Baumer on Bankruptcy

Typically, business related cases have made up 20%+/- of our cases. In the last year it has been approx. 50%+. Some of these calls have been people who are just looking for information about what happens if…? More than half have been “We’re done. What do we do now?” The mix has been more diverse […]

In the latest installment of the homestead proceeds saga, the US District Court for the Western District has issued an opinion reversing Judge Gargotta’s opinion in In re DeBerry, 2015 WL 6528024. The District Court opinion can be found on the Western District Court website under Case N. 5:15-cv-01135-RCL, Docket No. 9. This case starts […]

This is a very long post describing some recent case law with respect to home equity litigation in Texas. These events are significant to a consumer bankruptcy practice, but if the subject is of no interest, you may want to skip it. The Texas Supreme Court issued two opinions on May 20, 2016 regarding issues […]

We just filed our first “lien stripping” case where we are attempting to strip off a wholly unsecured second lien from a house the debtor owns in Washington DC. The property generates positive cash flow after paying the first lien (which will help the debtor fund her plan), but not enough cash flow to pay […]

On June 12, the Fifth Circuit issued an opinion addressing the meaning of “a statement respecting the debtor’s or an insider’s financial condition” [and the distinction between non-dischargeability of debts under 523(a)(2)(A) and (B)]. In re Bandi, 2012 WL 2106348 (5th Cir.2012). 523(a)excepts from discharge any debt – (2) for money, property, services, or an […]

Ladies and Gents – The Fifth Circuit just (1/4/12) issued an opinion that is going to change our world. (Or at least part of it.) In McCoy v. Mississippi State Tax Commission, 2012 WL 19376 (5th Cir. 2012), the court interpreted the hanging paragraph at the end of 523(a) which was added by BAPCPA. That […]

In the last year, the U.S. Supreme Court issued four opinions which addressed what appear to be fairly discrete questions of some practical import to consumer bankruptcy practitioners. Three of those cases have ethical implications which the Supremes either did not comprehend or did not attach much significance to.  The first case, United Student Aid […]

The other day, I was reading something in the Tao Teh Ching which reminded me of something I read once in the Quran and I was looking for that and came across the following passage. In case anyone cares, I am not a Muslim, but I never trust what anyone else tells me the Quran […]

  Around Thanksgiving, The UST and I tried two 707(b) cases in front of Judge Mott. He took them under advisement and announced his rulings on December 22. He made lengthy recitations of findings of fact and conclusions of law on the record, but apparently will not be publishing these as opinions. If you are […]

On January 21 the Fifth Circuit affirmed the District Court opinion in Camp v. Ingalls.   In that case, the debtor moved from Florida to Texas in 2007 and filed a Chapter 7 in 2008, less than 730 days later. The question presented was what exemptions was the debtor allowed or required to claim.   […]