How Allen v. Cooper Breaks Important New (if Dubious) Ground on Stare Decisis

VIKRAM DAVID AMAR

Illinois Law dean and professor Vikram David Amar comments on language in a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, Allen v. Cooperdiscussing constitutional stare decisis in the context of state sovereign immunity. Amar points out some of the problems with the Court’s jurisprudence on state sovereign immunity and Congress’s Section 5 power, and he questions the Allen majority’s embrace of a “special justification” requirement for constitutional stare decisis.

Read More

Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway Co. v. Keach

Court: US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit

Docket: 19-1894

Opinion Date: April 9, 2020

Judge: Selya

Areas of Law: Bankruptcy, Commercial Law, Securities Law

In this case, a byproduct of litigation stemming from the derailment of a Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway, Ltd. (MMA) freight train carrying crude oil in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, the First Circuit affirmed the district court's entry of judgment in favor of Robert Keath, the estate representative of MMA, and against creditor Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway Company, holding that, giving due deference to the fact-finder's resolution of the burden of proof, the judgment must be affirmed. One month after the derailment, MMA filed a voluntary petition for protection under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. Wheeling instituted an adversary proceeding in the bankruptcy court against MMA and the estate representative, seeking a declaratory judgment regarding the existence and priority of its security interest in certain property of the MMA estate. The case involved intricate questions concerning secured transactions, carriage of goods, and corporate reorganization. After a settlement, the bankruptcy court ruled in favor of the estate representative. The First Circuit affirmed, holding (1) ultimately, this case turned on principals relating to the allocation of the burden of proof and the deference due to the finder of fact; and (2) giving due deference to the fact-finder's resolution of the burden of proof issue, the district court's judgment must be affirmed.

Snyder v. Dykes

Court: US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit

Docket: 18-3557

Opinion Date: April 3, 2020

Judge: James B. Loken

Areas of Law: Bankruptcy

After debtors filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code, the United States Trustee objected to the discharge in bankruptcy. The Bankruptcy Appellate Panel (BAP) affirmed the bankruptcy court's denial of discharge. The Eighth Circuit affirmed and agreed with the BAP that the bankruptcy court did not err in denying debtors a discharge in bankruptcy under 11 U.S.C. 727(a)(3) based on its findings that debtors unjustifiably failed to keep adequate records of financially significant watch and jewelry transactions. In a consumer bankruptcy, the debtor has a greater duty to keep records of a sudden and large dissipation of assets. In this case, debtors' return of twenty-seven valuable watches and the Kwait bridal collection ring to a judgment creditor was such a sudden and large dissipation of assets.

Thakkar v. Bay Point Capital Partners, LP

Court: US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

Docket: 18-12536

Opinion Date: April 8, 2020

Judge: Charles R. Wilson

Areas of Law: Bankruptcy, Civil Procedure

Plaintiff filed suit against Bay Point in state court and added DCT as a plaintiff in an amended complaint, alleging that Bay Point's foreclosure of two properties caused him to lose the collateral's value exceeding the debt balance, and to suffer mental anguish. After Bay Point removed to bankruptcy court, the district court affirmed the bankruptcy court's order in favor of Bay Point. Plaintiff and DCT appealed, but then the district court granted DCT's motion to dismiss. The Eleventh Circuit held that plaintiff lacked Article III standing, because he failed to allege a particularized, actual injury. Furthermore, plaintiff was not a person aggrieved. Therefore, plaintiff may not appeal the district court's decision affirming the bankruptcy court's order.