What is the bankruptcy system?
A system that aims to enable the debtor to organize his financial situation and resume his activity, taking into account the rights of creditors and equality between equal rights holders, maximizing the value of assets, regular sale and fair distribution, and confidence in the credit market and financial transactions.
What is the purpose of bankruptcy procedures:
Bankruptcy procedures aim to enable the bankrupt or distressed debtor or one who is expected to suffer from financial turmoil to benefit from the procedures to organize his financial situation to resume his activity and contribute to supporting and developing the economy while taking into account the rights of creditors, and maximizing the value of bankruptcy assets.
The bankruptcy system came with seven procedures as follows:
1. Preventive settlement procedure:
A procedure that aims to facilitate the debtor reaching an agreement with his creditors to settle his debts, in which the debtor retains the management of his activity.
When does the court consider the request to open a preventive settlement procedure? And what does it require?
The court shall set a date to consider the request to open a preventive settlement procedure, provided that the date is within a period not exceeding (forty) days from the date of registration of the request. The court shall decide on any of the following:
A- Opening the procedure.
B- Rejecting the request.
C- Postponing the session.
Who has the right to request the opening of a preventive settlement procedure?
The debtor may submit a request to the court to open a preventive settlement procedure. For more information, please refer to the Bankruptcy Procedures page or the Bankruptcy Law and Implementing Regulations page.
When is the debtor entitled to submit a request to open a preventive settlement procedure?
Without prejudice to the provisions of the relevant regulations, the debtor may submit a request to the court to open a preventive settlement procedure in any of the following cases:
A- If he is likely to suffer from financial disturbances that may cause him to default.
B- If he is in default.
C- If he is bankrupt.
How does the trustee indicate the proposal to conduct a preventive settlement procedure in accordance with Article (32) of the Implementing Regulations?
To meet the requirement of notarization, it is sufficient for the trustee listed in the list of trustees to write on the first page of the proposal that he has fulfilled the information and documents required in Article (16) of the Executive Regulations and to sign it with the date; the trustee may keep a copy of the proposal he signed.
2. Financial restructuring procedure:
A procedure aimed at facilitating the debtor reaching an agreement with his creditors to financially restructure his activity under the supervision of the financial restructuring trustee.
When does the court consider the request to open a financial restructuring procedure? And what does it require?
The court sets a date to consider the request to open a financial restructuring procedure, provided that the date is within a period not exceeding (forty) days from the date of registration of the request. The court shall decide on any of the following:
A- Opening the procedure.
B- Rejecting the request.
C- Postponing the session.
Who has the right to request the opening of a financial restructuring procedure?
The debtor, creditor or competent authority may submit to the court a request to open a financial restructuring procedure. For more information, please refer to the Bankruptcy Procedures page or the Bankruptcy Law and Executive Regulations page.
When is the debtor entitled to submit a request to open a financial restructuring procedure?
Without prejudice to the provisions of the relevant regulations, the debtor may submit to the court a request to open a financial restructuring procedure in any of the following cases:
A- If he is likely to suffer from financial disturbances that may cause him to default.
B- If he is in default.
C- If he is bankrupt.
Does a non-debtor have the right to open a financial restructuring procedure?
Yes, if a non-debtor submits a request to open a financial restructuring procedure, the court must notify the debtor of it within a period not exceeding (five) days from the date of submission.
3. Liquidation procedure:
A procedure aimed at limiting creditors’ claims, selling bankruptcy assets and distributing its proceeds to creditors under the management of the liquidation trustee.
When does the court consider the request to open a liquidation procedure? What does it require?
The court sets a date to consider the request to open the liquidation procedure, provided that the date is within a period not exceeding (forty) days from the date of registration of the request. The court shall decide on any of the following:
A- Opening the procedure.
B- Rejecting the request.
C- Postponing the session.
What is the minimum value of the debt that entitles the creditor to request the opening of any of the liquidation procedures?
The minimum value of the debt that entitles the creditor to request the opening of the liquidation procedure or the liquidation procedure for small debtors is (50,000) fifty thousand Saudi riyals.
Who has the right to request the opening of the liquidation procedure?
Without prejudice to the provisions of the relevant regulations, the debtor, creditor or competent authority may submit to the court a request to open the liquidation procedure for the debtor if the debtor is in default or bankrupt.
