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Bankruptcy Commercial Law

Holders of Unredeemed Gift Cards Denied Bankpruptcy Priority

For some time now, the brick and mortar side of the retail industry has been in financial distress. In 2015 and 2016 alone, brand-name ­companies such as Sports Authority, RadioShack, Aéropostale, American Apparel, Eastern Mountain Sports and City Sports sought bankruptcy protection. A common question in these cases is how to treat holders of unredeemed gift cards. Are they near the back of the line with other general unsecured creditors, or are they entitled to “priority” payment status under the Bankruptcy Code?

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For some time now, the brick and mortar side of the retail industry has been in financial distress. In 2015 and 2016 alone, brand-name ­companies such as Sports Authority, RadioShack, Aéropostale, American Apparel, Eastern Mountain Sports and City Sports sought bankruptcy protection. A common question in these cases is how to treat holders of unredeemed gift cards. Are they near the back of the line with other general unsecured creditors, or are they entitled to “priority” payment status under the Bankruptcy Code? The Delaware Bankruptcy Court recently revisited this issue in In re City Sports, No. 15-12054, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2884 (Bankr. D. Del. Aug. 4), and concluded that holders of unredeemed gift cards from now-defunct retailer City Sports were nothing more than general unsecured creditors.

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