Opinion ID: 2273833
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Post-BAPCPA, Debt Incurred in Divorce Excepted From Discharge Without Necessity for Adversary Proceeding in Bankruptcy Court.

Text: Following the BAPCPA amendments, [24] 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(5) recognized an exception to discharge for debts for a domestic support obligation without explicitly requiring that such debts be to a spouse, former spouse, or child. [25] On the other hand, 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(15) was amended to add language requiring that other divorce-related debts be to a spouse, former spouse or child of the debtor to be excepted from discharge. [26] 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(15) was also amended to delete the former language that allowed for discharge if the debtor was not reasonably able to pay the debt and the benefits to the debtor outweighed the detriment to the other person(s) affected. Not only was 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(15) amended to require that the debt be to a present or former spouse or a child and to no longer permit discharge upon consideration of the debtor's ability to pay and balancing of the benefits and burdens on both sides, but 11 U.S.C. § 523(c)(1) was also significantly amended. Contrary to the pre-BAPCPA requirement that divorce debts other than those for child support or maintenance would be discharged unless the present or former spouse or child filed a complaint for an exception to discharge under 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(15), the post-BAPCPA version of 11 U.S.C. § 523(c)(1) no longer includes debts under subsection (a)(15) among its list of debts that will be discharged unless the creditor takes action to obtain a determination that the debt is excepted from discharge. [27] So a non-support divorce debt (one that is not for child support or maintenance) to a present or former spouse or a child is excepted from discharge, and there is no requirement that the present or former spouse or child take part in the bankruptcy action for the debt to be excepted from discharge. [28]