4. Administrative liquidation procedure:
A procedure aimed at selling bankruptcy assets that are not expected to yield sufficient proceeds to cover the expenses of the liquidation procedure or the liquidation procedure for small debtors, under the management of the Bankruptcy Committee.
Who undertakes the tasks of managing the administrative liquidation procedure?
The court shall appoint in its ruling to open the administrative liquidation procedure the Bankruptcy Committee to carry out the tasks of managing the procedure.
What is the method of submitting a claim?
The claim is submitted through the claim submission service on the committee’s website or in the announcement of the opening of the administrative liquidation procedure on the announcements page.
What is the period specified by the system for submitting claims?
Within a period not exceeding (sixty) days from the date of the announcement or notification.
What is the period specified by the system for completing the procedure?
Within (twelve) months from the date of opening the procedure. As an exception to this, the Bankruptcy Committee may extend the administrative liquidation procedure for an additional period not exceeding (ninety) days if necessary.
5. Preventive settlement procedure for small debtors:
A procedure that aims to enable the small debtor to reach an agreement with his creditors to settle his debts within a reasonable period through simple procedures at a low cost and high efficiency, while the debtor retains the management of his business.
What is the purpose of the preventive settlement procedure for small debtors?
The preventive settlement procedure for small debtors aims to enable the small debtor to reach an agreement with his creditors to settle his debts within a reasonable period through simple procedures at a low cost and high efficiency, while the debtor retains the management of his activity. For more information, please refer to the Bankruptcy Procedures page or the Bankruptcy Law and Executive Regulations page.
Who has the right to request the opening of the preventive settlement procedure for small debtors?
The small debtor may issue a decision to open the preventive settlement procedure for small debtors according to the form, and the decision shall be effective from the date of its filing in the bankruptcy registry.
Does the small debtor have the right to request the opening of the preventive settlement procedure instead of the preventive settlement procedure for small debtors?
Yes.
6. Financial restructuring procedure for small debtors:
A procedure aimed at facilitating the small debtor’s reaching an agreement with his creditors to financially reorganize his activity within a reasonable period through simple procedures at a low cost and high efficiency, under the supervision of the trustee.
What is the purpose of the financial restructuring procedure for small debtors?
The financial restructuring procedure for small debtors aims to facilitate the small debtor reaching an agreement with his creditors to financially restructure his activity within a reasonable period through simple procedures at a low cost and high efficiency, under the supervision of the trustee. For more information, please see the Bankruptcy Procedures page or the Bankruptcy Law and Executive Regulations page.
Who has the right to request the opening of a financial restructuring procedure for small debtors?
The small debtor or the competent authority may issue a decision to open a financial restructuring procedure for small debtors after agreeing with a trustee listed in the list of bankruptcy trustees, and the decision shall be effective after the judicial deposit.
The creditor may submit to the court a request to open a financial restructuring procedure for small debtors.
Does the small debtor, creditor or competent authority have the right to request the opening of a financial restructuring procedure instead of a financial restructuring procedure for small debtors?
Yes.
7. Liquidation Procedure for Small Debtors:
A procedure aimed at selling the bankruptcy assets and distributing its proceeds to creditors within a reasonable period through simple procedures at a low cost and high efficiency, under the management of the trustee.
What is the minimum value of the debt that entitles the creditor to request the opening of any of the liquidation procedures?
The minimum value of the debt that entitles the creditor to request the opening of a liquidation procedure or a liquidation procedure for small debtors is (50,000) fifty thousand Saudi riyals.
What is the purpose of the liquidation procedure for small debtors?
The liquidation procedure for small debtors aims to sell the bankruptcy assets and distribute its proceeds to creditors within a reasonable period through simple procedures at a low cost and high efficiency, under the management of the trustee. For more information, please see the Bankruptcy Procedures page or the Bankruptcy Law and Executive Regulations page.
What are the objectives of bankruptcy procedures?
The bankruptcy procedures aim to:
A – Enable the bankrupt or distressed debtor or one who is expected to suffer from financial turmoil to benefit from the bankruptcy procedures, to organize his financial situation and resume his activity and contribute to supporting and developing the economy.
