Burton R. Lifland

How Judge Lifland rules, drawn from 19 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

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

Court
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York
Position
bankruptcy
Status
Deceased
Served
1980–2014
Commissioned
1980-03
Education
Syracuse University, B.A. (1951); Fordham University School of Law, J.D. (1954)
Signed orders read
19

How Judge Lifland decides

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

What persuades

Federal-state comity favored remand where New York had a strong interest in resolving unsettled commercial law.

“New York has a strong interest in developing unsettled Article 9 law in accordance with its policy considerations.”

Procedural preferences

A dismissal with prejudice ended the underlying suit and required an independent jurisdictional basis for later settlement enforcement.

“when a suit is dismissed with prejudice, it is gone, and the district court cannot adjudicate disputes arising out of the settlement that led to the dismissal merely by stating that it is retaining jurisdiction”

Cautions

The court enjoined foreign litigation that attempted to displace issues already before the SIPA court.

“The Cayman Action is a clear attack on this Court’s exclusive jurisdiction and a blatant attempt to hijack the key issues to another court for determination.”

Signed rulings

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

In re Ritchie Risk-Linked Strategies Trading (Ireland), Ltd.
· 2012-05-22
Motion to enforce sale order (U.S. Bank National Association) Granted

“For the reasons set forth above, the Motion is GRANTED.”

AEG Liquidation Trust ex rel. American Equities Group, Inc. v. Toobro N.Y. LLC (In re American Equities Group, Inc.)
· 2011-11-29
Motion to remand adversary proceeding (AEG Liquidation Trust) Granted

“MEMORANDUM DECISION AND ORDER REMANDING ADVERSARY PROCEEDING TO STATE COURT”

Picard v. Cohmad Securities Corp. (In re Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC)
· 2011-02-03
Motion to enforce settlement order and enjoin third party actions (Robert M. Jaffe) Denied

“The Motion is accordingly DENIED.”

In re Daewoo Logistics Corp.
· 2011-10-05
Request to release security (Daewoo Logistics Corporation) Denied

“Daewoo’s motion for an order declaring that Coastal must release the $225,000, holding Coastal in contempt of the Recognition Order, and sanctioning Coastal is DENIED.”

Request for contempt (Daewoo Logistics Corporation) Denied
Request for sanctions (Daewoo Logistics Corporation) Denied
In re Blockbuster Inc.
· 2011-01-20
Motion to allow class proof of claim and certify classes (Proposed class representatives) Denied

“the Motion is hereby DENIED.”

In re Johns-Manville Corp.
· 2010-12-16
Motion to compel payment of settlement proceeds (Hawaii and Statutory Direct Action Settlement Counsel) Granted

“the Motions are hereby GRANTED in their entirety.”

Motion to compel payment of settlement proceeds (Common Law Settlement Counsel) Granted
In re HBLS, L.P.
· 2012-04-17
Motion to reopen chapter 11 case (Dion Friedland) Denied

“In light of the above, the Motion is hereby DENIED.”

In re Fairfield Sentry Ltd.
· 2011-05-23
Motion for section 108 relief (Foreign representatives) Granted

“Accordingly, the Motion is hereby GRANTED.”

Securities Investor Protection Corp. v. Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC (In re Madoff)
· 2011-02-09
Motion to enforce automatic stay (Irving H. Picard) Granted

“MEMORANDUM DECISION GRANTING TRUSTEE’S MOTION FOR ENFORCEMENT OF THE AUTOMATIC STAY AND FOR A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION”

Preliminary injunction (Irving H. Picard) Granted
Securities Investor Protection Corp. v. Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities, LLC
· 2011-10-12
Motion for injunction against foreign action (Irving H. Picard) Granted

“the Trustee’s Motion is hereby GRANTED.”

In re Fairfield Sentry Ltd.
· 2010-07-22
Chapter 15 petition for recognition (Fairfield Sentry Limited foreign representatives) Granted

“the Sentry BVI Liquidation Proceeding is a foreign main proceeding as defined in section 1517(b)(1) of the Code”

Chapter 15 petition for recognition (Fairfield Sigma Limited foreign representatives) Granted

“the Sigma and Lambda BVI Liquidation Proceedings are recognized as foreign main proceedings”

Chapter 15 petition for recognition (Fairfield Lambda Limited foreign representatives) Granted
Request for specific chapter 15 relief (Foreign representatives) Granted in part

“the Petitioners’ request for specific relief under section 1521 of the Code, with the limited exception of the BLMIS Trustee’s pending adversary proceeding against the Debtors, is hereby granted.”

In re Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC
· 2012-04-04
Motion for leave to add spouse defendants to bankruptcy claims (Irving H. Picard) Denied

“the Court denies leave to the Trustee to add the Spouse Defendants with respect to the Bankruptcy Claims”

Motion for leave to add spouse defendants to subsequent transfer claims (Irving H. Picard) Granted

“grants leave to add them in connection with the Subsequent Transfer Claims”

Motion for leave to add common law claims (Irving H. Picard) Granted in part

“to add Stephanie Mack and Deborah Madoff in connection with the Common Law Claims of constructive trust and unjust enrichment.”

A historical record

Judge Lifland 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.