Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

A Spouse's Bankruptcy Trumps Divorce

By Beth Bar
June 28, 2007

An ex-wife who was awarded all of the martial assets in a bitter divorce was nevertheless unable to take possession of those assets because they were part of the ex-husband's bankruptcy estate.

A federal appeals panel so held, reasoning that because the matrimonial judgment was docketed after the filing of the Chapter 7 petition, the marital assets remained part of the bankruptcy estate subject to distribution by the bankruptcy court. Musso v. Ostashko, 05-6395-bk., 468 F.3d 99 (2d Cir. Nov. 6, 2006). Judges Barrington D. Parker, Richard C. Wesley and Peter W. Hall reversed the decision of Eastern District Judge Charles P. Sifton, in which he held that Tanya Ostashko's interest in marital property vested upon the granting of the court's judgment of divorce (Ostashko v. Ostashko, 333 B.R. 625).

This premium content is locked for LJN Newsletters subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later Image

The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.

The DOJ's New Parameters for Evaluating Corporate Compliance Programs Image

The parameters set forth in the DOJ's memorandum have implications not only for the government's evaluation of compliance programs in the context of criminal charging decisions, but also for how defense counsel structure their conference-room advocacy seeking declinations or lesser sanctions in both criminal and civil investigations.

Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements In White Collar Investigations Image

This article discusses the practical and policy reasons for the use of DPAs and NPAs in white-collar criminal investigations, and considers the NDAA's new reporting provision and its relationship with other efforts to enhance transparency in DOJ decision-making.

A Lawyer's System for Active Reading Image

Active reading comprises many daily tasks lawyers engage in, including highlighting, annotating, note taking, comparing and searching texts. It demands more than flipping or turning pages.

Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough Image

There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.