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Second Circuit Rules That Lien Is Extinguished Under Chapter 11 Only if Secured Creditor Participates in Case
A hornbook principle of U.S. bankruptcy jurisprudence is that valid liens pass through bankruptcy unaffected. This longstanding tenet, however, is at odds with section 1141(c) of the Bankruptcy Code, which provides that, under certain circumstances, “the property dealt with by [a Chapter 11] plan is free and clear of all claims and interests of creditors,” except as otherwise provided in the plan or the order confirming the plan. Several courts have attempted to reconcile the pass-through principle with the statute by requiring that the creditor “participate in the reorganization” as a prerequisite to the application of section 1141(c).
This judicial gloss clouds the question of whether the terms of a Chapter 11 plan providing for the treatment of secured creditor claims are binding on non-participating secured creditors. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit recently weighed in on this issue as a matter of first impression. In City of Concord, N.H. v. Northern New England Telephone Operations LLC (In re Northern New England Telephone Operations LLC), 2015 BL 248853 (2d Cir. Aug. 4, 2015), the court ruled that a lien is extinguished by a Chapter 11 plan if: 1) the text of the plan does not preserve the lien; 2) the plan is confirmed; 3) the property encumbered by the lien is “dealt with” by the plan; and 4) the secured creditor participated in the bankruptcy case.
Law Firms are Reducing Redundant Real Estate by Bringing Support Services Back to the Office
A trend analysis of the benefits and challenges of bringing back administrative, word processing and billing services to law offices.
Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough
There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.
Bit Parts
Summary Judgment Denied Defendant in Declaratory Action by Producer of To Kill a Mockingbird Broadway Play Seeking Amateur Theatrical Rights
Risks of “Baseball Arbitration” in Resolving Real Estate Disputes
“Baseball arbitration” refers to the process used in Major League Baseball in which if an eligible player's representative and the club ownership cannot reach a compensation agreement through negotiation, each party enters a final submission and during a formal hearing each side — player and management — presents its case and then the designated panel of arbitrators chooses one of the salary bids with no other result being allowed. This method has become increasingly popular even beyond the sport of baseball.
Disconnect Between In-House and Outside Counsel
'Disconnect Between In-House and Outside Counsel is a continuation of the discussion of client expectations and the disconnect that often occurs. And although the outside attorneys should be pursuing how inside-counsel actually think, inside counsel should make an effort to impart this information without waiting to be asked.