Skip to main content

§ 350(b)

In re Jones

Ruling
Deceased debtor's counsel could not reopen case to seek to enforce discharge injunction against malpractice action by debtor's probate estates.
Procedural posture

Bankruptcy debtors were deceased and their bankruptcy case was closed, and the debtors' former counsel sought to preclude the debtors' probate estates from pursuing a malpractice action against counsel based on the debtors' discharge. Counsel moved to reopen the debtors' case to enforce the discharge injunction.

ABI Membership is required to access the full summary of In re Jones Please sign in if you are already an ABI member, or otherwise you may Become an ABI Member

Consumer opinion summary, case decided on April 30, 2012 , LexisNexis #0612-038

In re HBLS LP

Ruling
Motion to reopen case seeking bankruptcy court intervention in dispute between non-debtor entities denied.
Procedural posture

Movant, an individual who was involved in litigation over the sale of stock to a business that declared chapter 11 bankruptcy, filed a motion to reopen the business's bankruptcy case pursuant to 11 U.S.C.S. §§ 350(b) and 105(a), Fed. R. Bankr. P. 5010, Bankr. S.D.N.Y. R. 5010-1.

ABI Membership is required to access the full summary of In re HBLS LP Please sign in if you are already an ABI member, or otherwise you may Become an ABI Member

Commercial opinion summary, case decided on April 17, 2012 , LexisNexis #0512-034

Rodney v. Arias (In re Arias)

Ruling
Motion to reopen to add claim for lease payments vacated in light of equitable concerns and questions regarding original omissions from schedules.
Procedural posture

The debtor previously filed a chapter 7 case and received a discharge. Later, the debtor moved to reopen his case under 11 U.S.C.S. § 350(b) to add plaintiff creditors' claim for lease payments, which the court allowed. Here, plaintiff creditors objected to discharge based on their contention that the debt was post-petition, and both parties filed cross-motions for summary judgment.

ABI Membership is required to access the full summary of Rodney v. Arias (In re Arias) Please sign in if you are already an ABI member, or otherwise you may Become an ABI Member

Consumer opinion summary, case decided on March 16, 2012 , LexisNexis #0412-074

Diaz-Nieves v. Irizarry (In re Irizarry)

Ruling
Former spouse who did not timely object to discharge or dischargeability of debts could not reopen debtor's case to seek revocation of discharge.
Procedural posture

Former spouse of debtor moved to reopen the debtor's bankruptcy case under 11 U.S.C.S. § 350(b), the spouse brought an adversary proceeding against the debtor seeking to revoke the debtor's discharge. The debtor moved to dismiss the spouse's complaint.

ABI Membership is required to access the full summary of Diaz-Nieves v. Irizarry (In re Irizarry) Please sign in if you are already an ABI member, or otherwise you may Become an ABI Member

Consumer opinion summary, case decided on February 17, 2012 , LexisNexis #0512-115

In re Canoe Mfg. Co.

Ruling
Debtor's CEO's motion to reopen 1995 case to relitigate issues ruled on in state court denied.
Procedural posture

Movant, acting pro se, filed a motion, purportedly on behalf of the corporate debtor, to reopen a chapter 7 case that was closed in 1995. The motion under 11 U.S.C.S. § 350(b) was opposed by an attorney and his law firm, the likely defendants in an adversary proceeding if the case was reopened.

ABI Membership is required to access the full summary of In re Canoe Mfg. Co. Please sign in if you are already an ABI member, or otherwise you may Become an ABI Member

Commercial opinion summary, case decided on February 01, 2012 , LexisNexis #0312-068

In re Burton

Ruling
Debtor granted permission to open chapter 7 case to amend schedules to list personal injury action.
Procedural posture

Debtor filed a motion to reopen his chapter 7 case pursuant to 11 U.S.C.S. § 350(b) and to amend his schedules pursuant to Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9006(b)(1) in order to list a personal injury claim.

ABI Membership is required to access the full summary of In re Burton Please sign in if you are already an ABI member, or otherwise you may Become an ABI Member

Consumer opinion summary, case decided on November 03, 2011 , LexisNexis #0112-005

Wade v. Farmers Natl Bank

Ruling
Bankruptcy court did not err in refusing to reopen debtor's chapter 11 case to enforce confirmation order after debtor defaulted.
Procedural posture

Debtor filed a motion in the U. S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Kentucky to reopen his chapter 11 case in order to challenge state court decisions regarding his default on obligations under his chapter 11 plan. The bankruptcy court denied the motion. Appellant sought review.

ABI Membership is required to access the full summary of Wade v. Farmers Natl Bank Please sign in if you are already an ABI member, or otherwise you may Become an ABI Member

Consumer opinion summary, case decided on September 30, 2011 , LexisNexis #1011-136

In re Arana

Ruling
Debtor could reopen case to list previously unscheduled cause of action against hospital due to lack of bad faith.
Procedural posture

Debtors filed a petition under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code on October 15, 2005, and received a discharge on April 20, 2006. Nearly five years later, they filed a motion seeking an order under 11 U.S.C.S. § 350(b) and Fed. R. Bankr. P. 5010 which allowed them to reopen their case so they could add a medical malpractice action they filed against a hospital three weeks before they declared bankruptcy. The hospital opposed the debtors' motion.

ABI Membership is required to access the full summary of In re Arana Please sign in if you are already an ABI member, or otherwise you may Become an ABI Member

Consumer opinion summary, case decided on September 22, 2011 , LexisNexis #1011-072

In re Sovik

Ruling
Debtor could not reopen case to add uncertain potential claim against creditor.
Procedural posture

Following a chapter 7 debtor's discharge in his no-asset case, a creditor filed a state court action against him for conversion, fraud, and breach of fiduciary duty, and the debtor filed a federal labor lawsuit against the creditor in a Tennessee federal court. The debtor then requested a reopening of his case under 11 U.S.C.S. § 350(b) to amend the bankruptcy schedules, to add the creditor, and to add a newly-found potential asset.

ABI Membership is required to access the full summary of In re Sovik Please sign in if you are already an ABI member, or otherwise you may Become an ABI Member

Consumer opinion summary, case decided on August 26, 2011 , LexisNexis #0911-072

Smith v. Silverman (In re Smith)

Ruling
Bankruptcy court properly denied debtors' motion to reopen to pursue meritless proceeding against trustee.
Procedural posture

Appellants, a debtor, his wife, and his sister, sought to reopen the debtor's Chapter 7 bankruptcy case for the purpose of pursuing an adversary proceeding against appellees, a Chapter 7 trustee and a bondholder. A bankruptcy court denied appellants' motion to reopen and dismissed appellants' complaint. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York affirmed the orders. Appellants filed an appeal from the district court's orders.

ABI Membership is required to access the full summary of Smith v. Silverman (In re Smith) Please sign in if you are already an ABI member, or otherwise you may Become an ABI Member

Court :
Judge or Jurisdiction information not available
Consumer opinion summary, case decided on May 20, 2011 , LexisNexis #0611-069