Opinions

 

All court opinions may be accessed at no charge via PACER through the "Written Opinions" link on the Reports page. You must, however, have an account to access the report via CM/ECF or PACER.

 

Access to opinions from 1997 to present, that are PDF searchable, unrestricted & unsealed, are also available through the Government Printing Office using the Advanced Search for Government Publications. There is no login required and publications are available free of charge.


Court Opinions Database

The court's provides free access of some opinions, at the discretion of the judges, for the years 1998 to present. The results shown below are automatically displayed for all years, all judges, and all keywords/topics.

A search may be performed using the Search box above, or filtering by year, judge, and/or keyword/topic. To search for more than one judge and/or keywords/topics simultaneously, hold down the Ctrl key (or Command key) and select each item.

Keywords/Topic Date Title Description Judge
Attorneys Fees     04/05/2012     Leslie A. Fincher     

In Chapter 13, the starting point in determining the reasonableness of an attorney's fees is the lodestar method, i.e. the fee is determined by multiplying the reasonable number of hours expended by the reasonable hourly rate.  2012 WL 1155719 (Bankr.D.N.M. J. Jacobvitz 2012).

Chief Judge Robert H. Jacobvitz
Summary Judgment     03/28/2012     Gonzales v. Saul Ewing, LLP (In re Douglas F. Vaughan)     

Motions for Summary Judgment on ownership of registry funds.  Revised Fed.R.Civ.P. 56.  Expert affidavits.  Must trace funds in constructive trust.  Defenses to preference.   471 B.R. 263

Judge James Starzynski
Dismissal     03/19/2012     Sandoval v. Century Bank (In re Magdaleno M. Sandoval)     

Motion to dismiss granted.  Debtor is bound by same deadlines as is the trustee when recovering preferentially transferred assets.  sections 522(g), (h), (i), section 546(a), section 550.  470 B.R. 195.

Judge James Starzynski
Standing     03/16/2012     Patel et al v. Patel et al     

New Mexico community property law dictates that where only one spouse is named in a document evidencing ownership of community personal property, only that spouse has the power to manage, control, dispose of, or encumber that property. Given this rule, when only spouse is listed on LLC membership documents, the other spouse does not have standing to assert a derivative action on behalf of the LLC.  2012 WL 908439 (Bankr.D.N.M. J. Jacobvitz 2012).

Chief Judge Robert H. Jacobvitz
Dischargeability     03/15/2012     CAGO, Inc. v. Slade     

Even though a settlement agreement may not have been induced by fraud, if it novates a contract predicated on fraud, the settlement amount is itself nondischargeable (and thus the measurement of the nondischargeable debt) under § 523(a)(2)(A). For the Court to find a debt nondischargeable on the basis of a debtor's misrepresentation regarding his financial condition, the misrepresentation must be made in a written document. § 523(a)(2)(B). This opinion also summarily describes when § 523(a)(11) is applicable.  --- B.R. ----, 2012 WL 907225 (Bankr.D.N.M. J. Jacobvitz 2012).

Chief Judge Robert H. Jacobvitz
Exemptions     03/13/2012     Lucio Leide Foah     

The New Mexico state exemption on life insurance policies extends to insured parties who are citizens or residents of the state of New Mexico, and to owners of insurance policies who are citizens or residents thereof.  2012 WL 863833 (Bankr.D.N.M. J. Jacobvitz 2012).

Chief Judge Robert H. Jacobvitz
Dischargeability     03/13/2012     Lyon v. Aguilar (In re Esteban Angel Aguilar and Dena Denise Robinson)     

Reconsideration, grounds for.  Statute of limitations versus statute of repose, differences.  Rule 4007.  523(c).  fraudulent concealment & equitable tolling, fraud upon the court, meaning of "without prejudice".  470 B.R. 606.

Judge James Starzynski
Discharge     03/09/2012     Beverage v. Noriega     

Carelessness and ignorance do not constitute "knowingly fraudulent" behavior for the purposes of denying discharge under 11 U.S.C. § 727(a)(4). Beverage v. Noriega, 2012 WL 827263 (Bankr.D.N.M. J. Jacobvitz 2012).

Chief Judge Robert H. Jacobvitz
Automatic Stay     03/05/2012     In re Andrea R. Jymison     

Debtor may not move to set aside her own discharge to reinstate the automatic stay.  2012 WL 709980.

Judge James Starzynski
Exemptions     02/23/2012     Michael Mark Mulholland and Patricia Mary Mulholland     

A judicial lien is avoided pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 522(f).  2012 WL 601784 (Bankr.D.N.M. J. Jacobvitz 2012).

Chief Judge Robert H. Jacobvitz

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