The St. John's Bankruptcy Research Library is a project of the St. John's University School of Law and the American Bankruptcy Institute Law Review. The Library contains an assortment of research memoranda on discrete issues in bankruptcy law. The inaugural volume was published in November 2009. A new volume is published each year in July. Publication in the St. John's Bankruptcy Research Library is the culmination of an annual writing project on bankruptcy law conceived for the Staff Members of the American Bankruptcy Institute Law Review. The research project consists of two component parts: a case blog and research memorandum. In the fall, ABI staffers are assigned a recent bankruptcy decision upon which they write a case research blog, available at http://stjohns.abiworld.org. Once completed, staffers continue their research to develop the research memoranda published within the Library.

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Submissions from 2024

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Section 546(e) Safe Harbor Provision Applies to Transactions Involving Private Securities, Nino Aspanadze

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Courts are Divided on Whether Electric Energy is a "Good" under Section 503(b)(9) of the Bankruptcy Code, Mari Bijimenian

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Chapter 5 Avoidance Actions Can be Sold as Property of The Estate, Enrica Brook

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Section 363(m) is Not a Jurisdictional Constraint on Appellate Review of Property Transfers, Agustin Bujanda

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U.S. Bankruptcy Courts Balance the Statutory Protections of Stakeholders with the Needs of Discovery in Foreign Bankruptcy Proceedings, Conor Carman

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A Prepetition Security Interest in Accounts does not Extend to the Post-Petition Sale Proceeds of Real Property, Gabriel Eckstein

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Service of a Subpoena through Alternative Means: Social Media, Tayler Eynon

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Insider may be an alter-ego when it exercises control over a debtor, Delanie Fico

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The Regulatory Power Exception to the Automatic Stay, Kathleen Gatti

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Date for Determining Subchapter V Eligibility, Frederick Giovanelli

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Ability to assume a contract over the objections of third party beneficiaries or counterparty that is not subject to U.S. personal jurisdiction., Matthew Hanauer

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Creditors Have Standing to Bring Derivative Actions Against Delaware LLCs in Bankruptcy, John D. Hayes Jr.

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Whether Electricity is a "Good" Under 11 U.S.C. § 503(b)(9), Zhiqian Ke

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Interest Rate Determination Methods in Bankruptcy Chapters 11, 12, and 13, Michael Kleinman

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Ownership of Social Media Accounts in Bankruptcy Cases, Garrity Kuester

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Corporate Insider Status as a Badge of Fraud Under 11 U.S.C. § 548, Aria Lugo

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Claims Agents’ Duties and Rights to Compensation May be Restricted, Giuseppina Mammoliti

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Equitable Mootness Doctrine Seems to be Restricted in Application to Complex Reorganizations, Jenna Marshiano

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How Courts Differ in Applying the Countryman Test to Determine if Settlement Agreements with Sequential Performance are Executory Contracts under Section 365 of the Bankruptcy Code, Shannon McGarr

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Amended Proofs of Claims that Present a new Request for Relief Could be Disallowed, Lianna Meehan

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The Timing of a Debtor's Petition for Bankruptcy can Determine if a Pending Title Pawn Contract becomes Property of a Debtor's Estate, Jack Reilly

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Good Faith Chapter 11 Filings Require the Debtor to Show Valid Reorganization Purpose and Financial Need for Bankruptcy, Daniella Sesto

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Innocent-Spouse Relief and Other Tax Remedies in Bankruptcy, Panayiotis Xenakis

Submissions from 2023

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Solvent Debtors Must Pay the Contractual Post-Petition Interest Rate on Unimpaired Claims, Rayla Aberman

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The Application of 11 U.S.C. § 523(a) to Subchapter V Corporate Debtors Under 11 U.S.C. § 1192(2), Elizabeth Allhusen

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Creditors Not Precluded From Recovering Debtors’ Commercial Tort Litigation Recovery Through Security Interest, Dana Aprigliano

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Exceptions to the Rule: When Non-Debtor Entities are Protected by the Automatic Stay, Isabella Benchetrit

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A Claims Agent Can Only Profit from the Fees the Clerk of Court Can Charge, Peter Berkanish

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Free and Clear Sale Under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code Prevents Successor Liability, Matthew Bopp

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An Unincorporated Entity will be Unable to Recover as a Secured Creditor in Bankruptcy Unless a Court Invokes the Doctrines of De Facto Corporation or Corporation by Estoppel, Andrew Braverman

