The Three Faces of Bankruptcy Law
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The Anti-Lien: Another Security Interest in Land*
The Anti-Lien: Another Security Interest in Land* Uriel Reichmant The law recognizes various security interests in land, which are de- signed to provide two distinct advantages over unsecured interests: the right to priority over general creditors in bankruptcy proceedings, and the right to satisfy the debt from a specified parcel of property. This article proposes recognition of an intermediate concept between secured and unsecured debt: an interest in land that secures to some extent the repayment of a debt, but does not possess the twin characteristics of full security interests. This interest in land, the "anti-lien,"1 is a preventive measure; the debtor's power of alienation and power to grant another security interest are suspended while the debt remains outstanding. The anti-lien creditor has no powers or rights other than this passive rem- edy; for all other purposes, he is treated as a simple debt creditor. The few cases that have dealt with contracts containing anti-lien re- strictions have limited the analysis to a narrow question: did the con- tract create an equitable lien (that possesses the characteristics of a traditional security interest) or merely a personal obligation? Framing the question in this way eliminated consideration of the anti-lien alter- native-an alternative that is potentially useful when a regular security interest is unavailable or economically impractical. This paper attempts to explain deficiencies in the application of the equitable lien analysis to the anti-lien situation and argues the case for the anti-lien concept. Just a decade ago, documents evidencing an anti-lien approach were widely used in California. -
GOVERNMENT of the DISTRICT of COLUMBIA Office of the Attorney General
GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Office of the Attorney General ATTORNEY GENERAL KARL A. RACINE April 24, 2020 GUIDANCE ON THE DEBT COLLECTION PROVISIONS OF THE COVID-19 RESPONSE SUPPLEMENTAL EMERGENCY AMENDMENT ACT OF 2020 On April 10, 2020, the Council for the District of Columbia passed the emergency Act 23-286, the COVID-19 Response Supplemental Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (“Emergency Act”) which aims to help DC residents deal with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. Section 207 of the Emergency Act amended D.C. Code § 28-3814 to add a number of temporary restrictions related to the collection of consumer debt during the coronavirus pandemic. The District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General (“OAG”) enforces the prohibitions in D.C. Code § 28-3814 though its enforcement authority under the Consumer Protection Procedures Act, D.C. Code § 28-3909. OAG issues the following guidance on how it interprets the Emergency Act for enforcement purposes to provide clarity regarding the law’s debt collection provisions. The Emergency Act covers any debt that is 30 days past due and was made for the purchase of goods, services, or property for personal, family or household purposes. This includes motor vehicle loans but does not include home mortgages or other loans on real property.1 For the duration of the declared coronavirus emergency, and for 60 days after its conclusion, the Emergency Act prohibits creditors and debt collectors from threatening or initiating any new legal action to collect a debt, visiting a debtor’s home or place of employment, or confronting the debtor about the debt in any public place. -
MARSHALLING SECURITIES and WORDS of RELEASE
MARSHALLING SECURITIES and WORDS OF RELEASE Note on Hill v Love (2018) 53 V.R. 459 and Burness v Hill [2019] VSCA 94 © D.G. Robertson, Q.C., B.A., LL.M., M.C.I.Arb. Queen’s Counsel Victorian Bar 205 William Street, Melbourne Ph: 9225 7666 | Fax: 9225 8450 www.howellslistbarristers.com.au [email protected] -2- Table of Contents 1. The Doctrine of Marshalling 3 2. The Facts in Hill v Love 5 2.1 Facts Relevant to Marshalling 5 2.2 Facts Relevant to the Words of Release Issue 6 3. The Right to Marshal 7 4. Limitations on and Justification of Marshalling 9 4.1 Principle 9 4.2 Arrangement as to Order of Realization of Securities 10 5. What is Secured by Marshalling? 11 5.1 Value of the Security Property 11 5.2 Liabilities at Time of Realization of Prior Security 12 5.3 Interest and Costs 14 6. Uncertainties in Marshalling 15 6.1 Nature of Marshalling Right 15 6.2 Caveatable Interest? 17 6.3 Proprietary Obligations 18 7. Construction of Words of Release 19 7.1 General Approach to the Construction of Contracts 19 7.2 Special Rules for the Construction of Releases 20 7.3 Grant v John Grant & Sons Pty. Ltd. 22 8. Other Points 24 8.1 Reasonable Security 24 8.2 Fiduciary Duty 24 8.3 Anshun Estoppel 25 This paper was presented on 18 September 2019 at the Law Institute of Victoria to the Commercial Litigation Specialist Study Group. Revised 4 December 2019. -3- MARSHALLING SECURITIES and WORDS OF RELEASE The decisions of the Supreme Court of Victoria in Hill v Love1 and, on appeal, Burness v Hill2 address the doctrine of marshalling securities and also the construction of words of release in terms of settlement. -
