Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%
Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.
Sympathy for the Debtor? Not When It Comes to Student Loans
Student loans are in the news. Nearly everyone either has, or knows someone with, a student loan obligation, and growing numbers of borrowers are in some form of default or forbearance. Student loan forgiveness has even become an election issue. Discussions of student debt often include the blanket assumption that not even bankruptcy can relieve a borrower of his student loan obligations. While this assumption is incorrect, a debtor must provide compelling evidence that an undue hardship will result if the debtor is required to repay the loan, see, 11 U.S.C. Section 523(a)(8).
The Bankruptcy Code does not define "undue hardship." However, in Brunner v. New York State Higher Education Services, 831 F.2d 395 (2d Cir. 1987), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit adopted a three-prong test for evaluating "undue hardship" claims. According to the Brunner test, in order to justify the discharge of student loan debt, a debtor must prove: an inability to maintain a minimal standard of living; the inability is likely to persist for a significant portion of the loan repayment period; and a good faith effort to repay the loan. The Brunner test has been strictly applied in a majority of circuits and has resulted in an exceptionally demanding standard that, in most circumstances, prevents discharge of a student loan obligation in bankruptcy without the consent of the student loan lender.
In In re Thomas, 931 F.3d 449 (5th Cir. Jul. 30 2019), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit considered whether the Brunner test should be strictly applied to a "sympathetic" debtor seeking a discharge of her student loan obligations. Looking to the language of the statute and citing Congressional intent, the court concluded that it must apply the Brunner test to sympathetic and unsympathetic debtors alike. The court further recognized that any relief from, or change to, the Brunner test must come from Congress and not the courts.
This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only
ENJOY UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE SINGLE SOURCE OF OBJECTIVE LEGAL ANALYSIS, PRACTICAL INSIGHTS, AND NEWS IN ENTERTAINMENT LAW.
- 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
Already a have an account? Sign In Now Log In Now
For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473
Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws
This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.
The Article 8 Opt In
The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.
Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin
With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.
Legal Possession: What Does It Mean?
Possession of real property is a matter of physical fact. Having the right or legal entitlement to possession is not "possession," possession is "the fact of having or holding property in one's power." That power means having physical dominion and control over the property.
The Anti-Assignment Override Provisions
UCC Sections 9406(d) and 9408(a) are one of the most powerful, yet least understood, sections of the Uniform Commercial Code. On their face, they appear to override anti-assignment provisions in agreements that would limit the grant of a security interest. But do these sections really work?