Opinion ID: 853241
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Warsco's Rights and Duties as Bankruptcy Trustee

Text: Under section 704 of the Bankruptcy Code, the trustee is to collect and reduce to money the property of the estate for which such trustee serves, and close such estate as expeditiously as is compatible with the best interests of parties in interest. 11 U.S.C. § 704 (1994). The trustee has an interest in any asset to the extent that the debtor has an interest in it and is required to include the property in the estate. Whether property is an asset of the debtor, and therefore an asset of the bankruptcy estate, is generally a matter of state law. Barnhill v. Johnson, 503 U.S. 393, 398, 112 S.Ct. 1386, 118 L.Ed.2d 39 (1992). Warsco's right to intervene in Hambright's paternity action is controlled by Trial Rule 24(A). It states: (A) Intervention of right. Upon timely motion anyone shall be permitted to intervene in an action: (1) when a statute confers an unconditional right to intervene; or (2) when the applicant claims an interest relating to a property, fund or transaction, which is the subject of the action and he is so situated that the disposition of the action may as a practical matter impair or impede his ability to protect his interest in the property, fund or transaction, unless the applicant's interest is adequately represented by existing parties. [1] Because no statute gives Warsco an unconditional right to intervene, he claims a right to intervene only under Trial Rule 24(A)(2) as the holder of an interest relating to a property ... which is the subject of [this] action. Therefore, Warsco's ability to intervene, like his claim to the arrearages under the Bankruptcy Code, turns on whether Hambright has a property interest in the arrearages.