. Aurelius Investment, LLC (Case No. 18-1334). Oral arguments occurred on October 15, 2019. Here is a link to the official transcript. An Oddly Important Case This is an oddly important case: it’s resolution turns on... Continue Reading →
By: Donald L Swanson A bankruptcy bill on venue reform is sitting in Congress right now. The bill is H.R. 4421 – 116th Congress (2019-2020) and is titled, “Bankruptcy Venue Reform Act of 2019.” It aims to eradicate “forum shopping” abuses by eliminating forum selection options altogether. Opposed Hopefully, this bill goes nowhere and dies out.... Continue Reading →
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