The Bankruptcy Law Firm, Prof. Corp.
Analysis: Retail, Energy Set Grim Bankruptcy Milestones
More U.S. retail companies sought bankruptcy protection in the first half of 2020 than in any other comparable period. Energy filings piled up at the fastest pace since oil prices plunged in 2016, data compiled by Bloomberg show. There have been 75 filings among all companies with liabilities of at least $50 million in the last three months, matching the same period of 2009, the second-worst quarter ever. Signaling more trouble ahead, the universe of issuers with bonds trading at distressed levels expanded for the first time since April. Three retailers filed last week, including Grupo Famsa SAB de CV,…
Seila Law LLC V. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
The US Supreme Court, on 6/29/20, issues decision that to be constitutional, the President of the United States must be able to fire the Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”), and that therefore, the CFPB’s present structure is unconstitutional, because under the CFPBs present structure, the President cannot fire the CFPB director. The US Supreme Court rejected the argument that the dodd-Frank Act prohibited the President from firing the CFPB’s director. Overall, this decision is a win for the CFPB, because the decision upholds the rest of the CFPB.
Rockstar Inc. v. Schultz
In Rockstar Inc. v. Schultz,___F.3d___ (9th Cir. June 25, 2020 (not for publication), appeal from BAP to 9th Circuit Court of Appeals #19-60031) and Schultz v. Keyword Rockstar Inc. (In re Schultz) (also not for publication), ___BR___ (B.A.P. 9th Cir. June 4, 2019, appeal to BAP #18-1269), the 9thCircuit Court of Appeals and the 9th Circuit BAP Draw Opposite Conclusions from the Same Testimony. The BAP reversed the Bankruptcy Court trial decision, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the BAP. For the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, scant evidence is enough to uphold the trial court’s findings of fact.…
US Home-Mortgage Delinquencies Surge To The Highest Level In 9 Years
The number of US home mortgage delinquencies has surged to the highest level in nine years as the coronavirus pandemic continues to hit family finances. Total borrowers more than 30 days late surged to 4.3 million in May after a record jump to 3.4 million in April, according to a Monday report from Black Knight. In addition, more than 8% of all US mortgages were either past due or in foreclosure, the report showed. The report also included homeowners that missed payments even though they had forbearance agreements in place, which allow six months of deferral without penalty. Many borrowers…
Small Businesses Tackle New PPP Puzzle: Forgiveness
Small businesses that received government-backed loans to ease the pain of the coronavirus pandemic are beginning to turn to a process some say is as complex as getting the money: figuring out whether they have to pay it back, the Wall Street Journal reported. Some small-business owners have spent dozens of hours wading through the 11-page forgiveness application for Paycheck Protection Program loans. Others are trying to determine how or whether legislation President Trump signed earlier this month changes the math. Some lenders say that the government is putting them in a difficult spot by making them responsible for determining…
Blixseth v. Credit Suisse, ___F3d___16-35304 (9th Cir. June 11, 2020): Ninth Circuit 6/11/20 Decision in Blixseth v. Credit Suisse, Now Permits Nonconsensual, Third-Party Releases in Chapter 11 Plans, which is a BIG change in Ninth Circuit law
Aligning with the Third Circuit, the Ninth Circuit says that lower courts were reading its prior decisions too broadly. The Ninth Circuit had been generally understood as categorically banning nonconsensual, third-party releases in chapter 11 plans. Narrowing, if not repudiating, three earlier opinions in a published decision on June 11, the Ninth Circuit explicitly aligned itself with the Third Circuit by permitting nonconsensual, third-party releases in chapter 11 plans that exculpate participants in the reorganization from claims based on actions taken during the case. In her opinion for the appeals court, Ninth Circuit Judge Marsha S. Berzon quoted the Third…
Millions Of Americans Skipping Payments As Tidal Wave Of Defaults, Evictions Looms
reports 6/4/20 Credit & Collection e-newsletter Americans are skipping payments on mortgages, auto loans and other bills. Normally, that could mean massive foreclosures, evictions, cars repossessions and people’s credit getting destroyed. But much of that’s been put on pause. Help from Congress and leniency from lenders have kept impending financial disaster at bay for millions of people. But that may not last for long. The problem is, these efforts aim to create a financial bridge to the future for people who’ve lost their income in the pandemic — but the bridge is only half built. For one thing, the help…
In re Cumbess
In re Cumbess, ___F.3d___ 2020 WL 2897260 (11th Cir. 2020),. In this 6/3/20 published decision, the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit holds that if a trustee does not assume a personal property lease before confirmation of a Chapter 13 plan, the leased property is no longer property of the estate and cannot be assumed by the debtor in the confirmed plan on behalf of the estate. No such decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, so far. Only time will tell whether Circuit Courts, other than the Eleventh Circuit, will take this same position.
California and additional States Sue US Governement over New Payday Lending Rule
California and additional States Sue US Governement over New Payday Lending Rule (adopted by US Government on 6/2/20) that Makes Payday Lenders NOT subject to “cap” on the (extremely high) interest rates the Payday Lenders can charge consumers on unsecured loans, so Long as the Payday Lender “partners” with a Bank: Trying to stop the cycle of unsophisticated borrowers getting trapped in a recurring cycle of debt, multiple states have imposed regulations on payday lenders in recent years – regulations that will no longer apply to some lenders under a new Trump administration rule. California, Illinois and New York sued…
Big Bankruptcies Sweep the U.S. in Fastest Pace Since May 2009
In the first few weeks of the pandemic, it was just a trickle: Companies like Alaskan airline Ravn Air pushed into bankruptcy as travel came to a halt and markets collapsed. But the financial distress wrought by the shutdowns only deepened, producing what is now a wave of insolvencies washing through America’s corporations. In May alone, some 27 companies reporting at least $50 million in liabilities sought court protection from creditors — the highest number since the Great Recession. They range from well-known U.S. mainstays such as J.C. Penney Co. and J. Crew Group Inc. to air carriers Latam Airlines…