Raymond T. Lyons

How Judge Lyons rules, drawn from 20 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

Judge Lyons no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.

Court
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey
Position
bankruptcy
Status
Retired 2013
Served
1999–2013
Commissioned
1999-01-01
Education
Lehigh University, B.A. in Mathematics, 1970; Seton Hall University School of Law, J.D., 1973; New York University School of Law, LL.M. in Taxation, 1981
Signed orders read
20

How Judge Lyons decides

Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

What persuades

The plan-confirmation decision treated an attempt to avoid affordable payments on investment property as a failure of good faith.

“Confirmation is denied.”

Procedural preferences

A bad-faith involuntary filing used as leverage in a two-party dispute supported fee shifting and punitive damages, even without proof of compensatory damages.

“Although the alleged debtor presented no evidence of actual damages, the court will award punitive damages.”

Cautions

The lending-disclosure ruling separated unavailable statutory damages from recoverable fees and costs for successfully enforcing rescission.

“Nevertheless, Plaintiffs will be awarded costs and reasonable attorney’s fees for their successful action for rescission.”

Signed rulings

A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.

In re Ruitenberg
· 2012-05-04
Objection to equitable distribution claim (Chapter 7 Trustee) Denied

“The equitable distribution claim is allowed. The Trustee’s objection to the claim is overruled.”

Alparone v. Ocwen Loan Servicing, LLC (In re Alparone)
· 2012-06-04
Claim for truth in lending damages (Plaintiffs) Denied

“Defendant, Ocwen, as an as-signee is not liable for damages for either the disclosure violation or the subsequent failure to perform its statutory duties after receiving the notice of rescission.”

Request for attorneys fees and costs (Plaintiffs) Granted

“Nevertheless, Plaintiffs will be awarded costs and reasonable attorney’s fees for their successful action for rescission.”

In re D'Angelo
· 2009-08-14
Motion to determine police power exception to stay (New Jersey Bureau of Securities) Granted

“The Bureau’s action against the Debtor seeking disgorgement of the benefits from a securities fraud is excepted from the automatic stay by Section 362(b)(4) as an exercise of the state’s police power, even though the Debtor is not accused of violating the securities laws herself.”

In re McGuire
· 2011-04-27
Motion to vacate entry of default (Mark McGuire) Denied

“His motion is denied in the entirety.”

In re Amos
· 2011-06-28
Request for plan confirmation (Debtors) Denied

“Confirmation is denied.”

In re Zais Investment Grade Ltd. VII
· 2011-08-26
Motion to dismiss or abstain from involuntary case (Objecting noteholders) Denied

“the motion to dismiss or abstain is denied.”

Dobin v. Sheehan (In re Eight Bulls, LP)
· 2010-11-18
Motion for summary judgment to avoid property interests (Chapter 7 Trustee) Granted

“Accordingly, summary judgment is appropriate and Trustee Dobin’s motion is granted. The Sheehans’ interests in the 3 lots are avoided under 11 U.S.C. § 544.”

In re Skyworks Ventures, Inc.
· 2010-07-15
Request for attorneys fees and costs after involuntary dismissal (Alleged Debtor) Granted

“reasonable attorney’s fees and costs will be awarded.”

Request for compensatory damages after involuntary dismissal (Alleged Debtor) Denied

“Although the alleged debtor presented no evidence of actual damages, the court will award punitive damages.”

Request for punitive damages after involuntary dismissal (Alleged Debtor) Granted

“the court will award punitive damages.”

Straffi v. Etoll (In re Etoll)
· 2010-03-05
Adversary claim to sell entireties property (Chapter 7 Trustee) Denied

“Judgment will be entered in favor of the Defendant finding no cause of action to permit the Trustee to sell the real property.”

In re Steadman
· 2009-09-03
Petition for chapter 15 relief (Foreign Representative) Denied

“This court finds that a resident alien in the Debtor’s circumstances is among those intended by Congress to be characterized as ‘lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States’ and as such, excluded from the ambit of chapter 15.”

Collier v. Goepp (In re Goepp)
· 2011-08-16
Adversary claim for nondischargeability (David Collier) Granted

“For the foregoing reasons, the loans from Plaintiff to Debtor are non-discharge-able, and judgment shall be entered for Plaintiff.”

In re Boyd
· 2008-12-09
Fee application (U.S. Bank) Granted

“the fee application is granted as submitted.”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

No case-duration or motion-timing estimate is reported because the sampled matters contained no archived docket entries.

A historical record

Judge Lyons no longer hears cases. This profile stays available as a record of how they ruled. If you're preparing for a matter, start from the court's current bench.