4th Circuit

All Future Liability on a Lease Counted for Subchapter V Eligibility

Future liability on a lease was counted as a liquidated, noncontingent debt in calculating whether the Subchapter V debtor had more than $7.5 million in debt.

Bartenwerfer Doesn’t Apply if the Debtor Isn’t a Partner or Agent, Bankruptcy Judge Says

Bankruptcy Judge Klinette H. Kindred declined to expand Bartenwerfer by imputing fraud or larceny when the debtor wasn’t a partner or agent.

A Fourth Circuit Dissenter Opposes Mass-Tort Injunctions Protecting Non-Debtors

The Fourth Circuit majority upheld a preliminary injunction barring tort suits against a debtor’s nonbankrupt affiliates following a Texas divisional merger.
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‘13’ Debtors May Deduct their Actual Mortgage Expenses to Arrive at Disposable Income

The Fourth Circuit agreed with the Sixth and Ninth Circuits by allowing chapter 13 debtors to deduct their actual mortgage expenses, not limited by the local standard mortgage deduction.
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Bankruptcy Judges Agree: Later Developments Don’t Undo Subchapter V Eligibility

The $7.5 million debt cap for Subchapter V doesn’t include the debt of affiliates who file later.

Bifurcated Fee Arrangements Now Seem Impossible in South Carolina

Affirming the bankruptcy court, the district court found that bifurcated fees are excessive and that inadequate disclosures violated Sections 526 and 528.

There’s Peril in Issuing a Report and Recommendation When It’s Not Necessary

Fourth Circuit opinion shows how abstention is a powerful tool that insulates an erroneous decision from appellate review.
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A Lawsuit to Collect a ‘DSO’ Runs the Risk of Violating the Automatic Stay

Although collecting a ‘DSO’ from non-estate property is permitted by Section 362(b)(2)(B), a district judge says that an in personam suit against the debtor can violate the automatic stay.

‘13’ Debtors Need to Know Whether They Lose Appreciation When They Sell a Home

One of the biggest unanswered questions in chapter 13 sometimes forces debtors to keep homes they need to sell or strips away appreciation if they are forced to sell.

Another Court Won’t Permit a Structured Sale to Eradicate a Homestead Exemption

Subordinated lenders can’t take a ‘haircut,’ give a ‘tip’ to the trustee, sell a home and eradicate the debtor’s homestead exemption.

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