B – Considering the rights of creditors in a fair manner and ensuring fair treatment for them.
C – Maximizing the value of bankruptcy assets and selling them regularly and ensuring fair distribution of their proceeds to creditors upon liquidation
D – Reducing the cost and duration of the procedures and increasing their effectiveness, especially in reorganizing the situation of the small debtor or selling the bankruptcy assets and distributing them to creditors in a fair manner within a specified period
E – Administrative liquidation of the debtor who is not expected to produce sufficient proceeds from the sale of his assets to cover the expenses of the liquidation procedure or liquidation for small debtors.
To whom does the bankruptcy system apply?
The provisions of the system apply to each of:
A – A natural person who practices commercial, professional, or profit-making activities in the Kingdom.
B – Commercial and professional companies, organized entities and other profit-making companies and entities registered in the Kingdom.
C – A non-Saudi investor of a natural or legal nature who owns assets in the Kingdom, or carries out commercial, professional or profit-making activities through a facility licensed in the Kingdom. Only the assets of that investor located in the Kingdom are subject to the procedures of the system.
Who is the bankruptcy trustee?
Who is appointed by the court or the applicant – as the case may be – to perform the tasks and duties assigned to him according to the type of procedure, including the financial restructuring trustee and the liquidation trustee.
When does the court consider the request to open any of the bankruptcy procedures? And what does it require?
The court sets a date to consider the request to open any of the bankruptcy procedures, provided that the date is within a period not exceeding (forty) days from the date of registration of the request. The court shall rule on any of the following:
A- Opening the procedure.
B- Rejecting the request.
C- Postponing the session.
Which court is competent to consider requests related to bankruptcy procedures?
The court competent to consider applications and procedures related to the bankruptcy system is the commercial court, as stipulated in the bankruptcy system.
How do I apply to open a bankruptcy procedure?
The application to open any of the bankruptcy procedures is currently available by submitting to the commercial court via the form on the commercial judiciary portal, selecting judicial services, logging in, then selecting bankruptcy applications, and completing the application procedure. The service can be accessed by visiting the commercial judiciary system portal on the Ministry of Justice website.
What is the minimum value of the debt that entitles the creditor to request the opening of any of the liquidation procedures?
The minimum value of the debt that entitles the creditor to request the opening of a liquidation procedure or a liquidation procedure for small debtors is (50,000) fifty thousand Saudi riyals.
What is the purpose of the liquidation procedure for small debtors?
The liquidation procedure for small debtors aims to sell the bankruptcy assets and distribute its proceeds to creditors within a reasonable period through simple procedures at a low cost and high efficiency, under the management of the trustee. For more information, please refer to the Bankruptcy Procedures page or the Bankruptcy System and Executive Regulations page.
What are the objectives of bankruptcy procedures?
Bankruptcy procedures aim to:
A – Enable the bankrupt or distressed debtor or one who is expected to suffer from financial instability to benefit from bankruptcy procedures, to organize his financial situation and resume his activity and contribute to supporting and developing the economy.
B – Considering the rights of creditors in a fair manner and ensuring their fair treatment.
C – Maximizing the value of bankruptcy assets and their regular sale and ensuring the fair distribution of their proceeds to creditors upon liquidation
D – Reducing the cost and duration of procedures and increasing their effectiveness, especially in reorganizing the situation of the small debtor or selling the bankruptcy assets and distributing them to creditors in a fair manner within a specified period
E – Administrative liquidation of the debtor who is not expected to produce sufficient proceeds from the sale of his assets to cover the expenses of the liquidation procedure or the liquidation of small debtors.
To whom does the bankruptcy system apply?
The provisions of the system apply to each of:
A – A natural person who practices commercial, professional, or profit-making activities in the Kingdom.
B – Commercial and professional companies, organized entities, and other companies and other profit-making entities registered in the Kingdom.
C – A non-Saudi investor of natural or legal status who owns assets in the Kingdom, or practices commercial, professional, or profit-making activities through an establishment licensed in the Kingdom. Only the assets of that investor located in the Kingdom are subject to the system’s procedures.
Who is the bankruptcy trustee?
Who is the court or the applicant – as the case may be – appointed to perform the tasks and duties assigned to him according to the type of procedure, including the financial restructuring trustee and the liquidation trustee.
