Law v. Siegel

Docket No.	Op. Below	Argument	Opinion	Vote	Author	Term
12-5196	9th Cir.	Jan 13, 2014	Mar 4, 2014	9-0	Scalia	OT 2013

Holding: The bankruptcy court exceeded its authority when it ordered that a debtor"s exempt assets be used to pay administrative expenses incurred as a result of the debtor"s misconduct.

Judgment: Reversed and remanded, 9-0, in an opinion by Justice Scalia on March 4, 2014.

SCOTUSblog Coverage

Opinion analysis: Justices stick with Bankruptcy Code text, rejecting Ninth Circuits creative punishment of lying bankrupt (Ronald Mann, March 4, 2014)
Argument recap: Justices find little sympathy for lying bankrupt (Ronald Mann, January 15, 2014)
Argument preview: Justices assess penalties for lying bankrupt (Ronald Mann, January 10, 2014)
Solicitor General files invitation briefs for June 13 Conference (Amy Howe, May 24, 2013)

Date	Proceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
07/05/2012	Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due August 13, 2012)
08/23/2012	DISTRIBUTED for Conference of September 24, 2012.
09/17/2012	Response Requested . (Due October 17, 2012)
10/17/2012	Response to petition from respondent Alfred H. Siegel, Chapter 7 Trustee filed.
10/30/2012	DISTRIBUTED for Conference of November 20, 2012.
11/26/2012	DISTRIBUTED for Conference of November 30, 2012.
11/29/2012	Reply of petitioner Stephen Law filed. (Distributed)
12/03/2012	The Solicitor General is invited to file a brief in this case expressing the views of the United States.
05/14/2013	Brief amicus curiae of United States filed.
05/28/2013	Supplemental brief of petitioner Stephen Law filed.
05/29/2013	DISTRIBUTED for Conference of June 13, 2013.
06/17/2013	Motion to proceed in forma pauperis and petition for a writ of certiorari GRANTED.
07/03/2013	The time to file the joint appendix and petitioner's brief on the merits is extended to and including August 27, 2013.
07/03/2013	The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including October 22, 2013.
08/27/2013	Joint appendix filed (1 volume and supplemental volume.)
08/27/2013	Brief of petitioner Stephen Law filed.
09/03/2013	Brief amici curiae of Bankruptcy Law Scholars filed.
09/03/2013	Brief amicus curiae of G. Eric Brunstad, Jr. filed.
09/03/2013	Brief amicus curiae of National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys filed.
10/22/2013	Brief of respondent Alfred H. Siegel, Chapter 7 Trustee filed.
10/29/2013	Motion of the Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument filed.
10/29/2013	Brief amicus curiae of United States filed.
10/29/2013	Brief amicus curiae of National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees filed.
10/29/2013	Brief amicus curiae of National Association of Chapter Thirteen Trustees filed.
11/04/2013	SET FOR ARGUMENT ON Monday, January 13, 2014.
11/05/2013	CIRCULATED
11/18/2013	Motion of the Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument GRANTED.
11/21/2013	Reply of petitioner Stephen Law filed. (Distributed)
11/25/2013	Record received from U.S. Bankruptcy Appellate Panel of the Ninth Circuit. (1Box)
01/13/2014	Argued. For petitioner: Matthew S. Hellman, Washington, D. C. For respondent: Neal Katyal, Washington, D. C.; and Sarah E. Harrington, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. (for United States, as amicus curiae.)
03/04/2014	Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED. Scalia, J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court.
04/07/2014	JUDGMENT ISSUED.
04/08/2014	Record from U.S. Bankruptcy Appellate Panel 9th Circuit, has been returned.

Issue: Whether the Ninth Circuit erred in allowing the bankruptcy trustee to surcharge the debtor”s constitutionally protected homestead property.