TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART A-- PLAINTIFF ISSUES ...1

I. APPLICATION OF THE TWOMBLY/IQBAL TO PREFERENCE

ACTIONS ...2

A. Rule 12(b)(6) Decisions Pre-Twombly/Iqbal...2

B. Bankruptcy Courts After the Higher Twombly/Iqbal Pleading Standard...3

C. The Use of Omnibus Complaints and Multiple Defendant Cases ...5

D. Pre-Judgment Interest...6

II. GATEKEEPING ISSUES ...7

A. Payments to Priority Tax or Other Priority Creditors. ...7

B. Statutory Liens or Construction Trusts...7

C. Payments for Employee Wages...7

D. Payments for Rent...8

E. Payments on Account of Assumed Contracts...8

F. Payments to Secured Creditors. ...8

G. Judge Jernigan’s List...9

III. ETHICS ...10

A. Sanctions and Ethical Considerations...10

B. Risk/Reward Analysis – Benefit to Unsecureds ...10

PART B-- DEFENDANT STRATEGIES...11

I. COUNTERCLAIMS AND JURY TRIALS AFTER STERN V. MARSHALL ...11

A. When Can Counterclaims be Asserted? ...11

B. Jurisdiction and Jury Trial Rights after Stern v. Marshall...13

II. FEE SHIFTING STRATEGIES ...15

A. Contractual Attorneys Fees under State Law ...16

B. Texas Fee Shifting Statute...16

C. Attorney’s Fees As Administrative Claims...17

D. Offer of Judgment...18

E. Rule 37 Sanctions/Offensive Use of Requests for Admissions ...18

PART C-- STREAMLINED LITIGATION PROCEDURES ...18

I. MODIFIED PRETRIAL PROCEDURES...19II.

MANDATORY MEDIATION PROCEDURES...20

III. MODIFIED TRIAL PROCEDURES ...20

A. Consolidated Insolvency Trial ....20