Contact: John Hartgen
             (703) 739-0800
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CONTEMPT SANCTION AGAINST ATTORNEY OR DEBTOR NOT DISCHARGEABLE UNDER §523(a)(7), ACCORDING TO LATEST ABI POLL

April 19, 2007, Alexandria, Va. — A majority of respondents (54 percent) in a recent American Bankruptcy Institute online poll agreed that a contempt sanction against an attorney or debtor is not dischargeable under of §523(a)(7) of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Thirty-three percent of respondents “strongly agreed” while 21 percent agreed somewhat that a contempt sanction against an attorney or debtor should not be discharged under §523(a)(7).  

Thirty-three percent of respondents thought that a contempt sanction against an attorney or debtor could be discharged under the Code. Eighteen percent of respondents “strongly disagreed” and 15 percent “disagreed somewhat” that a contempt sanction against an attorney or debtor is not dischargeable. Ten percent did not know or had no opinion.

ABI members and the public were welcome to submit their response to the statement: “A contempt sanction against an attorney/debtor is nondischargeable under §523(a)(7).”  The ABI Quick Poll was open for voting from April 5 – 12.

ABI’s weekly Quick Poll is posted on ABI’s home page, www.abiworld.org. ABI members and the public are invited to respond to a question on a timely bankruptcy or insolvency issue. Visit http://www.abiworld.net/quickpoll/ to access the results of previous ABI Quick Polls.

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ABI is the largest multi-disciplinary, nonpartisan organization dedicated to research and education on matters related to insolvency. ABI was founded in 1982 to provide Congress and the public with unbiased analysis of bankruptcy issues. The ABI membership includes more than 11,000 attorneys, accountants, bankers, judges, professors, lenders, turnaround specialists and other bankruptcy professionals, providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and information. For additional information on ABI, visit www.abiworld.org. For additional conference information, visit http://www.abiworld.org/conferences.html.