1 Chairman Phil Mendelson 2 3 4 5 6 7 a BILL 8 9 10
1 _______________________________ 2 Chairman Phil Mendelson 3 4 5 6 7 8 A BILL 9 10 11 _________ 12 13 14 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 15 16 __________________ 17 18 19 To amend, on a temporary basis, Section 28-3814 to include all consumer debt under the 20 District’s collection law; to prohibit deceptive behavior from debt collectors including 21 threatening to accuse people of fraud, threatening to sell or assign consumer debt such 22 that the consumer would lose defense to a claim or disclosing or threatening disclose 23 consumer debt information without acknowledging such debt is in dispute or in a way 24 that would harm the consumers reputation for credit worthiness; to prohibit debt 25 collectors from making more than three phone calls to a consumer in seven days; to 26 prohibit the communication of consumer indebtedness to employer’s, except when such 27 indebtedness is guaranteed by the employer, the employer requests the loan, or the 28 information is an attachment to an execution or judgment allowed by law; to prohibit debt 29 collectors from communicating an individuals indebtedness to family, friends or 30 neighbors except through proper legal processes; to require debt collectors to have 31 complete documentation related to the consumer debt being collected; to require debt 32 collectors who enter into a payment schedule or settlement to provide a written copy of 33 said schedule or agreement; to implement specific requirements for a debt collector when 34 initiating a cause of action against a consumer for -
Debt Collection Practices (Regulation F): Final Rule
BILLING CODE: 4810-AM-P BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION 12 CFR Part 1006 [Docket No. CFPB-2019-0022] RIN 3170-AA41 Debt Collection Practices (Regulation F) AGENCY: Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. ACTION: Final rule; official interpretation. SUMMARY: The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is issuing this final rule to revise Regulation F, which implements the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and currently contains the procedures for State application for exemption from the provisions of the FDCPA. The Bureau is finalizing Federal rules governing the activities of debt collectors, as that term is defined in the FDCPA. The Bureau’s final rule addresses, among other things, communications in connection with debt collection and prohibitions on harassment or abuse, false or misleading representations, and unfair practices in debt collection. DATES: This rule is effective [INSERT DATE ONE YEAR AFTER PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER]. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dania Ayoubi, Joseph Baressi, Seth Caffrey, Brandy Hood, David Jacobs, Courtney Jean, Jaclyn Maier, Adam Mayle, Kristin McPartland, Michael Scherzer, or Michael Silver, Senior Counsels, Office of Regulations, at 202-435-7700. If you require this document in an alternative electronic format, please contact [email protected]. 1 SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Summary of the Final Rule The Bureau is finalizing amendments to Regulation F, 12 CFR part 1006, which implements the FDCPA.1 The amendments prescribe Federal rules governing the activities of debt collectors, as that term is defined in the FDCPA (debt collectors or FDCPA debt collectors). The final rule focuses on debt collection communications and related practices by debt collectors. -
Equity and Trusts
Equity and Trusts Editor: Justice Mark Leeming MARSHALLING SECURITIES AND CONSTRUING RELEASES IN EQUITY The unanimous decision of the Victorian Court of Appeal in Burness v Hill1 is a timely reminder of the advantages to a junior secured creditor of the equitable doctrine of marshalling, and of the distinct ways in which common law and equity treat a release. FACTUAL BACKGROUND A simplified summary of the salient facts is as follows. Before his bankruptcy and death in 2016, Mr Thomas Love had borrowed substantial amounts from the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, secured by registered mortgages over three properties, A, B and C. Mr Antony Hill was Love’s solicitor in extensive and prolonged litigation. Love granted a second mortgage over property A to secure his indebtedness to Hill. Love was in default to the bank, which exercised its power of sale in 2011 and sold Property A for some $10 million. That was insufficient to discharge Love’s indebtedness to the bank. In the meantime, Hill sued Love in the County Court of Victoria and, in 2013, reached an agreement whereby judgment would be entered in the amount of $2.2 million, with execution stayed for up to a year. The agreement contained a generally worded release. In 2014, the bank sold Property B, but once again the sale proceeds were insufficient to discharge Love’s indebtedness to it. Hill lodged a caveat over Property C, asserting a right to be subrogated to the bank’s mortgage, and later commenced proceedings seeking an entitlement to be paid the $2.2 million judgment debt plus interest and costs from the proceeds of sale. -