When does the court consider the request to open any of the bankruptcy procedures? And what does it require?
The court sets a date to consider the request to open any of the bankruptcy procedures, provided that the date is within a period not exceeding (forty) days from the date of registration of the request. The court shall rule on any of the following:
A- Opening the procedure.
B- Rejecting the request.
C- Postponing the session.
What is the competent court to consider requests related to bankruptcy procedures?
The competent court to consider requests and procedures related to the bankruptcy system is the commercial court, as stipulated in the bankruptcy system.
How do I submit a request to open a bankruptcy procedure?
Requesting to open any of the bankruptcy procedures is currently available by submitting an application to the Commercial Court via the form on the Commercial Judiciary Portal and selecting Judicial Services, logging in, then selecting Bankruptcy Requests, and completing the application procedure. The service can be accessed by visiting the Commercial Judiciary System Portal on the Ministry of Justice website.
What is the minimum value of the debt that entitles the creditor to request the opening of any of the liquidation procedures?
The minimum value of the debt that entitles the creditor to request the opening of a liquidation procedure or a liquidation procedure for small debtors is (50,000) fifty thousand Saudi riyals.
What are the criteria for small debtors?
Any debtor whose total debts at the time of opening the bankruptcy procedure do not exceed (2,000,000) two million Saudi riyals is considered a small debtor under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Law and its Executive Regulations.
(Debtor’s Rights in Bankruptcy Procedures)
Is the debtor entitled to submit a request to the court to open any of the bankruptcy procedures?
Yes, the debtor has the right to submit a request to the court to open a preventive settlement procedure, a financial restructuring procedure, a liquidation procedure, or an administrative liquidation procedure. The court opens any of these procedures if their statutory conditions are met and the debtor provides the information and documents required to open the procedure.
Regulatory document: Provisions for the request to open the procedure in Chapters Three, Four, Five, and Nine of the Bankruptcy Law.
Does the debtor have another means to open any of the bankruptcy procedures other than submitting a request to the court?
Yes, the debtor has the right to open a preventive settlement procedure for small debtors and issue a decision to open a financial restructuring procedure for small debtors and contract with a financial restructuring trustee for judicial deposit in accordance with the provisions of the law.
Regulatory document: Provisions for the request to open the procedure in Chapters Six, Seven, and Eight of the Bankruptcy Law.
Does the debtor have the right to request summoning anyone who has information or documents related to the request to open the procedure to attend the hearing to consider it?
Yes, the debtor has the right to request the court to summon anyone who has information or documents related to the request to open the procedure to attend the hearing to consider it, and the summoned party must provide the court with the information or documents it requests within the period it specifies.
Regulatory Document: Articles 15, 48, 126, 159, 166 of the Bankruptcy Law.
Does the debtor have the right to object to the request to open the bankruptcy procedure submitted by the creditor or the competent authority?
Yes, the debtor has the right to object before the court to the request to open the bankruptcy procedure submitted by others. The debtor also has the right, in the event of an objection to the request to open any of the liquidation procedures, to request the court to open any of the other bankruptcy procedures if the conditions for its opening are met.
Regulatory Document: Articles 44, 95/1, 145/4, 166, 168/2 of the Bankruptcy Law.
What is meant by the suspension of claims? And what is its effect on the debtor?
Suspension of claims is the suspension of the right to take or complete any action, transaction or lawsuit against the debtor, his assets or the guarantor of the debtor’s debt during a specific period in accordance with the provisions of the system. The suspension of claims aims to give the debtor a period during which he can prepare the proposal and negotiate with creditors regarding it in the preventive settlement and financial reorganization procedures. It also aims to preserve the rights of creditors in liquidation procedures by protecting the debtor’s bankruptcy assets.
Accordingly, the implementation of judgments, decisions and orders issued against the debtor by the enforcement court and other judicial and quasi-judicial bodies is suspended, as are the rights of other parties to initiate or complete any procedures against the debtor or his assets, including filing lawsuits or continuing to consider lawsuits. This does not include decisions issued before the suspension of claims that include the seizure of assets or the prevention of disposition thereof or the prevention of travel unless the court with which the request to open the procedure is registered decides otherwise.
