Sierra Madre Bankruptcy Attorney

TITLE 11 - BANKRUPTCY
CHAPTER 7 - LIQUIDATION
    SUBCHAPTER II - COLLECTION, LIQUIDATION, AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE
                     ESTATE                    

-HEAD-
    Sec. 722. Redemption

-STATUTE-
      An individual debtor may, whether or not the debtor has waived
    the right to redeem under this section, redeem tangible personal
    property intended primarily for personal, family, or household use,
    from a lien securing a dischargeable consumer debt, if such
    property is exempted under section 522 of this title or has been
    abandoned under section 554 of this title, by paying the holder of
    such lien the amount of the allowed secured claim of such holder
    that is secured by such lien in full at the time of redemption.

-SOURCE-
    (Pub. L. 95-598, Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2606; Pub. L. 109-8, title
    III, Sec. 304(2), Apr. 20, 2005, 119 Stat. 79.)


                       HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES                   

                          LEGISLATIVE STATEMENTS                      
      Section 722 of the House amendment adopts the position taken in
    H.R. 8200 as passed by the House and rejects the alternative
    contained in section 722 of the Senate amendment.

                         SENATE REPORT NO. 95-989                     
      This section is new and is broader than rights of redemption
    under the Uniform Commercial Code. It authorizes an individual
    debtor to redeem tangible personal property intended primarily for
    personal, family, or household use, from a lien securing a
    nonpurchase money dischargeable consumer debt. It applies only if
    the debtor's interest in the property is exempt or has been
    abandoned.
      This right to redeem is a very substantial change from current
    law. To prevent abuses such as may occur when the debtor
    deliberately allows the property to depreciate in value, the debtor
    will be required to pay the fair market value of the goods or the
    amount of the claim if the claim is less. The right is personal to
    the debtor and not assignable.

                          HOUSE REPORT NO. 95-595                      
      This section is new and is broader than rights of redemption
    under the Uniform Commercial Code. It authorizes an individual
    debtor to redeem tangible personal property intended primarily for
    personal, family, or household use, from a lien securing a
    dischargeable consumer debt. It applies only if the debtor's
    interest in the property is exempt or has been abandoned.
      The right to redeem extends to the whole of the property, not
    just the debtor's exempt interest in it. Thus, for example, if a
    debtor owned a $2,000 car, subject to a $1,200 lien, the debtor
    could exempt his $800 interest in the car. The debtor is permitted
    a $1,500 exemption in a car, proposed 11 U.S.C. 522(d)(2). This
    section permits him to pay the holder of the lien $1,200 and redeem
    the entire car, not just the remaining $700 of his exemption. The
    redemption is accomplished by paying the holder of the lien the
    amount of the allowed claim secured by the lien. The provision
    amounts to a right of first refusal for the debtor in consumer
    goods that might otherwise be repossessed. The right of redemption
    under this section is not waivable.

                                AMENDMENTS                            
      2005 - Pub. L. 109-8 inserted "in full at the time of redemption"
    before period at end.

                     EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2005 AMENDMENT                 
      Amendment by Pub. L. 109-8 effective 180 days after Apr. 20,
    2005, and not applicable with respect to cases commenced under this
    title before such effective date, except as otherwise provided, see
    section 1501 of Pub. L. 109-8, set out as a note under section 101
    of this title.

-End-