Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

SCOTUS Passes on Bankruptcy Law Cases, Leaving Circuit Court Splits

By Corinne Ball
December 01, 2021

The U.S. Supreme Court began its 2021-2022 term this Fall with a schedule that includes no bankruptcy matters. Although four cases presenting important bankruptcy issues were teed up for the Court's consideration this term, the Court denied certiorari for each. These petitions involved open questions on states' powers to assert sovereign immunity in the bankruptcy arena, the extent to which federal bankruptcy law preempts certain state-law causes of action, and the judicially created doctrine of equitable mootness. Each of these areas involve splits among the circuit courts of appeals, influencing choice of venue and the extent to which bankruptcy decisions are subject to meaningful appeal.

A fifth bankruptcy-related certiorari petition remains pending and may still be taken up this term. Petitioners challenged a 2018 increase in the fees charged by the U.S. Trustee program as a violation of the Constitutional requirement of uniform bankruptcy laws. This is not likely among the issues at the top of most practitioner's wish lists, especially as Congress has already addressed the alleged Constitutional infirmity on a prospective basis.

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later Image

The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.

The Bankruptcy Hotline Image

Recent cases of importance to your practice.

Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements In White Collar Investigations Image

This article discusses the practical and policy reasons for the use of DPAs and NPAs in white-collar criminal investigations, and considers the NDAA's new reporting provision and its relationship with other efforts to enhance transparency in DOJ decision-making.

How AI Has Affected PR Image

When we consider how the use of AI affects legal PR and communications, we have to look at it as an industrywide global phenomenon. A recent online conference provided an overview of the latest AI trends in public relations, and specifically, the impact of AI on communications. Here are some of the key points and takeaways from several of the speakers, who provided current best practices, tips, concerns and case studies.

The DOJ's New Parameters for Evaluating Corporate Compliance Programs Image

The parameters set forth in the DOJ's memorandum have implications not only for the government's evaluation of compliance programs in the context of criminal charging decisions, but also for how defense counsel structure their conference-room advocacy seeking declinations or lesser sanctions in both criminal and civil investigations.