Regulatory document: Article 1 of the Bankruptcy Law, and Article 10/1 of the Rules Regulating Bankruptcy Procedures in Commercial Courts.
Does the debtor have the right to manage the activity after the initiation of bankruptcy proceedings?
The debtor is allowed to manage his activity in both preventive settlement and financial restructuring procedures. In preventive settlement procedures, the entire management is with the debtor, while in financial restructuring procedures, the debtor’s management of the activity and his management to implement the financial restructuring plan are subject to the supervision of the trustee appointed by the court, and the debtor is prohibited from performing some actions except after obtaining written approval from the trustee in accordance with the provisions of the system. The debtor’s hand may be tied from managing his activity in financial restructuring procedures in the cases stipulated in Article (sixty-nine) of the Bankruptcy Law.
As for liquidation procedures, the debtor’s hand is tied from managing the activity immediately after appointing the trustee or the bankruptcy committee – depending on the type of procedure – and thus any action taken by the debtor on his assets after his hand is tied is considered invalid and exposes him to the penalties stipulated by the system. The trustee and the bankruptcy committee, if appointed, shall be obligated to notify the debtor of any summons, notice or order concerning him issued by the court or any other relevant authority.
Regulatory document: Articles 1, 69, 70, 85, 100, 159, 166, 171, 200, 203 of the Bankruptcy Law.
Does the debtor have the right to object to the trustee’s management or supervision of the bankruptcy procedure?
Yes, the debtor has the right to object before the competent commercial court to any procedure taken or decision issued by the trustee in accordance with the provisions of the law within (fourteen) days from the date of issuance of the decision or taking the procedure, in cases where there is no specific text.
Regulatory document: Article 215 of the Bankruptcy Law.
Does the debtor have the right to object to the bankruptcy committee’s management of the administrative liquidation procedure?
Yes, the debtor has the right to object before the competent commercial court to any procedure taken or decision issued by the bankruptcy committee except for what relates to licensing bankruptcy trustees and experts; Within (fourteen) days from the date of issuance of the decision or taking the action, unless there is a specific text.
Regulatory document: Article 216 of the Bankruptcy Law.
Does the debtor have the right to request the trustee or the bankruptcy committee to review the information and documents they have related to the procedure?
Yes, the debtor has the right to request the trustee or the bankruptcy committee to review the information or documents they have related to the procedure unless the trustee or the bankruptcy committee or the competent authority decides that they are confidential for reasons related to preserving the value of the bankruptcy assets or the continuation of the procedure or activity supervised by the competent authority. In the event that the trustee decides to keep the information and documents confidential, he has the right to object to the confidentiality decision before the court.
Regulatory document: Article 10 of the Executive Regulations of the Bankruptcy Law.
What are the debtor’s duties regarding the disclosure of bankruptcy assets in financial restructuring and liquidation procedures?
The debtor must disclose to the trustee or the bankruptcy committee – depending on the type of procedure – the bankruptcy assets, which include the debtor’s assets on the date of opening any of the bankruptcy procedures or during the validity of any of them, including information and documents related to them and licenses related to the debtor’s activity, so that the trustee or the bankruptcy committee can prepare an inventory list of assets. Concealing the bankruptcy assets or the debtor’s assets or providing misleading or incorrect information about them to the trustee or the bankruptcy committee or the court is considered a crime punishable under the bankruptcy law.
Regulatory document: Articles 1, 59, 126, 159, 166, 177, 201, 203 of the bankruptcy law.
To what extent is it mandatory to implement the preventive settlement plan or financial restructuring and can it be amended?
The preventive settlement plan or financial restructuring plan shall be binding on creditors, the debtor and owners, and the debtor shall implement it as approved by the court and complete the procedures required by the relevant regulations. The debtor shall be obligated in the financial restructuring procedures to submit a report to the trustee on the progress of implementing the plan at the end of every three months, indicating what has been accomplished, the difficulties facing it and the financial statements. If there is an obstacle preventing the implementation of the plan, the trustee shall submit a request to the court to consider what it deems appropriate. The plan may be amended upon the request of the debtor or the trustee if the amendment cases stipulated therein are met, or a situation affecting its implementation arises, or the amendment is proposed by creditors whose claims represent more than 50% of the creditors’ debts in the plan or they agree to the amendment request submitted by the debtor. The amendment shall be by submitting an amendment proposal that the creditors and owners vote on in accordance with the provisions of voting on the original proposal.