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Shared Responsibility Payment may be a Tax Entitled to Priority under the Bankruptcy Code, Ashton Bryan

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Trustee’s Broad Duty to Disclose Information to Interested Parties under Section 704(a)(7) of the Bankruptcy Code, Joel Cardoz

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A Majority of Courts Reject the Application of the Rules for Disallowance of Claims under Section 502(d) to Administrative Expense Claims, Mairead Cooney

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Uncertainty Surrounding Takings Claimants’ Rights in Municipal Bankruptcies, Gillian Deery

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Bad Faith Dismissals in Chapter 7, Myah Drouin

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When Deciding Whether to Transfer Venue, Bankruptcy Courts will Consider Their Discretion to Retain a Case, as well as the Interests of Justice and Convenience of the Parties, Cole Eiber

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Two Valid Approaches for Determining Whether “Taxes” Get Priority in Bankruptcy Cases, Jonathan Fuller

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The Intersection of the Bankruptcy Courts and FERC, Amanda Gazzo

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Whether a Surety Agreement is an Executory Contract is a Crucial Determination for Both Creditors and Debtors in Bankruptcy, Elizabeth Gomiela

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Exceptions to the General Rule that the Automatic Stay Under Bankruptcy Code Section 362(a) Does not Apply to Non-Debtors, Annmarie Gruick

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The Dischargeability of Money Judgements Versus Property Interests in Arbitration Awards for Domestic Contributions in the Context of Unmarried Couples, Gabriella Hansen

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Personal Injury Tort Claims as Core Proceedings in Bankruptcy Courts—Broad, Narrow, and Intermediate Approaches, Brigid Lynn

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The Third Circuit Requires Inequitable Conduct by a Higher-Priority Creditor to Equitably Subordinate its Debt to a Lower-Priority Creditor, Caitlyn R. Marino

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Small Business Owners are Entitled to Exempt Reasonable Compensation from the Bankruptcy Estate, Rachel McGarry

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The Effect of Rejection of a Copyright License on a Non-Debtor Licensee, Thomas Meininger

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A Transfer Made in Connection with a Securities Contract May Not Be Avoided Under Section 546(e) of the Bankruptcy Code, Dennis Mossberg

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A Decedent’s Estate is Barred from Filing Bankruptcy, Howard Poon

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A Secured Creditor’s Ability to Have an Automatic Stay Lifted Against a Single Asset Real Estate, Zachary Rozycki

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U.S. Trustee Fee Increase That Is Not Applicable Uniformly Violates the U.S. Constitution, Malorie Ruggeri

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Avoidance of an Unauthorized Post-Petition Transfer of Intellectual Property Under Section 549 of the Bankruptcy Code, Kathryn-Rose Russotto

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Compliance with Local Rules will Prevent an Individual Attorney’s Conflict from Imputing to the Entire Firm in a Bankruptcy Proceeding, Salvatore Salerno

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Debts Based on Fraudulent Misrepresentations of Material Fact may not be Discharged Under § 523(a)(2)(A), Lauren Shoemaker

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Non-Income Producing Properties that Never Operated may be Single Asset Real Estate Under the Bankruptcy Code, Paul R. Spagnoli

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Debtor Needs to have Benefitted from Fraud to be Barred a Discharge Under 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2)(A), Elizabeth Tighe

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Lifting the Automatic Stay after Foreclosures in New York, Andrew Vavricka

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COVID-19 & The WARN Act During a Bankruptcy Case, Audrey Victor

Submissions from 2022

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A Hotel Does not Meet the Definition of "Single Asset Real Estate" and may Reorganize Under Subchapter V of Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code, Patrick Canavan

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The Effect of Insider Status on the Court's Approval of a Key Employee Retention Plan, Perry Chresomales

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Courts Apply a Case-by-Case Analysis in Distinguishing a Meritorious Motion to Disqualify from a Delaying Litigation Tactic, Cathrena Collins

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The Various Methods Circuit Courts use to Define "Initial Transferee" in Fraudulent Transfers, Anthony J. Crasto

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The Barton Doctrine's Applicability to Suits Against Bankruptcy Trustees When the Bankruptcy Court Lacks Jurisdiction Over the Matter, Chelsea Frankel

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Chapter 15 Recognition is Necessary for Efficient and Consistent Cross-Border Proceedings, Sarah Franzetti

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Jevic's Minimal Impact on Structured Dismissals and Bankruptcy Sales, Victoria R. Giorgio

