Why Avoidance Actions Are Difficult to Dismiss by a Rule 12(b)(6) Motion

Traditional avoidance actions under the Bankruptcy Code, i.e., preferences and fraudulent transfers, have laudable goals: (a) to provide equal treatment to creditors of an insolvent company and (b) to claw back otherwise unavailable assets for the benefit of creditors.  It is no wonder then that the governing provisions of the Bankruptcy Code and applicable state […]

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Ultra Petroleum Redux: Make-Whole Provisions and Solvent-Debtor Exception Remain Intact in the Southern District of Texas

Introduction Since the March 2019 CRR article on the Ultra Petroleum case, entitled Fifth Circuit Holds that Chapter 11 Plan Does Not “Impair” Claimants by Denying Make-Whole Rights and Contractual Interest, a fair amount of activity has occurred in the case.  While the Fifth Circuit’s original opinion, Ultra Petroleum Corp. v. Ad Hoc Comm. of Unsecured […]

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Fifth Circuit Holds that a Constructive Trust is a Judicial Remedy Under Texas Law that is not Automatically Created by Contract

In BBX Operating, L.L.C. v. Bank of America, N.A. (In re Connect Transport, L.L.C.), No. 19-11050 (5th Cir. August 11, 2020), the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld the dismissal of a conversion claim as a matter of law, because the plaintiff failed to sufficiently plead ownership of the purportedly converted funds in its complaint, […]

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Fifth Circuit Holds that the SBA Cannot Be Enjoined from Denying Bankrupt Entities Access to PPP Funds

In a earlier article, entitled “New Mexico Court Holds that Bankrupt Entities are Eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program,” we described how some bankruptcy courts  confronted with exigent circumstances (including several within the 1st, 5th and 10th Circuits) have granted injunctive relief to debtors in bankruptcy who have been denied  loans under Payment Protection Program […]

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District Court Holds Section 105 can be Used to Avoid Default Provisions Under Confirmed Chapter 11 Plan

In In re Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts v. Patrick Taylor Adams, et al., Civ. A. No. 3:18-CV-727-L (N.D. Tex. May 31, 2020) [Dkt. No. 8], the District Court for the Northern District of Texas recently affirmed a bankruptcy court’s order reinstating the automatic stay against a creditor post-confirmation and preventing such creditor from exercising […]

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Houston Court Questions the Utility of the J. Alix Protocol in Retaining Turnaround Advisors and their Firms

In In re McDermott International, Inc., et al., Case No. 20-30336 (Bankr. S.D. Tex. May 20, 2020) [Dkt. No. 916], Judge Jones called into question the usefulness of the J. Alix Protocol in retaining turnaround advisors and their firms during a bankruptcy case.  According to Judge Jones: While innovative at its inception, the Alix Protocol […]

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