Opinion ID: 3026810
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: standard of review

Text: This Court reviews de novo the bankruptcy court’s legal conclusions, and reviews for clear error its findings of fact. Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8013. Schroeder v. Rouse (In re Redding), 247 B.R. 474, 477 (B.A.P. 8th Cir. 2000); Martin v. Cox (In re Martin), 140 F.3d 806, 807 (8th Cir. 1998); Gourley v. Usery (In re Usery), 123 F.3d 1089, 1093 (8th Cir. 1997). Before determining the merits of an appeal, an appellate court must first determine whether the bankruptcy court had subject matter jurisdiction. See Specialty Mills, Inc. v. Citizens State Bank, 51 F.3d 770, 773 (5th Cir. 1995). A determination of whether the bankruptcy court had jurisdiction to hear a case is a legal question to be reviewed de novo. -3-