Fraud and Abuse Online: Harmful Practices in Internet Payday Lending the Pew Charitable Trusts Susan K
A report from Oct 2014 Report 4 in the Payday Lending in America series Fraud and Abuse Online: Harmful Practices in Internet Payday Lending The Pew Charitable Trusts Susan K. Urahn, executive vice president Travis Plunkett, senior director Project team Nick Bourke, director Alex Horowitz Walter Lake Tara Roche External reviewers The report benefited from the insights and expertise of the following external reviewers: Mike Mokrzycki, independent survey research expert; Nathalie Martin, Frederick M. Hart chair in consumer and clinical law at the University of New Mexico; and Alan M. White, professor of law at the City University of New York. These experts have found the report’s approach and methodology to be sound. Although they have reviewed the report, neither they nor their organizations necessarily endorse its findings or conclusions. Acknowledgments The small-dollar loans project thanks Pew staff members Steven Abbott, Dan Benderly, Hassan Burke, Jennifer V. Doctors, David Merchant, Bernard Ohanian, Andrew Qualls, Mark Wolff, and Laura Woods for providing valuable feedback on the report, and Sara Flood and Adam Rotmil for design and Web support. Many thanks also to our other former and current colleagues who made this work possible. In addition, we would like to thank the Better Business Bureau for its data and Tom Feltner of the Consumer Federation of America for his comments. Finally, thanks to the small-dollar loan borrowers who participated in our survey and focus groups and to the many people who helped us put those groups together. For further information, please visit: pewtrusts.org/small-loans 2 Cover photo credits: 1 3 1. -
Credit and Collection Procedures
Credit and Collection Procedures Finance Area: Vice President for Finance Responsible or Contact Office/Role: Financial Reporting & Operations (Accounts Receivable), Student Financial Services Purpose: These procedures apply to University departments, divisions or schools who extend credit for goods or services to students, faculty, staff and other customers, or that handle collections of accounts receivable including student receivables managed by Student Financial Services (SFS). These procedures do not cover accounts receivable managed by the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) or gift pledge receivables which are managed through University Advancement. Definitions: Billing Department: A department, division, school, or other unit that has been authorized to extend credit for the sale of goods and services, or that is responsible for the collection of accounts receivable. Central Accounts Receivable (Central AR): A unit within Financial Operations & Reporting that has the primary responsibility for generating invoices and dunning notices, and managing other collection efforts for accounts receivable processed through the Integrated System Accounts Receivable module (OAR), other than sponsored programs accounts receivable managed by the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP). Collection Agency: An outside third party that acts as an agent to the University, responsible for the collection of delinquent debts for a fee or percentage of the total amount that has been referred. Dunning Letter: A collection letter, or series of letters, sent to past due or delinquent debtors with the purpose of receiving immediate payment. These letters remind the debtor of other possible collection actions that may be taken if payment is not received, such as referral to a collection agency or to the Setoff Debt Collection Program. -
Stopping the Payday Loan Trap Alternatives That Work, Ones That Don’T
Stopping the payday Loan trap AlternAtives thAt Work, ones thAt Don’t NCLC® NATIONAL CONSUMER June 2010 L AW C E N T E R® © Copyright 2010, National Consumer Law Center, Inc. All rights reserved. About the Authors Lauren K. Saunders is the Managing Attorney of NCLC’s Washington, DC office, where she handles legislative, administrative and other advocacy efforts on behalf of low income consumers. She contributes to several NCLC publications, including Fair Credit Reporting, Fair Debt Collection and Consumer Banking and Payments Law. She graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School where she was an Executive Editor of the Harvard Law Review, and holds a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and a B.A., Phi Beta Kappa, from Stanford University. Leah A. Plunkett is a staff attorney at NCLC, where she focuses on predatory small dollar loans, auto policy, protection of exempt funds, and the consumer needs of domestic violence survivors. Before coming to NCLC, Leah clerked in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland and established the Youth Law Project at New Hampshire Legal Assistance. Leah is a cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School, where she was on the board of both the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau and HLS for Choice. Carolyn Carter is NCLC’s Deputy Director for Advocacy. She is a contributing author to Cost of Credit, Truth in Lending, Unfair and Deceptive Acts and Practices and several other NCLC treatises. Prior to joining NCLC, she worked for legal services programs in Ohio and Pennsylvania. -
