| Adversary Proceedings |
| Under Bankruptcy Rules, an adversary proceeding may be filed in a debtor's bankruptcy action for certain specific reasons. Creditors may initiate adversary proceedings to determine the validity or priority of a lien, to determine the validity of a debt, to obtain an injunction, or to subordinate a claim of another creditor.More... |
| Bankruptcy Discharge |
| Bankruptcy is a process created by federal law that provides relief for debtors, who can either eliminate their debts or repay their debts. Chapter 7 "liquidation" is the process by which debtors wipe out or "discharge" many of their debts. More... |
| Unsecured Claims |
| Unsecured debt may be generally described as a debt where credit was granted based solely upon the promise or ability of the debtor to pay. Claims that are not secured by any collateral or subject to setoff are generally unsecured claims. For purposes of bankruptcy, unsecured claims are classified and paid based on a priority list described in the Bankruptcy Code. Each class must be paid in full before the next lower class is paid anything.More... |
| Discharge of Indebtedness |
| Discharge of indebtedness is the process by which a Chapter 7 debtor eliminates a debt during bankruptcy proceedings. A creditor or lender cannot collect a debt that has been discharged. More... |
| Alimony and Support Claims |
| Filing for bankruptcy does not suspend or stop the obligation to pay child support or alimony. Whether an obligation imposed by a divorce decree is dischargeable depends on whether it is characterized as support or as a property settlement. In many instances, obligations for property settlement can be discharged in bankruptcy, while obligations for child support and alimony cannot be discharged in bankruptcy. Bankruptcy law, not state law, determines whether an obligation is a support obligation or a property settlement obligation.More... |