The court ruled for the defendant, finding that a pre-petition contract for the purchase of assets was not executory and could not be assumed by the Chapter 7 trustee. There were no remaining substantial performance obligations due from either party

Reported at 10 B.R. 469. Under the Copyright Act, the debtor's authorized use of the plaintiff's drawing of a skunk caused it to enter the public domain and led to forfeiture of the plaintiff's copyright. Debtor therefore was able to copyright the drawing

Debtor's Chapter XI was unsuccessful, so the company liquidated and the trustee had $94,000 available for administrative expenses. The court weighed the benefit to the estate provided by each claimant in deciding how much in fees and expenses to allow

On appeal, the district court affirmed the bankruptcy court's order granting relief from stay. The debtors failed to make an offer of proof by which to preserve certain alleged errors for appeal. The court's factual findings weren't clearly erroneous

Court ruled against creditor in dischargeabililty proceeding, finding that creditor did not prove debtor's intent to deceive. Debtor-defendant did omit some debts from the financial statement submitted to creditor, but he had valid reasons for doing so

The court found a debt nondischargeable under "willful & malicious conversion of property" exception when debtor as buyer obtained a first mortgage on airplane in an amount $11,000 more than he had agreed with seller, who became undersecured as a result

Court denied creditors' request to reopen the bankruptcy case to file a late non-dischargeability complaint. The creditors' expectation that the trustee would pursue the complaint was unreasonable and may constitute neglect, but not "excusable" neglect

Reported at 4 B.R. 654. Pursuant to section 1326(a) and (b), the Chapter 13 trustee will receive a percentage fee of all payments made "under the plan," even if some of those plan payments are made directly to creditors rather than through the trustee

Reported at 9 B.R. 278. Debtor's "assignment of real estate equity and promissory note" to bank created a recordable interest and clearly showed an intent to create a lien on the land, so the trustee's interest was subordinate to the bank's mortgage

Reported at 1 B.R. 446. Unearned insurance premiums should be returned to the company that financed the premiums. The premium financing company is essentially a lender and the right to unearned premiums was properly assigned to it by the debtor-insured