Partnership Property
PARTNERSHIP PROPERTY. In an article entitled "What Constitutes a Partnership ? " which appeared in the March number of this magazine,1 the writer endeavored to maintain the thesis that partners are co-proprietors and that the conception of partnership at the 2 Common law is that of co-ownership of a trade or business. If A stands in such a relation to B's trade that he gains if the trade is profitable and loses if it results in loss, these facts are significant only so far as they suggest an inference that he who shares the profit and loss of a trade is really one of the owners of it. Such an inference, however, is obviously not a neces- sary inference. Some other relation than that of owner may be adequate to explain A's connection with the enterprise. He may be a factor or a lessor or a lender. In a doubtful case it is even true that the inference will be against the existence of a partnership; for the courts recognize that he who seeks to hold A responsible for B's acts must make out a clear case in support of his claim. It follows that to make profit-sharing in any form the test of partnership represents a confusion of thought. To insist upon such a criterion involves the selection of one of the incidents of ownership as a conclu- sive test of the existence of the partnership relation, although that incident often attaches to relations other than that of ownership.' 137 Am. Law Reg. (N. -
Rights of Various Types of Creditors in Property Unavailable to the Debtor
RIGHTS OF VARIOUS TYPES OF CREDITORS IN PROPERTY UNAVAILABLE TO THE DEBTOR WHEN SATISFACTION cannot be obtained out of the general assets of a debtor, creditors will often attempt to realize on claims which are not avail- able to the debtor himself. Some of these claims arise out of transactions which injure debtor and creditors alike; others grow out of dealings which work injury only to creditors. While in appropriate circumstances these transactions will give rise to a cause of action,1 that cause of action will be vested not in all creditors, but only in those who are deemed to be injured. For the purposes of this comment it will be assumed that all of the other elements of recovery are present; an attempt will then be made to determine what sort of creditor may, and what sort may not, realize on the various claims unavailable to the debtor.2 Further investigation will be made of the assertion of such claims by a representative of creditors; for on such occa- sions similar questions are raised, though they are framed in terms of the extent of the representative's recovery, and the methods of distributing the recaptured property. A creditor who attempts to recover on claims unavailable to the debtor will normally rely on one of two theories. In situations falling under the first theory the debtor appears to be in command of greater resources than are actually at his disposal-a misleading impression that is created through the complicity, or at least passive acquiescence, of a third party. The basis of recovery, then, will be that credit was extended in reliance on the mis- representations attributable to that party. -
Small Business Administration § 120.975
Small Business Administration § 120.975 (h) Additional servicing requirements (b) CSA fees. The CSA may charge an are set forth in subpart E of this part. initiation fee on each loan and a monthly servicing fee under the terms [68 FR 57988, Oct. 7, 2003, as amended at 72 FR of the Master Servicing Agreement. 18364, Apr. 12, 2007] (c) Other agent fees. Agent fees and FEES charges necessary to market and serv- ice Debentures and Certificates may be § 120.971 Allowable fees paid by Bor- assessed to the Borrower or the inves- rower. tor. The fees must be approved by SBA and published periodically in the FED- (a) CDC fees. The fees a CDC may ERAL REGISTER. charge the Borrower in connection with a 504 loan and Debenture are lim- (d) SBA fees. (1) SBA charges a 0.5 ited to the following: percent guarantee fee on the Deben- ture. (1) Processing fee. The CDC may (2) For loans approved by SBA after charge up to 1.5 percent of the net De- September 30, 1996, SBA charges a fee benture proceeds to process the financ- of not more than 0.9375 percent annu- ing. Two-thirds of this fee will be con- ally on the unpaid principal balance of sidered earned and may be collected by the loan as determined at five-year an- the CDC when the Authorization for niversary intervals. the Debenture is issued by SBA. The (e) A funding fee portion of the processing fee paid by Miscellaneous fees. not to exceed 0.25 percent of the Deben- the Borrower may be reimbursed from ture may be charged to cover costs in- the Debenture proceeds; curred by the trustee, fiscal agent, (2) Closing fee.