Ninth Circuit Holds that Selling Peace Does Not Require Business Judgment

In Spark Factor Design, Inc., et al. v. Hjelmeset (In re Open Medicine Institute, Inc.), No. 22-60017 (9th Cir. Oct. 30, 2023), the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently found that a bankruptcy court has discretion of whether to apply the standards under section 363(b) of the Bankruptcy Code in cases where a debtor’s sale of […]

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SCOTUS Removes a Partial Barrier to Challenging Unstayed Bankruptcy Sales to Good-Faith Purchasers

In MOAC Mall Holdings LLC v. Transform Holdco LLC, 134 S.Ct. 927, 937 (2023), the U.S. Supreme Court recently resolved a debate that has long divided Circuit Courts throughout the U.S:  whether section 363(m) of the Bankruptcy Code, a provision that is intended to protect good-faith purchasers of bankruptcy assets, imposes a jurisdictional barrier to a […]

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Weinstein Case Demonstrates Difficulties in Following Complex Bankruptcy Sales

Intro Everyone is likely familiar with the chapter 11 bankruptcy of The Weinstein Company (“”TWC“), an former film and production studio that previously produced and distributed featured films and premium television content internationally.  On March 19, 2018 (the “Petition Date“), TWC was forced to file bankruptcy following numerous claims of private misconduct against its co-founder, […]

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Gymboree Files for Chapter 22 and Plans to Liquidate

On January 16, 2019, Gymboree Group, Inc. and 10 affiliated debtors (collectively, “Debtors” or “Gymboree”) filed chapter 11 in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (Richmond Division).  On January 17, 2019, Gymboree, Inc. commenced a parallel proceeding in Canada under subsection 50.4(a) of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada). The Debtors […]

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Junior Lienholders’ Interests Extinguished in a “Free and Clear” Sale

State and federal laws provide numerous protections to secured parties to preserve their interests in collateral.  As secured parties well know, however, these protections become more and more limited when the collateral is pledged to multiple secured parties.  Issues, like priority of interests and liens, become more prevalent when the collateral at issue falls in value and […]

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Supreme Court Upholds Secured Creditor’s Right to Credit Bid

On May 29, 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court decided the well-monitored appeal in RadLAX Gateway Hotel, LLC, et al. v. Amalgamated Bank, where a chapter 11 debtor appealed the ruling of Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals that a debtor may not confirm a cramdown plan, proposing to sell encumbered assets free and clear of liens, without permitting the […]

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