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ERISA Withdrawal Liability Claims Unlikely to Receive Administrative Expense Priority Status in a Chapter 11 Reorganization, Bridget Golden

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Enforceability of Third-Party Releases in Foreign Proceedings Under Chapter 15, Anastasia Greer

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Servicer's Duty to Respond Upon Receipt of Borrower's Notice of Error Concerning its Management of a Loan, Ilayna Guevrekian

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A Debtor's Eligibility for Relief Under Subchapter V of Chapter 11, Nicholas Hasbún

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Analysis of Courts' Discretion to Enforce Arbitration of Core Claims, Sarah L. Hautzinger

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The Approval of Retirement Contributions in Chapter 13 Payment Plans, Jennifer Hepner

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Ownership Status of Inherited Retirement Accounts in Bankruptcy, Aron Kaplan

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Assessing the Two Tests Courts Use to Determine Dischargeability of Student Loan Debt, Sean B. King

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A Foreign Debtor who Lacks Permanent Residence in the U.S. may Qualify for Florida’s Homestead Exemption, Jenna Kirkland

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Private Student Loans may be Dischargeable in Bankruptcy Without Meeting the Undue Hardship Requirement and if not, there are two Ways to Prove Undue Hardship, Kimberly Lee

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The Split in the Application of Section 109(a) Requirements to Chapter 15 Cases, Kate Long

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Age as a Factor in Determining Discharge of a Debtor’s Student Loan Debt, Julia Merani

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Granting Derivative Standing to a Creditors’ Committee, Jordan Milite

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True Sales or Secured Transactions? The Contract is Not Dispositive, Daniel Mosayov

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FDCPA Claims: Are Intangible Injuries “Concrete” Injuries?, Kimberly Moyal

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Availability of Setoff to Foreign Debtors and Representatives in U.S. Courts, Joseph Muschitiello

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Quitclaim Deeds, Divorce Decrees: Homestead Exemptions for Transferred Marital Property Across “Tenancy by the Entirety” and “Community Property” Jurisdictions, Elijah Newcomb

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The Ability to Set and Enforce Bar Dates and Determine Untimely Administrative Expense Claims in a Chapter 11 Case, Kayla Nieves

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Are Nonconsensual Third-Party Releases Acceptable in United States Courts, Megan O’Connor

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Constitutionality of Non-Uniform Quarterly Fees, Michael Francis Pecorella

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The Prospect of a Debtor’s Future Employment is a Factor Courts Consider When Discharging Student Loan Debt, Joe Pizzingrillo

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The Features and Limitations of Asbestos Settlement Trusts: A Primer, Michael Quintman

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Subsequent Transferee’s Good Faith for Value Defense: The Second and Ninth Circuit’s Perspective, Alexa Schimp

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A Non-Party’s Ability to Assert a Cure Claim Under 365(b)(1)(A) in New York, Brendan Shaw

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Equitable Subordination of a Claim Depends on Insider Status, Conduct of the Claimant, and if There was Harm, Nicholas Smargiassi

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When a Critical Vendor may be Insulated from Preference Liability, Michael A. Solimani

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The Role a Debtor’s Age Plays When Determining Whether to Discharge Student Loan Debt, Joseph Wales

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Circumstances Under Which a Court Will Dismiss a Chapter 11 Filing Made in Bad Faith, Nicholas Wogan

Submissions from 2021

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Two Approaches for Evaluating a Debtor’s “Additional Circumstance” Under the Brunner Test to Qualify for a Hardship Discharge of Student Loan Debt, Julie Aberasturi

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The Differing Standards to Obtain a Student Loan Debt Discharge, Nicholas Bonelli

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The Debtor’s Absolute Right to Dismiss a Chapter 13 Case, Jared Brady

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Enforcing Make Whole Premiums in Bankruptcy, Brian P. Campbell Jr.

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Unqualified Student Loans are Likely Dischargeable in Bankruptcy, Cristian Catanese

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Bankruptcy Debtors are Ineligible for PPP Loans, Laura Chambers

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Standing to Challenge Bankruptcy Court’s Approval of Retiree Benefits Settlement, Inkook Choi

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Bankruptcy Courts are Divided on Reducing a Debtor’s Obligation to Pay Rent When Government Regulations Restrict a Debtor’s Ability to Generate Income, Brittany M. Clark

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Impact of Covid-19 on Debtor’s Obligations to Comply with Duties to Pay Rent, Joseph DiOrio