Marshall v. Blake

(7th Cir. Mar 22, 2018)

The Seventh Circuit affirms the bankruptcy court after determining it has jurisdiction to hear the direct appeal from the bankruptcy court pursuant to Bankruptcy Rule 8008. The court holds that the bankruptcy court correctly overruled the trustee’s objection to confirmation of the Chapter 13 plan. The plan appropriately applied the debtor’s tax credit and refund to the debtor’s disposable income calculation by converting it to an increase to monthly income. The trustee argued that the refund should be applied to additional plan payments and that it was inappropriate to apply it to the debtor’s monthly income. Opinion below.

Judge: Flaum

Attorney for Trustee: Lauren L. Tobiason

Attorneys for Debtor: James A. Brady, Jamie F. Reisman

2018-03-22 – in re blake

Author: Matt Lindblom

Thurman v. Moby (In re Thurman)

(S.D. Ind. Jan. 24, 2018)

The district court dismisses the appeal because the order extending the deadline for the trustee to file a complaint to deny a discharge was not a final and appealable order. Opinion below.

Judge: Magnus-Stinson

Debtor: Pro Se

Trustee: Judge Moby; Ellen Lynn Triebold, U.S. Trustees Office

2018-01-24 – in re thurman

Author: Matt Lindblom

Netzer v. Office of Lawyer Regulation

(7th Cir. Mar. 13, 2017)

The Seventh Circuit affirms the district court’s dismissal of the appeal. The debtor failed to appeal the bankruptcy court’s order within the 14-day period set forth in Bankruptcy Rule 8002(a)(1). The court discusses authority holding that courts do not have equitable powers to contradict bankruptcy statutes and rules. Opinion below.

Judge: Easterbrook

Attorney for Debtor: Randy Joseph Netzer

Attorney for Appellee: Sean Michael Murphy

2017-03-13 – in re netzer

Author: Matt Lindblom