By: Donald L Swanson On April 23, 2024, the American Bankruptcy Institute’s Subchapter V Task Force issued its Final Report. This article is the third in a series summarizing and condensing the Task Force’s Final Report into “a nutshell.” The subject in this article is: whether debtor’s attorney can be compensated for services performed after removal... Continue Reading →
Sub V Task Force Report In A Nutshell: Part 2—Future Rents & Eligibility Calculation
By: Donald L Swanson On April 23, 2024, the American Bankruptcy Institute’s Subchapter V Task Force issued its Final Report. This article is the second in a series summarizing and condensing the Task Force’s Final Report into “a nutshell.” The subject of this article is: whether future rents should be included in the debt cap calculation... Continue Reading →
Sub V Task Force Report In A Nutshell: Part 1—Background
By: Donald L Swanson On April 23, 2024, the American Bankruptcy Institute’s Subchapter V Task Force issued its Final Report. This article is the first in a series that summarizes and condenses the Task Force’s Final Report into “a nutshell.” This article: provides background information and data on Subchapter V.[Fn. 1] Overall The Task Force undertook... Continue Reading →
Can Debtor’s Subchapter V Counsel Be Paid For Services Performed After Removal of Debtor From Possession? (In re Sunergy, In re Pro-Snax, Etc.)
Compensation for late service? (Photo of a famous painting) By: Donald L Swanson Debtor’s Chapter 11 counsel cannot be compensated for services performed after a trustee is appointed and the debtor removed from possession. That’s the rule of law in the Fifth Circuit and in a not-for-publication decision of the Ninth Circuit’s Bankruptcy Appellate Panel, based... Continue Reading →
Subchapter V Trustee Powers After Debtor’s Removal: Conventional Model v. Impotent Trustee (In re Coeptis Equity)
Unconventional and impotent (photo by Marilyn Swanson) By: Donald L Swanson When a Subchapter V debtor is removed from possession under § 1185(a), what can the Subchapter V trustee do with debtor’s assets and operations? Duties, Rights, Powers and Functions Under § 1184, certain duties of a trustee are delegated to the Subchapter V debtor, “including... Continue Reading →
ABI’s Subchapter V Task Force Recommends Making The $7,500,000 Debt Cap Permanent
By: Donald L Swanson The American Bankruptcy Institute’s Subchapter V Task Force has issued its “Preliminary Report” on “Maintaining the $7,500,000 Debt Cap for Subchapter V Eligibility.” This article quotes from and summarizes the Report. Recommendation The Task Force recommends making permanent the $7,500,000 debt cap for Subchapter V eligibility, which is set to expire and... Continue Reading →
2023 Bankruptcy Progress: Developing Subchapter V Law Through Court Opinions
Making progress (photo by Marilyn Swanson) By: Donald L Swanson 2023 has been a good year for developing the law of Subchapter V through court rulings and opinions. Here are some of the highs and lows of that development. Working as Intended If 2023 shows us anything, it’s this: Subchapter V is working as intended. Subchapter... Continue Reading →
Rejecting An “Oh, No!” Ruling On Subchapter V Eligibility (In re Zhang)
"Oh, no!" (Photo by Marilyn Swanson) By: Donald L Swanson Every now and then, a bankruptcy ruling elicits an “Oh, no!” response from just about everyone. And then, subsequent case law starts rejecting and/or chipping-away at that “On, no!” ruling. We have such an “Oh, no!” situation going on right now on a Subchapter V debt-limit... Continue Reading →
Voter Apathy & Consensual v. Non-Consensual Plan Confirmation In Subchapter V (In re Franco’s)
Apathy? (Photo by Marilyn Swanson) By: Donald L Swanson Here’s the latest opinion on a controversial question: In re Franco’s Paving LLC, Case No. 23-20069, Southern Texas Bankruptcy Court, (decided 10/5/2023; Doc. 74). The Question & Answer Voter apathy is a problem in Subchapter V cases. That apathy is in the form of creditors failing or... Continue Reading →
Litigating Legacy Debt: “Commercial Or Business Activities” for Subchapter V Eligibility? (In re Fama-Chiarizia)
A different kind of legacy? (Photo by Marilyn Swanson) By: Donald L Swanson “courts agree that . . . evaluating, asserting, pursuing, and defending litigation claims . . . can satisfy Section 1182(1)(A)’s requirement of ‘commercial or business activities.’” In re Fama-Chiarizia, Case No. 21-42341, E.D.N.Y. Bankruptcy Court, issued 9/15/2023, Doc. 238, at 37. One of... Continue Reading →