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Bankruptcy Basics - Chapter 9
Bankruptcy Basics
Bankruptcy Judges Division
Administrative Office of the United States Courts
APRIL 2006
Revised Third Edition
For cases filed on or after October 17, 2005

Contents

Introduction

The Discharge in Bankruptcy

Chapter 7. Liquidation Under the Bankruptcy Code

Chapter 13. Individual Debt Adjustment

Chapter 11. Reorganization Under the Bankruptcy Code

Chapter 12. Family Farmer Bankruptcy

Chapter 9. Municipality Bankruptcy

Purpose of Municipality Bankruptcy

Eligibility

Commencement of the Case

Assignment of Case to a Bankruptcy Judge

Notice of Case/Objections/Order for Relief

Automatic Stay

Proofs of Claim

Court's Limited Power

Role of the U.S. Trustee/Bankruptcy Administrator

Role of Creditors

Intervention/Right of Others to be Heard

Powers of the Debtor

Dismissal

Treatment of Bondholders and Other Lenders

Plan for Adjustment of Debts

Confirmation Standards

Discharge

Chapter 15. Ancillary and Other Cross-Border Cases

SCRA. Servicemembers' Civil Relief Act

SIPA. Securities Investor Protection Act

Bankruptcy Terminology


Chapter 9
Municipality Bankruptcy

Eligibility

Only a "municipality" may file for relief under chapter 9. 11 U.S.C. § 109(c). The term "municipality" is defined in the Bankruptcy Code as a "political subdivision or public agency or instrumentality of a State." 11 U.S.C. § 101(40). The definition is broad enough to include cities, counties, townships, school districts, and public improvement districts. It also includes revenue-producing bodies that provide services which are paid for by users rather than by general taxes, such as bridge authorities, highway authorities, and gas authorities.

Section 109(c) of the Bankruptcy Codes sets forth four additional eligibility requirements for chapter 9:

1. the municipality must be specifically authorized to be a debtor by State law or by a governmental officer or organization empowered by State law to authorize the municipality to be a debtor;

2. the municipality must be insolvent, as defined in 11 U.S.C. § 101(32)(C);

3. the municipality must desire to effect a plan to adjust its debts; and

4. the municipality must either:

- obtain the agreement of creditors holding at least a majority in amount of the claims of each class that the debtor intends to impair under a plan in a case under chapter 9;

- negotiate in good faith with creditors and fail to obtain the agreement of creditors holding at least a majority in amount of the claims of each class that the debtor intends to impair under a plan;

- be unable to negotiate with creditors because such negotiation is impracticable; or

- reasonably believe that a creditor may attempt to obtain a preference.