Michigan Bankruptcy Blog
In re Lipa, E.D. Mich., Aug. 17, 2010 (Case No. 04-74608, Hon. Steven Rhodes).
In re Weeks, W.D. Mich., Jan. 23, 2009 (Case No. 05-02298, 400 B.R. 117, Hon. Jeffrey R. Hughes).
It is not uncommon for debtors - particularly those who own businesses - to sign personal guaranties before their bankruptcy filing. Pre-petition obligations under those guaranties are generally discharged in bankruptcy. But when a post-petition obligation arises under such a guaranty, the Bankruptcy Courts for the Western and Eastern Districts of Michigan are divided as to whether a guarantor-debtor is protected by his or her discharge.
In re Reiman, Bankr. E.D. Mich., July 16, 2010 (Case No. 09-70776, Hon. Phillip J. Shefferly).
Because of the high volume of foreclosures in Michigan, some lenders are bidding less than fair market value at foreclosure sales, particularly on the east side of the state. This has created a conundrum for Chapter 7 trustees who close cases as "no asset" cases, only to discover after the foreclosure sale that they could have sold the property at market value, paid the redemption amount, and still had money remaining to distribute to unsecured creditors.
In re Peckens-Schmitt, Bankr. W.D. Mich., July 16, 2010 (Case No. 10-04164, Hon. Scott W. Dales).
In a notable decision, the United States Supreme Court recently upheld a bankruptcy court's confirmation of a Chapter 13 plan that discharged part of a student loan debt without an adversary proceeding where the student loan creditor had notice of the plan but did not object. United Student Aid Funds, Inc. v. Espinosa, 130 S. Ct. 1367 (2010).
