Georgia Bankruptcy Blog

Georgia Bankruptcy Blog

Tag Archives: Georgia Bankruptcy Lawyer

The Trap of Merchant Cash Advances and Financing

If you have a business, you have no doubt received advertisements for “merchant cash advances,” “merchant loans” or “merchant financing,” whether or not those specific terms are used.  If in doubt, just do a search for those terms and you will get a couple pages of sponsored ads (but be warned the big brother of… Continue Reading

In a Case of First Impression, 11th Circuit Rules “New Value” Can Be Both Preference Defense and Administrative Claim

In Auriga Polymers, Inc. v. PMCM2, LLC, as Liquidating Trustee, No. 20-14647, 2022 WL 2800195 (11th Cir. July 17, 2022) (click here for .pdf) the creditor, Auriga, received transfers of more than $2.2 million in the 90 days before the Debtor, Beaulieu Group, LLC, filed its Bankruptcy case on July 16, 2017.  During the 90… Continue Reading

Judge Bonapfel – When Are Educational Loans Business Debts For Purposes of Qualifying for Chapter 7?

In the case of In re Ruff, 2022 B.R. 1638964, Ch. 7 Case No. 20-68855-pwb (Bankr. N.D.Ga. March 31, 2022) (click here for .pdf) the issue was whether the educational loans owed by the Debtor were “consumer” debts as defined by 11 U.S.C. §101(8) of the Bankruptcy Code, and incorporated into 11 U.S.C. §707(b).  If… Continue Reading

11th Circuit Rules On The Georgia Real Property Remedial Statute – Who Is A “Subscribing Witness?”

Once again, a Bankruptcy case leads to a key opinion in Georgia real estate law and, as often the case, the Chapter 7 Trustee prevails.  In In re Lindstrom, 2022 WL 1041192 (11th Cir. April 7, 2022) (click here for .pdf) the issue was the validity of a security deed, the interpretation of the Georgia… Continue Reading

Eleventh Circuit Addresses Deadlines to Appeal Order of District Court (when Acting as Bankruptcy Appellate Court) to Court of Appeals

In a relatively brief opinion, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on the deadlines for appealing an order from the District Court (acting as an appellate court for a Bankruptcy Court Order) to the Court of Appeals.  Appellants appealed a Bankruptcy Court Order to the District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.  On… Continue Reading

Elite Bankruptcy Consulting Firms Battle It Out With Fraud and RICO Claims Related to Bankruptcy Disclosures and Lost Engagements

In Jay Alix, as assignee of AlixPartners, LLP v. McKinsey & Co., Inc., 2022 WL 163800 (2nd Cir., January 19, 2022) (click here for .pdf), two major competitors in the niche market of Bankruptcy advising to estates with a billion dollars or more of assets were in court against each other over lucrative consulting assignments.… Continue Reading

Roth IRA Is Exempt Under New Georgia Exemption Laws, 11th Circuit Says in Case of First Impression

In In re Hoffman, 2022 WL 203415 (11th Cir. January 24, 2022) (click here for .pdf) the issue before the Court was whether Roth IRAs were exempt pursuant to 11 U.S.C. §541(c)(2) or O.C.G.A. § 44-13-100(a)(2)(E).  This is a case of first impression in the Circuit, based upon recent amendments to the Georgia exemption statutes.… Continue Reading

11th Circuit – Creditor Cannot Pursue Pre-Petition Fraudulent Transfer Claims Against Debtor for Non-Dischargeable Debt; Establishes Standard of Review for In re Jet Florida.

In SuVicMon Development, Inc. v. Morrison, __ F.3d __, 2021 WL 1136546 (11th Cir. March 25, 2021) (click here for .pdf), the plaintiffs are three corporations that sued the Debtor for fraud and securities violations in state court. Plaintiffs subsequently amended the complaint to include fraudulent transfer claims against Debtor and his two sons. Debtor… Continue Reading

Second Circuit Court Of Appeals: “We Said What We Said” About Brunner Test And Student Loans

In In re Tingling, __ F3d __, 2021 WL 922448 (2nd Cir. March 11, 2021) (click for .pdf), the Debtor filed an adversary proceeding seeking discharge of her student loans.  The Bankruptcy Court determined that the debtor failed to meet the Brunner Test, and the District Court affirmed.  The Debtor appealed to the Second Circuit,… Continue Reading

Eleventh Circuit Allows Individual Chapter 11 Debtor To Argue Appointment Of Trustee Violated Thirteenth Amendment

In In re Breland, __ F.3d __ , 2021 WL 910657 (11th Cir., March 10, 2021) (click here for .pdf) the individual Debtor filed a voluntary Chapter 11 petition.  After it was determined that he was transferring assets and defrauding his creditors a Chapter 11 Trustee was appointed. [Debtor] protested that the trustee’s appointment violated… Continue Reading

Why Are Large Chapter 11 Cases Dismissed, Leaving Small Creditors Out of Luck? Judge Bonapfel Explains.

