Harris v. Viegelahn
Holding: A debtor who converts to Chapter 7 bankruptcy is entitled to return of any postpetition wages not yet distributed by the Chapter 13 trustee.
Judgment: Reversed and remanded, 9-0, in an opinion by Justice Ginsburg on May 18, 2015.
SCOTUSblog Coverage
- Opinion: Tie goes to the debtor in consumer bankruptcy dispute about funds paid to trustee (Ronald Mann, May 18, 2015)
- Argument analysis: Justices frustrated by indeterminacy of Bankruptcy Code (Ronald Mann, April 2, 2015)
- Argument preview: Court to take on undistributed funds and bankruptcy conversion (Ronald Mann, March 30, 2015)
- Court to look again at juvenile life sentences (Lyle Denniston, December 12, 2014)
- Petition of the day (Maureen Johnston, November 20, 2014)
| Date | Proceedings and Orders (key to color coding) |
|---|
| Oct 6 2014 | Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due November 6, 2014) |
| Nov 6 2014 | Brief of respondent Mary K. Viegelahn, Chapter 13 Trustee in opposition filed. |
| Nov 24 2014 | Reply of petitioner Charles E. Harris, III filed. |
| Nov 25 2014 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of December 12, 2014. |
| Dec 12 2014 | Petition GRANTED. |
| Jan 26 2015 | Brief of petitioner Charles E. Harris, III filed. |
| Jan 26 2015 | Joint appendix filed. (Statement of costs filed) |
| Feb 2 2015 | SET FOR ARGUMENT ON Wednesday, April 1, 2015 |
| Feb 2 2015 | Brief amicus curiae of National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys filed. |
| Feb 2 2015 | Brief amicus curiae of G. Eric Brunstad, Jr. filed. |
| Feb 3 2015 | Record requested from U.S.C.A. 5th Circuit. |
| Feb 3 2015 | Record from U.S.C.A. 5th Circuit is electronic and located on PACER. |
| Feb 10 2015 | Record received from U.S.D.C. Western District of Texas. (1 Envelope) |
| Feb 12 2015 | CIRCULATED |
| Feb 25 2015 | Brief of respondent Mary K. Viegelahn, Chapter 13 Trustee filed. (Distributed) |
| Mar 2 2015 | Brief amicus curiae of National Association of Chapter Thirteen Trustees filed. (Distributed) |
| Mar 4 2015 | Brief amici curiae of American Financial Services Association, et al., filed. (Distributed) |
| Mar 20 2015 | Reply of petitioner Charles E. Harris, III filed. (Distributed) |
| Apr 1 2015 | Argued. For petitioner: Matthew M. Madden, Washington, D. C. For respondent: Craig Goldblatt, Washington, D. C. |
| May 18 2015 | Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED Ginsburg, J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court. |
| Jun 19 2015 | JUDGMENT ISSUED. |
| Jul 30 2015 | Record from U.S.D.C. Western Dist. of Texas has been returned. |
