On March 23, 2017, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida (the “Court”) issued an opinion in the chapter 15 case of Banco Cruzeiro do Sul, S.A., a Brazilian bank (“BCSUL” or the “Debtor”), holding, among other things, that section 1521(a)(7) of the Bankruptcy Code does
Recent Developments
Second Circuit Refuses to Expand Scope of Chapter 15 of the Bankruptcy Code
On January 18, 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued an opinion in the case of Trikona Advisers Limited v. Chugh, No. 14-975-cv, 2017 WL 191936 (2d Cir. Jan. 18, 2017), thwarting an attempt to expand the scope of Chapter 15 of Title 11 of the United States Code (the…
U.S. Supreme Court to Weigh in on Structured Dismissals and Settlements Circumventing the Bankruptcy Code’s Priority Scheme
On June 28, 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge to a Third Circuit-affirmed settlement and dismissal of the chapter 11 cases of Jevic Transportation, Inc. (“Jevic”) and certain of its affiliates. See Official Comm. of Unsecured Creditors v. CIT Grp./Bus. Credit Inc. (In re Jevic Holding Corp.), 787 F.3d 173…
Supreme Court Broadly Interprets “Actual Fraud” Exception to Bankruptcy Discharge
On Monday, May 16, 2016, the Supreme Court issued its decision in the case of Husky Int’l Elecs., Inc. v. Ritz, — S. Ct. —, 2016 WL 2842452 (2016) resolving a split between the Fifth and Seventh Circuit Courts of Appeal regarding the scope of the “actual fraud” exception to an individual debtor’s bankruptcy…
Third Circuit Holds a Plan Administrator in Debtor’s Second Bankruptcy was Not in Privy of Debtor in the First Bankruptcy for Res Judicata Purposes and 11 U.S.C. § 1111(b) Permits Non-Recourse Claims to Become Recourse for Distribution Purposes Only
In In re Montgomery Ward, LLC, 634 F.3d 732 (3d. Cir. 2011), the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit clarified the principles of res judicata in the context of a bankruptcy proceeding and further defined the scope of 11 U.S.C. § 1111(b). The decision is significant because it is the first appellate decision…
Second Circuit Finds Termination Premiums Non-Dischargeable in Bankruptcy
On April 8, 2009, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, reversing a ruling by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, concluded that certain “termination premiums” due to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“PBGC”) are not contingent pre-petition claims subject to discharge in a Chapter 11…