Bankruptcy Appeals Panel Affirms Confirmation of Chapter 11 Plan Despite Objection of Largest Unsecured Creditor

July 3, 2024 | Court Rulings, Valuations

Albaad USA, Inc. v. GPMI, Co. (In re GPMI, Co.), Bankr This case involved an appeal by a creditor in a bankruptcy case that objected to the approval  by the Bankruptcy Court of the debtor’s (GPMI) Chapter 11 plan. Finding no error, the  Bankruptcy Appeals Panel (BAP) affirmed. Facts. GPMI had been manufacturing wet wipe  Continue Reading »


U.S. District Court (New York) Rules Interest Rates on Loans Are Not Usurious

June 17, 2024 | Court Rulings, Valuations

Golock Capital, LLC v. VNUE, Inc., 2023 “Golock Capital, LLC (Golock) and DBW Investments, LLC (DBW; together, Plaintiffs)  issued seven loans in the form of convertible promissory notes to VNUE, Inc. (VNUE).  Golock and DBW have sued VNUE for breach of its obligations under the notes.” VNUE  admitted it had not repaid the loans but  Continue Reading »


Nevada Appellate Court Affirms Value of Husband’s Business and His Separate Property Value in the Business

June 5, 2024 | Court Rulings, Valuations

Mamone v. Mamone, 2023 Shane Mamone appealed from a district court order in a  domestic matter. Shane incorporated his own construction company, SCM, in Las Vegas. He put forth significant effort to grow SCM, including making trips to Asia where he was able to obtain project materials at a discount.  Due to his positive relationship  Continue Reading »


Iowa Court of Appeals Affirms Value of Husband’s Business Determined by Wife’s Expert and Includes Total Value as Marital Property

May 22, 2024 | Court Rulings, Valuations

In re Marriage of Marasco, 2023. The property division provisions of their marital dissolution decree of the district court was appealed by the husband and cross-appealed by the wife. The appellate court affirmed the appeal as modified and affirmed the cross-appeal. The district court was correct in not treating any part of the parties’ business  Continue Reading »


Bankruptcy Appellate Panel Denies Employee Members of ESOP Claims Against Debtors

May 8, 2024 | Court Rulings, Valuations

Bennetti v. Oxford Restructuring Advisors LLC 2023 The Bankruptcy Court did not err in disallowing claims against debtors based on rights in an  ESOP. The ESOP, an S corporation, was only obligated to provide ESOP members with the  right to have distributions in cash. The ESOP members did not have a right to any payments   Continue Reading »


Delaware Supreme Court Upholds ‘Entire Fairness’ of a Tesla Acquisition

April 24, 2024 | Court Rulings, Valuations

In re Tesla Motors Stockholder Litig., 2023 This was an appeal of an April 2022 Chancery Court opinion. At issue was the 2016 stock  acquisition of SolarCity Corp. by Tesla Inc. Tesla’s shareholders claimed that Elon Musk  caused Tesla to overpay for SolarCity through his alleged domination and control of the  Tesla board. Their primary  Continue Reading »


Bankruptcy Court Decides on Debtor Qualification as a ‘Small Business’ Under Chapter 11

April 10, 2024 | Court Rulings, Valuations

In re Hillman, 2023 In this bankruptcy, ULM challenged the filing by the debtor, Michelle Corbin Hillman, that  “the Debtor is ineligible to elect to proceed with her case under Subchapter V of Chapter 11  … because she is not a ‘person engaged in commercial or business activities … as of the  date of filing  Continue Reading »


Maryland Court of Appeals Reverses Circuit Court Dismissal of an Oppression Claim — Finds There Could Be Disguised Dividend Issue

March 27, 2024 | Court Rulings, Valuations

Mekhaya v. Eastland Food Corp. The circuit court erred in dismissing the claims of the appellant (Mekhaya) for shareholder  oppression, breach of fiduciary duty, and unjust enrichment against his former employer, Eastland Food Corp., and its board of directors. “Appellant alleged that, as a minority  shareholder in Eastland, he received, before his firing as an  Continue Reading »


Despite Rejection of Franchise Agreements in Bankruptcy, Debtor Remained Obligated Under Franchise Covenants Not to Compete

March 13, 2024 | Court Rulings, Valuations

EllDan Corp. v. Steele (In re EllDan Corp.), 2023 The debtor, EllDan Corp., and Kevin Steele, the plaintiffs, contended that the covenants not  to compete contained in franchise agreements between the debtor and the franchise, Fantastic Sams Franchise Corp., were unenforceable, and, thus, the plaintiffs should be allowed to operate competing hair salons within the  Continue Reading »


Utah Appellate Court Affirms Value of Husband’s Business, Which Excludes Personal Goodwill, But Disallows Reduction for Taxes on Hypothetical Sale

February 28, 2024 | Court Rulings, Valuations

Rothwell v. Rothwell, 2023 The Court of Appeals of Utah considered several issues on the husband’s appeal from the  district court’s ruling concerning the couple’s dissolution of marriage. This digest will cover  the appellate court’s opinion regarding the valuation of the husband’s businesses. Other issues, dealing with support and determination of the wife’s needs and  Continue Reading »