11 U.S.C. § 544 — Trustee as lien creditor and as successor to

Page 167 TITLE 11—BANKRUPTCY § 544 came into the possession, custody, or control of such custodian. (c) The court, after notice and a hearing, shall— (1) protect all entities to which a custodian has become obligated with respect to such property or proceeds, product, offspring, rents, or profits of such property; (2) provide for the payment of reasonable compensation for services rendered and costs and expenses incurred by such custodian; and (3) surcharge such custodian, other than an assignee for the benefit of the debtor’s credi- tors that was appointed or took possession more than 120 days before the date of the fil- ing of the petition, for any improper or exces- sive disbursement, other than a disbursement that has been made in accordance with appli- cable law or that has been approved, after no- tice and a hearing, by a court of competent ju- risdiction before the commencement of the case under this title. (d) After notice and hearing, the bankruptcy court— (1) may excuse compliance with subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this section if the interests of creditors and, if the debtor is not insolvent, of equity security holders would be better served by permitting a custodian to continue in pos- session, custody, or control of such property, and (2) shall excuse compliance with subsections (a) and (b)(1) of this section if the custodian is an assignee for the benefit of the debtor’s creditors that was appointed or took posses- sion more than 120 days before the date of the filing of the petition, unless compliance with such subsections is necessary to prevent fraud or injustice. (Pub. L. 95–598, Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2595; Pub. L. 98–353, title III, § 458, July 10, 1984, 98 Stat. 376; Pub. L. 103–394, title V, § 501(d)(17), Oct. 22, 1994, 108 Stat. 4146.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES LEGISLATIVE STATEMENTS Section 543(a) is a modification of similar provisions contained in the House bill and the Senate amendment. The provision clarifies that a custodian may always act as is necessary to preserve property of the debtor. Sec- tion 543(c)(3) excepts from surcharge a custodian that is an assignee for the benefit of creditors, who was ap- pointed or took possession before 120 days before the date of the filing of the petition, whichever is later. The provision also prevents a custodian from being sur- charged in connection with payments made in accord- ance with applicable law. SENATE REPORT NO. 95–989 This section requires a custodian appointed before the bankruptcy case to deliver to the trustee and to ac- count for property that has come into his possession, custody, or control as a custodian. ‘‘Property of the debtor’’ in section (a) includes property that was prop- erty of the debtor at the time the custodian took the property, but the title to which passed to the custo- dian. The section requires the court to protect any ob- ligations incurred by the custodian, provide for the payment of reasonable compensation for services ren- dered and costs and expenses incurred by the custodian, and to surcharge the custodian for any improper or ex- cessive disbursement, unless it has been approved by a court of competent jurisdiction. Subsection (d) rein- forces the general abstention policy in section 305 by permitting the bankruptcy court to authorize the cus- todianship to proceed notwithstanding this section. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1994—Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 103–394 struck out comma after ‘‘section’’. 1984—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 98–353, § 458(a), inserted ‘‘, product, offspring, rents, or profits’’ after ‘‘pro- ceeds’’. Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 98–353, § 458(b)(1), inserted ‘‘held by or’’ after ‘‘debtor’’, and ‘‘, product, offspring, rents, or profits’’ after ‘‘proceeds’’. Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 98–353, § 458(b)(2), inserted ‘‘, product, offspring, rents, or profits’’ after ‘‘pro- ceeds’’. Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 98–353, § 458(c)(1), inserted ‘‘or proceeds, product, offspring, rents, or profits of such property’’ after ‘‘property’’. Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 98–353, § 458(c)(2), inserted ‘‘that has been’’ before ‘‘approved’’. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 98–353, § 458(d), designated exist- ing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2). Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1994 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 103–394 effective Oct. 22, 1994, and not applicable with respect to cases commenced under this title before Oct. 22, 1994, see section 702 of Pub. L. 103–394, set out as a note under section 101 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1984 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 98–353 effective with respect to cases filed 90 days after July 10, 1984, see section 552(a) of Pub. L. 98–353, set out as a note under section 101 of this title. § 544. Trustee as lien creditor and as successor to certain creditors and purchasers (a) The trustee shall have, as of the com- mencement of the case, and without regard to any knowledge of the trustee or of any creditor, the rights and powers of, or may avoid any transfer of property of the debtor or any obliga- tion incurred by the debtor that is voidable by— (1) a creditor that extends credit to the debt- or at the time of the commencement of the case, and that obtains, at such time and with respect to such credit, a judicial lien on all property on which a creditor on a simple con- tract could have obtained such a judicial lien, whether or not such a creditor exists; (2) a creditor that extends credit to the debt- or at the time of the commencement of the case, and obtains, at such time and with re- spect to such credit, an execution against the debtor that is returned unsatisfied at such time, whether or not such a creditor exists; or (3) a bona fide purchaser of real property, other than fixtures, from the debtor, against whom applicable law permits such transfer to be perfected, that obtains the status of a bona fide purchaser and has perfected such transfer at the time of the commencement of the case, whether or not such a purchaser exists. (b)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the trustee may avoid any transfer of an interest of the debtor in property or any obligation in- curred by the debtor that is voidable under ap- Page 168 TITLE 11—BANKRUPTCY § 545 plicable law by a creditor holding an unsecured claim that is allowable under section 502 of this title or that is not allowable only under section 502(e) of this title. (2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to a transfer of a charitable contribution (as that term is de- fined in section 548(d)(3)) that is not covered under section 548(a)(1)(B), by reason of section 548(a)(2). Any claim by any person to recover a transferred contribution described in the pre- ceding sentence under Federal or State law in a Federal or State court shall be preempted by the commencement of the case. (Pub. L. 95–598, Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2596; Pub. L. 98–353, title III, § 459, July 10, 1984, 98 Stat. 377; Pub. L. 105–183, § 3(b), June 19, 1998, 112 Stat. 518.