As the year comes to a close, some cases from 2015 in Bankruptcy Court should be noted.
§ 330(A) Hibbard v. General Electric Credit Union (In re Hibbard), 2015 Bankr. LEXIS 3885 (Bankr. M.D. Fla. November 13, 2015) (May, B.J.). Trustee’s attorneys’ fees awarded with significant reductions based on lodestar calculation.
§ 507(A)(1) In re Hause, 2015 Bankr. LEXIS 3923 (Bankr. M.D. Fla. November 13, 2015) (Jackson, B.J.). Claim for lump sum payment to debtor’s former spouse owed pursuant to divorce in lieu of alimony was a property settlement not entitled to priority status.
§ 1329(B)(1) In re Ford, 2015 Bankr. LEXIS 3883 (Bankr. M.D. Fla. November 13, 2015) (Funk, B.J.). The debtor could modify the plan when the medical condition resulted in decreased income.
§ 506(A) IN RE TRAVERS, 2015 Bankr. LEXIS 3934 (Bankr. E.D. Ky. November 16, 2015) (Schaaf, B.J.) The wholly unsecured junior lien could be avoided as Sixth Circuit precedent was not affected by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Caulkett; discussing Lane case.
§ 522(D)(10)(D) IN RE ROYSTER, 2015 Bankr. LEXIS 4001 (Bankr. D. Kan. November 23, 2015) (Somers, B.J.)Attorney fees awarded to the debtor in state court divorce proceeding were not exempt.
§ 523(A)(8) JOHNSON V. UNITED STATES DEP’T OF EDUC. (IN RE JOHNSON), 2015 Bankr. LEXIS 4000 (Bankr. N.D. Ala. November 24, 2015) (Mitchell, B.J.)_Discharge of student loan debt denied absent undue hardship.
§ 547(B) DYMARKOWSKI V. SAVAGE (IN RE HADLEY, 2015 Bankr. LEXIS 3983 (Bankr.N.D. Ohio November 23, 2015) (Gustafson, B.J.) Prepetition transfer of motor vehicles to debtor’s attorney as payment of fees was avoidable.
§ 554(C) STURGEON V. HART CNTY. FIN., LLC (IN RE STURGEON), 2015 Bankr. LEXIS 3960 (Bankr. W.D. Ky. November 20, 2015) (Lloyd, B.J.)Bankruptcy court lacked jurisdiction over debtor’s adversary proceeding based on a claim abandoned by the trustee.
§ 105 KLOEBER V. MONTANARI (IN RE MONTANARI), 2015 Bankr. LEXIS 3682(Bankr. E.D. Tenn. October 29, 2015) (Bauknight, B.J.) Debtor sanctioned for failing to finalize agreed-upon, a binding settlement with creditor and settlement terms were incorporated in the final judgment.
§ 522(B) LOWE V. DEBERRY (IN RE DEBERRY), 2015 Bankr. LEXIS 3694 (Bankr. W.D. Tex. October 28, 2015) (Gargotta, B.J.) Proceeds from the post-petition sale of the exempt homestead were not the property of the estate.
§ 522(P)(1)(A) BRUESS V. DIETZ (IN RE BRUESS), 2015 Bankr. LEXIS 3672 (B.A.P. 8th Cir. October 29, 2015) (Saladino, B.J.) Debtor’s homestead exemption limited where the property was acquired within 1215 days prior to the petition date.
§ 524(A)(2) BEST V. NATIONSTAR MORTG. LLC (IN RE BEST), 2015 Bankr. LEXIS 3722 (B.A.P. 1st. Cir. October 30, 2015) (per curiam) Informational correspondence did not violate the discharge injunction.
§ 541 LEONARD V. WELLS FARGO HOME MORTG. CO. (IN RE LEONARD), 2015 Bankr. LEXIS 3686 (Bankr. N.D. Miss. October 29, 2015) (Ellington, B.J.)_Debtor lacked standing to pursue adversary proceeding based on the prepetition cause of action that was now the property of the estate.
§ 1307(B) IN RE MILLS, 2015 Bankr. LEXIS 3706 (Bankr. D. Kan. October 29, 2015)(Nugent, C.B.J.) Chapter 13 debtor had an absolute right to voluntary dismissal even inlight of alleged bad faith.
§ 1322(B) JORDAHL V. BURRELL (IN RE JORDAHL), 2015 Bankr. LEXIS 3721 (B.A.P. 8th Cir. November 2, 2015) (Schermer, B.J.) Debtor’s plan could not provide for regular payments on student loan debt while paying less on other unsecured non-priority debts.
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