Regulatory document: Articles 37, 84, 91, 136, 155 of the Bankruptcy Law, and Articles 31, 47 of the Executive Regulations.
Is the debtor entitled to retain any of the bankruptcy assets after the opening of the bankruptcy procedure?
Yes, the debtor with a natural capacity in the financial restructuring procedure, the financial restructuring of small debtors, the liquidation procedure, and the liquidation of small debtors has the right to retain from the bankruptcy assets what provides him and his dependents with enough to live in a reasonable manner, and the court determines the debtor’s sufficiency based on the trustee’s proposal, and the debtor is obligated to assist the trustee in evaluating the assets to estimate what he retains from them.
Regulatory document: Articles 66, 102, 159, 166 of the Bankruptcy Law.
What is the effect of the termination of any of the liquidation procedures on the debtor? Is there a difference between a debtor with a natural capacity and a debtor with a legal capacity?
The effect of ending any of the liquidation procedures depends on the status of the debtor. A debtor with a legal status is dissolved by a request submitted by the trustee to the court and his registration in the commercial register is deleted. As for a debtor with a natural status who still has rights to creditors, he is considered bankrupt for a period of (twenty-four) months. After removing his name from the bankruptcy register, he can practice commercial, professional or profit-making activities. He must inform his creditors upon starting to practice any of these activities. He must also request the court to distribute that money if he receives money during this period in accordance with the provisions of the system. If the debtor does not submit this request to the court, the creditors have the right to apply to the court to demand the distribution of the money received by the debtor.
Regulatory document: Articles 121, 122, 125, 165, 166, 179, 181 of the Bankruptcy Law. And Article 21 of the Executive Regulations.
(Creditor’s Rights in Bankruptcy Proceedings)
Is the creditor entitled to submit a request to open a bankruptcy procedure for one of the debtors?
Yes, the creditor has the right to request the opening of a number of procedures for the debtor, which are four procedures: financial restructuring, financial restructuring for small debtors, liquidation, and liquidation for small debtors. The court opens any of these procedures if their statutory conditions are met.
Statutory document: Provisions for requesting the opening of the procedure in Chapters Four, Five, Seven and Eight of the Bankruptcy Law.
Is the creditor entitled to attend the sessions to consider the opening of bankruptcy procedures for the debtor?
Yes, the creditor has the right to attend the opening sessions, whether the creditor is the one who submitted the request to open the procedure or the request was submitted by the debtor or another creditor. Any creditor may, during attendance, present what he deems to be a just defense, whether it relates to the jurisdiction of the bankruptcy court over the request, or the fulfillment of the conditions for its acceptance, as well as the fulfillment of the objective conditions for opening the procedure, such as default and bankruptcy, or the likelihood of financial turmoil, or the likelihood of the debtor’s inability to continue his activity, or the likelihood of the debtor’s assets being sufficient to meet the costs of the procedure. He may submit to the court whatever documents and information he deems to support his defense, or request the court to oblige any party to submit the information and documents necessary to adjudicate the request.
In general, the cooperation of the creditor and the debtor and the pursuit of consensus yields better results for all parties.
Regular document: Articles 2/15, 2/47, 2/95, 3/168 of the Bankruptcy Law.
What is the regulatory procedure if the creditor has fear for some of the debtor’s assets or fear of some of the debtor’s actions?
The creditor and any interested party may apply to the court in the liquidation procedures to order precautionary measures until the opening request is decided. Examples of these precautionary measures include appointing a temporary trustee, restricting the debtor’s ability to manage the activity, seizing the debtor’s assets and preventing him from disposing of them, whether in his possession or with others, and other precautionary measures available under the system.
Regulatory document: Article 96 of the Bankruptcy Law, and Article 5 of the Executive Regulations.
Does the creditor have the right to object to the court’s ruling regarding the opening of any of the bankruptcy procedures for one of his debtors?
