Search means test eligibility, liquidation proceedings, exempt assets, reaffirmation agreements, automatic stay protections, and more — backed by real case law.
Chapter 7 liquidation offers a fresh start by discharging most debts, but eligibility and exemption disputes can determine whether a filer keeps essential property or loses it — Casey searches millions of court decisions to return verified rulings on means testing, exemptions, and discharge.
Chapter 7 liquidation offers a fresh start by discharging most debts, but eligibility and exemption disputes can determine whether a filer keeps essential property or loses it — Casey searches millions of court decisions to return verified rulings on means testing, exemptions, and discharge.
Real Scenarios
1
Means Test Eligibility
The means test determines whether a debtor qualifies for Chapter 7 or must file under Chapter 13 instead. Disputes arise over income calculations, allowable deductions, and special circumstances. Getting the analysis wrong can lead to case dismissal.
Prompt:
“What cases dismissed a Chapter 7 filing for failing the means test?”
Casey returns decisions where courts analyzed income averaging periods, allowable expense deductions, special circumstances arguments, and how judges weighed totality of the debtor's financial situation.
2
Exempt vs. Non-Exempt Assets
Exemption laws vary significantly and determine what property a debtor can keep. Disputes frequently arise over the value of assets, the applicability of specific exemptions, and whether the debtor properly claimed them.
Prompt:
“How do courts decide whether a vehicle exemption applies in Chapter 7?”
Casey surfaces rulings interpreting vehicle exemption limits, methods for determining fair market value, the treatment of equity above the exemption cap, and how courts handled multiple vehicle claims.
3
Reaffirmation Agreements
A debtor can reaffirm a debt to keep secured property like a car or home, but courts must evaluate whether the agreement imposes an undue hardship. Reaffirmation carries real risk — the debtor gives up the right to discharge that debt.
Prompt:
“When do courts reject reaffirmation agreements as an undue hardship?”
Casey retrieves decisions examining income-to-expense ratios, the debtor's ability to make payments, whether legal counsel was involved, and how judges protected debtors from agreements they could not afford.
4
Automatic Stay & Creditor Violations
The automatic stay halts all collection efforts the moment a bankruptcy petition is filed. Creditors who violate the stay face sanctions, but disputes arise over whether specific actions constitute violations and what damages are available.
Prompt:
“What cases awarded damages for creditor violations of the automatic stay?”
Casey returns cases where courts found willful violations, assessed actual damages, emotional distress claims, and punitive sanctions against creditors who continued collection activity after the stay took effect.
5
Discharge & Non-Dischargeable Debts
Not all debts disappear in Chapter 7. Student loans, certain taxes, fraud-based debts, and domestic support obligations typically survive. Creditors must prove non-dischargeability, and the legal standards vary by debt type.
Prompt:
“How have courts applied the undue hardship test for student loan discharge?”
Casey surfaces decisions applying the Brunner test and totality of circumstances approach, showing how courts evaluated inability to maintain a minimal standard of living, persistence of hardship, and good faith repayment efforts.
6
Fraudulent Transfers & Preferences
Trustees can recover assets transferred before filing if the transfers were fraudulent or preferential. Debtors who moved property to family members or paid certain creditors ahead of others face clawback actions that complicate the case.
Prompt:
“What constitutes a fraudulent transfer that a trustee can recover in Chapter 7?”
Casey returns rulings analyzing actual fraud versus constructive fraud, badges of fraud, the lookback period, and how courts determined whether the debtor received reasonably equivalent value for transferred property.
Real Scenarios
The means test determines whether a debtor qualifies for Chapter 7 or must file under Chapter 13 instead. Disputes arise over income calculations, allowable deductions, and special circumstances. Getting the analysis wrong can lead to case dismissal.
Prompt:
“What cases dismissed a Chapter 7 filing for failing the means test?”
Casey returns decisions where courts analyzed income averaging periods, allowable expense deductions, special circumstances arguments, and how judges weighed totality of the debtor's financial situation.
In Canada, the equivalent of Chapter 7 is an assignment in bankruptcy under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act. Most first-time bankrupts receive an automatic discharge after nine months, but the process and its consequences — including the impact on credit — are governed by detailed case law that Casey can help you navigate.
Ask Casey your question and get answers backed by real case law — free for the public, powerful for professionals.