Third Circuit Holds that Minimum Threshold under Section 547(c)(9) Requires Transfer-by-Transfer Analysis

Slobodian v. U.S. Internal Revenue Serv. (In re Net Pay Solutions, Inc.), No. 15-2833, 2016 WL 2731676 (3d. Cir. May 10, 2016)

In this precedential Opinion, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (the “Third Circuit”) addressed whether multiple transfers may be aggregated for purposes of meeting the statutory minimum under section 547(c)(9) of the Bankruptcy Code.  The Court affirmed the ruling of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania (the “District Court”) that they may not be aggregated where the transfers are for the benefit of different creditors on distinct… Read More

Third Circuit Allows 363 Purchaser’s Funds to Bypass IRS and Satisfy Certain Administrative and General Unsecured Claims

In re ICL Holding Company, Inc., No. 14-2709, 2015 WL 5315604 (3d Cir. Sept. 14, 2015), aff’g sub nom United States v. LCI Holding Co., Inc., Nos. 13-924 (SLR), 13-1188 (SLR), 2014 WL 975145 (D. Del. March 10, 2014)

As discussed by the Delaware Bankruptcy Insider in March of last year, in ruling on a motion for stay the Delaware District Court determined that the Delaware Bankruptcy Court did not err when it approved a sale of substantially all of the assets of LCI Holding Company, Inc. and its affiliated debtors (the “Debtors”) and a settlement between the purchaser (the Debtors’… Read More

What Does It Mean to “Recover” Property (or the Value Thereof) for the Benefit of the Estate?

In re Allen, No. 13-3543, 2014 WL 4783085 (3d Cir. Sept. 26, 2014)

The Third Circuit was recently given the opportunity to explore what is required for “recovery” of property for the benefit of an estate under section 550 of the Bankruptcy Code.  In its own Florida bankruptcy proceeding, Advanced Telecommunication Network (“ATN”) avoided a transfer to Daniel W. Allen, Sr. (“Allen”), one of its former owners, and obtained a recovery order pursuant to section 550.  ATN pursued collection in the Florida courts but Allen actively impeded ATN’s efforts by transferring funds to trust accounts located in the Cook… Read More

Debtors’ Funds Purchased in Section 363 Sale Permitted to be Disbursed to Debtors’ Administrative and Unsecured Creditors Over IRS Objections

United States v. LCI Holding Co., Inc., Nos. 13-924 (SLR), 13-1188 (SLR), 2014 WL 975145 (D. Del. March 10, 2014)

On March 10, 2014, Judge Sue L. Robinson of the District Court denied the request of the United States, on behalf of the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), to stay disbursement of funds placed into escrow by a purchaser of debtor-assets intended to satisfy some but not all administrative and unsecured claims asserted against the debtors.  During the chapter 11 bankruptcy cases of LCI Holding Company, Inc. and its affiliated debtors (the “Debtors”), the Debtors’ prepetition… Read More

Personal Injury Claims Arising from Wrongful Acts of a Debtor, Asserted Against a Third Party Purchaser Under a State Law Successor Liability Theory, Held by Third Circuit to be Property of the Estate

Aaroma Holdings, LLC v. Diacetyl Plaintiffs (In re Emoral, Inc.), No. 13-1467, 2014 WL 259870 (3d Cir. Jan. 24, 2014)

On January 24, 2014, in a precedential Opinion, the Third Circuit determined that personal injury causes of action, arising from wrongful conduct of a debtor, asserted against a non-debtor third party pursuant to a “mere continuation” theory of successor liability under state law, are “generalized claims” belonging to a bankruptcy estate rather than personal claims belonging to individual creditors.

Prior to the bankruptcy filing of Emoral, Inc. (“Emoral”), Aaroma Holdings LLC… Read More