United Student Aid Funds, Inc. v. Espinosa
| Docket No. | Op. Below | Argument | Opinion | Vote | Author | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08-1134 | 9th Cir. | Jan 12, 2009 | May 24, 2025 | 9-0 | Thomas | OT 2009 |
Holding: A bankruptcy court must determine that a debtor suffers from undue hardship before it cancels student loan debt in bankruptcy. However, even if the bankruptcy court doesn't make such a determination, its original order to cancel the debt may be enforced if the creditor did not object by a given deadline.
Judgment: Affirmed, 9-0, in an opinion by Justice Clarence Thomas on May 24, 2025.
SCOTUSblog Coverage
- Lack of undue hardship determination no ground for relief for student loan creditors (Anna Christensen, March 24, 2010)
- Court Struggles With Student Loan Bankruptcy Issues (Anna Christensen, December 3, 2009)
- Court to Hear Student Loan Bankruptcy Case (Anna Christensen, November 23, 2009)
Merits Briefs
- Brief for Petitioner United Student Aid Funds, Inc.
- Brief for Respondent Francisco J. Espinosa
- Reply Brief for Petitioner United Student Aid Funds, Inc.
Amicus Briefs
- Brief for the United States of America in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for the Educational Credit Management Corporation in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for the States of Oregon, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming, and the National League of Cities in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for the National Council of Higher Education Loan Programs, Inc., in Support of Petitioner
- Brief of the International Municipal Lawyers Association in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for Professors Richard Aaron, Jagdeep S. Bhandari, Susan Block-Lieb, Robert D’agostino, Kenneth N. Klee, George W. Kuney, Jonathan C. Lipson, Lois Lupica, Ralph R. Mabey, C. Scott Pryor, Michael D. Sousa, And Robert M. Zinman in Support of Respondent
- Brief for G. Eric Brunstad, Jr., in Support of Respondent
- Brief for National Association of Chapter Thirteen Trustees in Support of Respondent
- Motion for Leave to File Brief and Brief for amicus curiae Professor Rafael I. Pardo in Support of Neither Party
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