Will a Pending Lawsuit Go Away If I File for Bankruptcy?
Many people apply for bankruptcy after receiving legal notice of a lawsuit, and for good cause. A bankruptcy will effectively halt numerous legal actions. However, filing for bankruptcy won’t stop all of the actions you might encounter.
You should move swiftly if you are facing eviction. Start by reading more on bankruptcy’s automatic stay and evictions.
How Can Bankruptcy Prevent a Civil Case?
An order known as the automatic stay prohibits creditors from continuing any collection activity after a “debtor,” or the individual owing money, files a bankruptcy case. This prohibition extends to attempts to obtain a monetary judgment in a civil litigation.
The stay prevents creditors from receiving a disproportionate amount of the debtor’s available funds. The court has time to organize the available assets and fairly distribute them among all creditors by stopping the collection process.
Which Claims Are Not Stopped by Bankruptcy Filing?
People cannot completely dodge legal action by declaring bankruptcy. The following issues will persist even if a bankruptcy case is filed:
Felony cases, divorce and dissolution proceedings, child custody and support disputes, and the majority of evictions following a state court’s possession order (see below for an exception).
Most other lawsuits will be halted by the automatic stay.
Which Civil Lawsuits Will Bankruptcy Prevent?
Your debts and assets are impacted by bankruptcy. Therefore, any matter in which it is claimed that you owe money due to either your failure to make a payment on a debt or the injury you caused to someone else, the bankruptcy court will have jurisdiction over (the power to determine).
Several instances include the following:
a credit card balance, money sought for a contract breach, a financial disagreement between business partners, compensation for a negligence-related (accidental) personal injury case, like a car accident, a home foreclosure, the collection of a deficiency balance (the amount still owing after a property auction), or an eviction, if the state court has not yet issued the order for possession (see below for an explanation of the unique rules that govern eviction)
In nearly every one of these circumstances, the bankruptcy “discharge” decision that discharges qualified debt also discharges the underlying obligation, ending the legal dispute. Although not always. The creditor may occasionally pursue an action with the court’s approval.
Obtaining Approval to Continue the Lawsuit
In any case, the creditor has the right to request that the bankruptcy judge lift the automatic stay so that the state lawsuit can go forward. Such motions are frequently granted by bankruptcy courts in the following circumstances:
the lawsuit will decide a matter that must be resolved in the bankruptcy case (for example, it would be necessary to resolve an allegation of fraud to determine whether a debt will be wiped out, or “discharged,” in the bankruptcy), and it will be expensive to ask the court to make a decision. the outcome won’t affect the bankruptcy case, and the creditor faces financial harm (for example, a home lender stands to lose more money the longer it must wait to foreclose on a home that
In some circumstances, the party who filed the lawsuit may be entitled to continue it, but they must first obtain the court’s approval. An example would be a government agency pursuing an enforcement action, such as the cleanup of a toxic site, delaying the case and, out of an abundance of caution, filing an application to lift the automatic stay before proceeding with the prosecution.
After losing a lawsuit, declaring bankruptcy
It is always preferable to file for bankruptcy prior to the conclusion of the lawsuit. For instance, you might desire to do it for the reasons listed below:
to avoid the creditor placing a judgment lien on your property or obtaining a fraud judgment against you, which would make it extremely difficult to discharge the debt in a bankruptcy proceeding.
However, you are still permitted to file for bankruptcy even if you lose the lawsuit. Most attempts by creditors to recover money judgements will be halted by the automatic stay. This is accurate even if your wages or bank account are being garnished.
Additionally, filing for bankruptcy will momentarily halt a creditor’s attempt to liquidate your belongings in order to pay off a debt. To stop the judgment lien from being collected after the bankruptcy case, you must address it in bankruptcy.
Additionally, declaring bankruptcy will prevent the government from trying to suspend your occupational or driver’s license as a result of unpaid fines or traffic tickets. See Lawsuits You Can’t Stop By Filing for Bankruptcy for more information.
When Can an Eviction Be Stopped by Bankruptcy?
Landlords typically find it simple to move forward with eviction once a tenant filed for bankruptcy. However, landlords must still follow by laws that protect the rights of tenants.
If you’re in this scenario as a landlord or tenant, it’s essential to speak with an experienced attorney because the windows for action are limited and the regulations are difficult to apply.
Before the eviction court renders a judgment of removal
The automatic stay kicks in to stop the eviction if you file for bankruptcy before the eviction court rules in the landlord’s favor by issuing an order for possession or eviction judgment. However, if you have bankruptcy cases outstanding in the previous year, you might need to ask the court to impose the automatic stay.
If you are accused of threatening the property or using illicit narcotics, however, the automatic stay will expire quickly. In that situation, the landlord may proceed with the eviction by submitting a certification to the court. You can contest the certification, but you’ll need to appear in court and persuade the bankruptcy judge that the landlord is mistaken in order to do so.
After the eviction court renders a judgment of eviction
If the landlord has already received a possession order or eviction judgment from the state court, declaring bankruptcy won’t prevent an eviction. Nevertheless, after the eviction court issues the order for possession, several states permit you to make up lost rent or “reinstate” it.
But you need to move rapidly. The rent that is due in 30 days must be deposited with the bankruptcy court. You’ll have 30 days to prove to the landlord that you paid the overdue rent. Learn more about bankruptcy-related evictions and how the automatic stay might facilitate or complicate them.