Consumer Bankruptcy

7th Circuit Dec 13, 2019

Even a $3 Million Claim for Severance Is Exempt in Illinois as Wages, Easterbrook Says

Pleas to injustice and unfairness failed to persuade the Seventh Circuit to depart from a state law exemption for wages.
1st Circuit Rhode Island Dec 11, 2019

An Inherited IRA Can Be Exempt Under State Law When It’s Not in Section 522(b)(3)(C)

A divided Rhode Island Supreme Court ruled that an inherited IRA, not exempt under federal law, is exempt under state law.
5th Circuit Dec 10, 2019

Fifth Circuit Creates a Circuit Split on Stay Termination for Repeat Filers

Disagreeing with a decision by the First Circuit last December, the Fifth Circuit rules that the ‘plain language’ in Section 362(c)(3)(A) does not terminate the automatic stay as to estate property 30 days after the second filing within one year.
Supreme Court Dec 10, 2019

Supreme Court Might Allow FDCPA Suits More than a Year After Occurrence

The ‘fraud-specific discovery rule’ might permit FDCPA suits filed more than one year after the occurrence that gives rise to the claim.

Mortgage Servicer Blew the Statute of Limitations, Judge Grossman Says

New York intermediate appellate courts are split on critical questions about the ‘start date’ for the statute of limitations on mortgage foreclosure.
7th Circuit Nov 27, 2019

Seventh Circuit Limits Punitive Damages to Total Compensatory Damages of $582,000

Despite atrocious mortgage servicing, the circuit court cut a jury’s $3 million award of punitive damages to $582,000.