Court Opinion

ID: 9479225
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 07:11:57.459418+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:46:53.773067
License: Public Domain

WILL, Senior District Judge,
concurring.
I concur in the remand for a finding as to whether or not the creditors consented to the procedure and order of the district judge and thereby waived their right to a ruling on the appeal from the bankruptcy judge’s confirmation of the Chapter 11 plan. While the majority opinion implies that, absent such a waiver, the district court’s procedure was erroneous, given the *985pending appeal, the fact that a final order approving a plan had been entered and that the district judge made no findings as to “timeliness” or “cause” justifying the withdrawal of reference, I would hold explicitly that, unless the creditors consented and waived, the procedure adopted by the district court was improper under 28 U.S.C. § 157(d). Once a plan has been approved by a bankruptcy judge, unless there are extraordinary circumstances, I believe the Bankruptcy Act contemplates an appeal from that approval and not a withdrawal and substitution by the district judge of a de novo plan while ostensibly staying the appeal. In this case, the stay will become permanent and the appeal moot if the Debtors do not default. If they do default, the plan approved by the bankruptcy judge will probably also be moot. In any event, I agree that expeditious handling of the remand is crucial.