Texas Western District

Congress Needs to Fix the Mess Created by the Supreme Court in Lamie

Unlike debtors in chapter 13, chapter 7 debtors cannot pay counsel with estate property. There may be no workaround allowing chapter 7 debtors to pay counsel before filing for services to be performed after filing.

Estimated Tax Payments Made Before Filing Aren’t Fraudulent Transfers to the IRS

When estimated tax payments are ‘reasonable’ estimates of the year’s taxes, they aren’t fraudulent transfers, district judge says

Student Loans Consolidated After Filing Can’t Be Discharged, Even for Undue Hardship

Consolidating student loans after filing creates a post-petition debt that can’t be discharged without filing bankruptcy again.

State Exemption for Life Insurance Policies Continues to Be Under Attack in Texas

Defeated three times, a chapter 7 trustee is appealing to the Fifth Circuit to end the exemption for whole-life policies in Texas.

State Exemption for Life Insurance Policies Under Attack in Texas

Bankruptcy Judges Gargotta and Davis both held that the amended Texas exemption statute exempts life insurance policies and their cash surrender values.

Filing a Timely Extension Motion Won’t Extend a Deadline Without an Order

Creditors’ lawyers shot themselves in the foot by having the bankruptcy judge moot a motion for an extension of the dischargeability deadline.

Exempt Assets Aren’t Always Exempt in Chapter 13

Courts are split on including some exempt assets into the calculation of disposable income.