“It has been said that, in many bankruptcy cases, there are no good alternatives, only less bad ones. As financial realities in this case took hold, it became clear that, for most creditors, including the objectors, there were not even “less bad” alternatives. The Court is saddened that it can offer only an explanation for… Continue Reading

11th Circuit Holds Requirements Of Section 303(b) (Involuntary Bankruptcy) Are Jurisdictional — But It Doesn’t Like It.

 By: Scott B. Riddle, Esq. Trusted Net Media Holdings, LLC v. The Morrison Agency, Inc. (In re Trusted Net Media Holdings, LLC), No. 07-13429 (11th Cir. April 29, 2008) (click here for pdf of opinion).  The basic facts are the following – On April 20, 2002, Morrison, as a creditor, filed an involuntary bankruptcy petition… Continue Reading

Bankruptcy Trustee Sues Law Firm For $1.2 Billion For Client Taking Too Long To Go Into, Then Out Of, Bankruptcy

From Law.com – The 75-page complaint, filed Monday in Manhattan Supreme Court by trustee Richard Gray, alleges McDermott Will put off a much-needed Chapter 11 filing to facilitate self-dealing by two other members of the hospital group’s restructuring team. As a result of the delay, the trustee claims, Saint Vincent’s incurred greater operating losses, paid… Continue Reading

Georgia Court Of Appeals Upholds Expansive Scope Of Personal Jurisdiction

By: Scott B. Riddle, Esq. Vibratech, Inc. v. Frost, et al., 2008 WL 1704091 (Ga. App. March 27, 2008). Although this Georgia Court of Appeals opinion involves a bankruptcy issue, it is more important for the discussion and holding on personal jurisdiction.  This case indicates that a defendant can be hauled into Georgia Courts based on… Continue Reading

Delaware Bankruptcy Court Imposes Caremark Duty Of Care On Corporate Officers

Francis Pileggi, in this post, discusses the Delaware Bankruptcy Court’s opinion in the case of Miller v. McDonald (In re World Health Alternatives, Inc.),  2008 WL 1002035  ( Bankr., Del. April 9, 2008) (pdf opinion here). In this opinion on a motion to dismiss claims against an officer of a company, the Bankruptcy Court relied on decisions of the Delaware… Continue Reading

The Rumor Mill: Jefferson County, Alabama, Which Includes Birmingham, Might Be Largest U.S. Municipal Bankruptcy

From Bloomberg – April 11 (Bloomberg) — They’re talking more about Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy in Jefferson County, Alabama, the home of the largest city in the state, Birmingham. Who can blame them? The county is now being whipsawed by an ill-thought-out debt policy and the collapse of the bond insurers. Credit-rating downgrades all around… Continue Reading

11th Cir: Trustee’s Abdndonment Of Cause Of Action Already Ruled Upon By Bankruptcy Court Did Not “Re-Vest” Plaintiffs With Ability To Re-Litigate Claims

By:Scott B. Riddle, Esq. Matthews, Wilson & Matthews, Inc. v. Capital City Bank, 2008 WL 901919, 07-15615 (April 4, 2008). MWM [Debtor] had trouble making loan payments, and ultimately filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The bankruptcy trustee sought approval from the bankruptcy court to sell the Conyers property [owned by Debtor] and use the sale… Continue Reading

Recent Chapter 11 Filings In Northern District of Georgia

Recent cases filed in the Northern District over last two weeks — 08-40915-mgd Northstar Vinyl Products, LLC Filed: 03/28/2008 Entered: 03/28/2008 08-65697-jb Heritage Point Apartments Inc. Filed: 03/28/2008 Entered: 03/28/2008 08-10870-whd Larry H. Huffman Filed: 03/31/2008 Entered: 03/31/2008 08-40957-mgd Aldona Maria Urbantas-Stewart Filed: 03/31/2008 Entered: 03/31/2008 08-65876-mhm Mathis Partners, LLC Filed: 03/31/2008 Entered: 03/31/2008 08-66074-mhm GreenTree Estates, LLC Filed: 03/31/2008 Entered: 03/31/2008 08-66110-mhm Children’s Dental Care Center,… Continue Reading

Can Debtors Borrow Money To Redeem Secured Property?

Debtors in Chapter 7 generally have three ways to deal with secured debts — reaffirm the debt pursuant to §524, surrender the property to the lender, or "redeem" the property by paying the secured lender the value of the collateral. (For now, we’ll leave discussion of the ride-through for another occasion). It is common for… Continue Reading