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. In this case, an obligation to the creditor was guaranteed by a third-party. The principal debtor filed bankruptcy and proposed to “cram down” the obligation to the creditor. Creditor filed an action […]

Here, a state court judgment found the debtor liable for fraud. Although the federal court has exclusive jurisdiction as to determining dischargeability in bankruptcy, the federal court nevertheless found the debtor was precluded from refuting the state court judgment. Hence, the debtor could not collaterally attack the state court judgment in federal court, and the […]

Bank-Fund Staff Federal Credit Union held a mortgage on debtors’ real estate.  The loan was in default and the credit union sought to foreclose and obtain possession of the property. The credit union initiated foreclosure proceedings and sent a Notice of Foreclosure Sale to debtors. The foreclosure notice, however, erroneously stated that the members did […]

PERSONAL LIABILITY VERSUS CORPORATE LIABILITY. In this case, the debtors, McClellan and Hoyt, were, respectively, the president and secretary of Calistoga Court Club, Inc. Calistoga Court Club, Inc. applied for and received a loan for $30,420 from a predecessor in interest to Mountain America Credit Union. The loan went into default and the debtors’ corporation […]

Debtor issued three checks to his creditors prior to his filing a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, however, those checks had not cleared debtor’s bank at the time he filed bankruptcy. The Trustee in Bankruptcy sought an order compelling debtor to turn over the funds in his account at the time he filed for bankruptcy in the […]

Here, in the case of In re Krivohlavek, (8th Cir. BAP), Debtor, Terri Krivohlavek, filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition with a Statement of Intentions to surrender one 2002 Ford Windstar that was pledged as collateral to Boys Town Federal Credit Union. Prior to the bankruptcy filing date, Debtor paid her secured loan at the Credit […]

Here, the Court considered whether a debtor may keep property secured by a mortgage to the credit union even if the debtor does not either reaffirm, surrender or redeem the obligation.   In this case, GNC Credit Union held a mortgage issued by the debtors and secured by their home. The balance on the loan was […]

Here, a Federal Court granted the credit union’s motion for summary judgment and dismissed Plaintiff’s claim that the credit union had discriminated against her by failing to promote her to a higher position. This case had traveled extensively throughout various federal courts and was previously sent back to this court from the U.S. Supreme Court. In […]

Bankrupt Debtor may only redeem collateral in one payment. Redemption installment payments prohibited if debtor elects to retain vehicle.     Here, debtor sought to redeem Ford Motor Credit collateral by paying installment payments for the value of the vehicle, instead of one lump-sum redemption payment. Section 722 of the Bankruptcy Code provides, in pertinent part: An individual debtor may, whether or not the […]

In this case, the bankruptcy court denied debtors’ discharge after debtors transferred property, without consideration, to close friends and relatives with the intent to hinder, delay or defraud creditors. Here, debtors filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy and a creditor filed an adversary complaint with the court seeking to deny debtors’ discharge. The creditor’s complaint alleged […]