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES LEGISLATIVE STATEMENTS Section 544(a)(3) modifies similar provisions con- tained in the House bill and Senate amendment so as not to require a creditor to perform the impossible in order to perfect his interest. Both the lien creditor test in section 544(a)(1), and the bona fide purchaser test in section 544(a)(3) should not require a transferee to per- fect a transfer against an entity with respect to which applicable law does not permit perfection. The avoiding powers under section 544(a)(1), (2), and (3) are new. In particular, section 544(a)(1) overrules Pacific Finance Corp. v. Edwards, 309 F.2d 224 (9th Cir. 1962), and In re Federals, Inc., 553 F.2d 509 (6th Cir. 1977), insofar as those cases held that the trustee did not have the sta- tus of a creditor who extended credit immediately prior to the commencement of the case. The House amendment deletes section 544(c) of the House bill. SENATE REPORT NO. 95–989 Subsection (a) is the ‘‘strong arm clause’’ of current law, now found in Bankruptcy Act § 70c [section 110(c) of former title 11]. It gives the trustee the rights of a creditor on a simple contract with a judicial lien on the property of the debtor as of the date of the petition; of a creditor with a writ of execution against the property of the debtor unsatisfied as of the date of the petition; and a bona fide purchaser of the real property of the debtor as of the date of the petition. ‘‘Simple contract’’ as used here is derived from Bankruptcy Act § 60a(4) [section 96(a)(4) of former title 11]. The third status, that of a bona fide purchaser of real property, is new. Subsection (b) is derived from current section 70e [section 110(e) of former title 11]. It gives the trustee the rights of actual unsecured creditors under applica- ble law to void transfers. It follows Moore v. Bay, 284 U.S. 4 (1931), and overrules those cases that hold sec- tion 70e gives the trustee the rights of secured credi- tors. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1998—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105–183 designated existing provisions as par. (1), substituted ‘‘Except as provided in paragraph (2), the trustee’’ for ‘‘The trustee’’, and added par. (2). 1984—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 98–353, § 459(1), inserted ‘‘such’’ after ‘‘obtained’’. Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 98–353, § 459(2), substituted ‘‘; or’’ for ‘‘; and’’. Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 98–353, § 459(3), inserted ‘‘, other than fixtures,’’ after ‘‘property’’, and ‘‘and has per- fected such transfer’’ after ‘‘purchaser’’ the second place it appeared. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1998 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 105–183, § 5, June 19, 1998, 112 Stat. 518, pro- vided that: ‘‘This Act [amending this section and sec- tions 546, 548, 707, and 1325 of this title and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and sec- tion 101 of this title] and the amendments made by this Act shall apply to any case brought under an applicable provision of title 11, United States Code, that is pend- ing or commenced on or after the date of enactment of this Act [June 19, 1998].’’ EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1984 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 98–353 effective with respect to cases filed 90 days after July 10, 1984, see section 552(a) of Pub. L. 98–353, set out as a note under section 101 of this title. CONSTRUCTION OF 1998 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 105–183, § 6, June 19, 1998, 112 Stat. 519, pro- vided that: ‘‘Nothing in the amendments made by this Act [amending this section and sections 546, 548, 707, and 1325 of this title] is intended to limit the applica- bility of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 2002bb [2000bb] et seq.).’’ § 545. Statutory liens The trustee may avoid the fixing of a statu- tory lien on property of the debtor to the extent that such lien— (1) first becomes effective against the debt- or— (A) when a case under this title concerning the debtor is commenced; (B) when an insolvency proceeding other than under this title concerning the debtor is commenced; (C) when a custodian is appointed or au- thorized to take or takes possession; (D) when the debtor becomes insolvent; (E) when the debtor’s financial condition fails to meet a specified standard; or (F) at the time of an execution against property of the debtor levied at the instance of an entity other than the holder of such statutory lien; (2) is not perfected or enforceable at the time of the commencement of the case against a bona fide purchaser that purchases such property at the time of the commencement of the case, whether or not such a purchaser ex- ists, except in any case in which a purchaser is a purchaser described in section 6323 of the In- ternal Revenue Code of 1986, or in any other similar provision of State or local law; (3) is for rent; or (4) is a lien of distress for rent. (Pub. L. 95–598, Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2597; Pub. L. 98–353, title III, § 460, July 10, 1984, 98 Stat. 377; Pub. L. 109–8, title VII, § 711, Apr. 20, 2005, 119 Stat. 127.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES LEGISLATIVE STATEMENTS Section 545 of the House amendment modifies similar provisions contained in the House bill and Senate amendment to make clear that a statutory lien may be avoided under section 545 only to the extent the lien violates the perfection standards of section 545. Thus a Federal tax lien is invalid under section 545(2) with re- spect to property specified in sections 6323(b) and (c) of