In these two cases, the bankruptcy court entered two nondischargeable judgments against the same debtor in favor of Pittsburgh Police Federal Credit Union and Allegheny County No. 1 Federal Credit Union. Here, the debtor was a member of both Pittsburgh Police Federal Credit Union (hereinafter “PPFCU”) and Allegheny County No. 1 Federal Credit Union (hereinafter […]

Here, the Chapter 7 Debtor made voluntary payments to creditor after debtor’s filing for bankruptcy. Both debtor and creditor agreed that the post-petition payments would be applied to prepetition debts owed to the creditor. The debtor made more than $39,000 of voluntary payments to creditor.   Some two years after the voluntary payments were made, […]

In this case, the Chapter 13 debtors moved to hold Idaho Central Credit Union in contempt for allegedly violating the Bankruptcy Court’s automatic stay after the credit union froze members’ funds on deposit. Debtors also sought sanctions against the credit union for the alleged violation. The credit union responded by contending it did not violate the […]

In this case, an Ohio Bankruptcy Court held that a creditor’s lien noted on an automobile’s certificate of title had priority over a subsequent artisan’s lien obtained by a repair shop. Here, the debtors pledged their automobile as security for a loan. The lien was properly placed on the vehicle’s title. Thereafter, the vehicle was repaired […]

In this case, the Federal Court held that a guarantor on a loan is not excused from liability even when the principal debtor files bankruptcy. Here, an obligation to the creditor was guaranteed by another party. The principal debtor filed bankruptcy and proposed to “cram down” the obligation to the creditor. Creditor filed an action against the guarantor […]

Creditor with nondischargeable judgment may garnish debtor without violating bankruptcy automatic stay.   In the case of In re Embry, the court held that a creditor holding a nondischargable judgment against a debtor may garnish debtor’s assets even though the bankruptcy stay is in effect and the debtor has not been granted a discharge from the […]

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Dismissed for Substantial Abuse and Bad Faith filing due to Debtors’ Excess Income.  Debtors’ excess estimated income over expenses defeated debtor’s Chapter 7 Bankruptcy.  Here, debtors’ bankruptcy schedules identified their residence as valued at $80,000, with two mortgages totalling $77,000. Debtors also listed two vehicles valued at $40,000, with secured liens of approximately $46,000 against […]

ISSUE:  Whether a mortgagee bidding total debt at foreclosure sale can recover post-foreclosure advances for repairs and/or improvements through a deficiency action against mortgagor. CONCLUSION: A mortgagee (Lender) cannot pursue a mortgagor for a deficiency arising from post-foreclosure advances expended to repair or improve the premises. When a mortgagee makes a full credit bid for […]

In this case, debtor filed a Chapter 13 case which sought to discharge, among other debts, an obligation that was previously held nondischargeable in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filed several years earlier.   The debt that was found to be nondischargeable in the Chapter 7 case was due to a check written by the debtor […]

Here, the debtor, a physician, borrowed money from the bank and promised to secure that loan with a pledge of a $50,000 bond that the debtor could not locate at the time of the loan. The bank agreed to loan the money as long as Dr. Bercier brought in the bond at a later date […]