In June 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) as unconstitutional in United States v. Windsor. Section 3 defined “marriage” in federal law as “a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife.” DOMA required the Bankruptcy Code to deny same-sex married …
Justice Department Recognizes Same-Sex Marriages in Bankruptcy Read More »
Just about all of the New York bankruptcy advice out there is designed to help debtors in their petitions, and it warns them of the pitfalls of trying to navigate the bankruptcy process without an experienced lawyer. One item that doesn’t appear often is the opposite: What happens if you’re dealing with a creditor that …
We recently discussed the elements a trustee must prove to avoid (that is, invalidate) a preferential payment to a creditor made before a New York bankruptcy filing (called a “preference”). One requirement is that the payment occur within 90 days of the petition or between 90 days and one year of the petition if the …
One of the more common things to happen in a New York bankruptcy case is the debtor will pay a favored creditor before filing the petition to give that creditor an advantage over the others in the bankruptcy proceeding. The bankruptcy code frowns on this behavior because it attempts to treat all creditors equally according …
5 Elements the Bankruptcy Trustee Must Prove to ‘Avoid’ a Preference Read More »
Many people who file bankruptcy have neither the time nor the reason to wait. They might be facing foreclosure, debt collectors, wage garnishments, etc., so there isn’t much point in delaying their filings. For others, though, there can be compelling reasons to file bankruptcy in New York later rather than sooner. Here are a few. …
For New Yorkers involved with the bankruptcy process, whether debtors or creditors, the concepts of “preferences” and “fraudulent conveyances” often cause confusion. (Actually, it’s not just laypeople. They cause for confusion for many law students and even some lawyers as well.) They cause confusion because they both often relate to attempts by debtors to keep …
Preferences vs fraudulent conveyances in New York: What’s the difference? Read More »
For New Yorkers thinking about a bankruptcy filing, it’s tempting. You have a very valuable asset, perhaps some land or art or a car, and you don’t want to risk losing it to creditors. So you give it away to your brother, a friend, one of your children. Is this kosher under the bankruptcy laws? …
Can I give away property before I file for bankruptcy in New York? Read More »
My friend and fellow bankruptcy lawyer David Leibowitz who practices in Illinois and Wisconsin has a very helpful post titled “Who is the United States Trustee?” where he really does a nice job of explaining it all. The main point is that the trustee is not a judge, but he or she makes decisions that …
In a previous post (“Defenses to Preference Actions – Part I“), I explained that there are three common defenses to preference actions (also often called “preference lawsuits”) that you can use if you’ve received a demand letter from a bankruptcy trustee, from counsel to a Debtor-In-Possession or counsel to a creditors committee. In subsequent posts …
Preference Actions: What is the “New Value” defense? Read More »
In a previous post (“Defenses to Preference Actions – Part I“), I explained that there are three common defenses to preference actions (also often called “preference lawsuits”) that you can use if you’ve received a demand letter from a bankruptcy trustee, from counsel to a Debtor-In-Possession or counsel to a creditors committee. In a subsequent …
Preference Actions: What is the “contemporaneous exchange” defense? Read More »
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