The creditor, as an interested party, has the right to object before the Court of Appeal to the court’s ruling to open or reject the procedure within fourteen days of its issuance, if its subject is:
A. Rejection to open a financial restructuring procedure, or a financial restructuring procedure for small debtors;
B. Opening a liquidation procedure, or a liquidation procedure for small debtors, or an administrative liquidation procedure, or a refusal to open any of these procedures.
The creditor has no right to object to the court’s ruling to open a preventive settlement procedure or open a financial restructuring procedure.
Regulatory document: Article 217 of the Bankruptcy Law.
Does the creditor have the right to enforce an asset of the debtor subject to a bankruptcy procedure if the asset is mortgaged to the creditor? Or submit an enforcement request to the court or the trustee?
The creditor in preventive settlement or financial restructuring procedures has the right to submit to the court a request to enforce the assets of the bankruptcy or the assets of the guarantor of the debtor’s debt provided as guarantees if the enforcement does not affect the debtor’s activity or obtain the approval of the creditors and owners of the proposal or if the rejection of the enforcement request results in serious harm to the secured creditor that the debtor cannot compensate for and exceeds the harm that may be inflicted on the debtor and other creditors.
The suspension of claims in the preventive settlement procedure for small debtors does not apply to secured debts and the creditor may enforce the money securing his debt and is obligated to return the excess of his debt to the small debtor.
The creditor also has the right to submit to the court in the liquidation procedures a request for execution on any of the bankruptcy assets securing the debtor’s debt.
In all cases, the creditor can submit his claim to the trustee or the bankruptcy committee, attaching documents proving that his claim is secured and the nature of the asset securing it. The trustee shall include this claim as a secured claim, and it shall have priority in distribution in the liquidation procedures.
Regulatory document: Articles 21, 63, 68, 91, 97, 126, 133, 159, 166, 196 of the Bankruptcy Law. And Article 14 of the Executive Regulations.
Does the creditor have the right to object to the decisions and procedures issued by the debtor, the trustee, or the bankruptcy committee during the administration of the procedure?
The creditor and any interested party have the right to object before the court opening the procedure to any procedure taken or decision issued by the debtor in his administration of the preventive settlement procedures, or the bankruptcy trustee in his administration of the financial restructuring or liquidation procedures, or the bankruptcy committee in its administration of the administrative liquidation procedure, within fourteen days from the date of issuance of the decision or taking the procedure.
Regulatory document: Articles 215 and 216 of the Bankruptcy Law.
Does the creditor have the right to request that some procedures and actions be exempted from the suspension of claims?
The creditor in the preventive settlement and financial restructuring procedures may request the court to suspend the suspension of claims for specific claims for which action was taken before the suspension of claims came into effect if he proves that this is in the interest of the debtor and the majority of creditors.
He may also request the court’s approval to execute on the bankruptcy assets provided as guarantees.
He may also request the court’s approval to continue the procedures and actions against the personal guarantor or the debtor’s real guarantee provider.
The creditor in liquidation proceedings may request the suspension of the suspension of claims for specific claims for which action was taken before the suspension of claims came into effect if he proves that this is in the interest of the debtor and the majority of creditors.
He may also submit to the court a request to enforce any of the bankruptcy assets guaranteeing the debtor’s debt.
He may also submit to the court a request to take a regulatory action during the period of suspension of claims against the debtor’s personal guarantor or the debtor’s real guarantee provider.
Regulatory document: Articles 20, 21, 91, 97, 98, 159, 166, 169 of the Bankruptcy Law, and Article 30 of the Executive Regulations.
How can claims be submitted to trustees? What are the rights of creditors in this regard?
Every creditor whose debt arose before the commencement of any financial reorganization or liquidation procedures may submit to the trustee within the specified period for receiving claims announced by the trustee any claim for a debt, whether current or deferred, completed or conditional or potential, and state the reason for the debt’s arose and its date, and specify the value of the debt, and if it is not specified, he shall set its estimated value, and attach to his claim the supporting documents, and take care to write the claim briefly and carefully.
After the trustee studies the claim and verifies its validity and value, he shall prepare a list of claims and submit it to the court accompanied by a recommendation regarding each claim to accept, reject or submit it to an expert, and the trustee shall notify the creditor who recommended that his claim be rejected or submitted to an expert, and the latter may object to the trustee’s recommendation before the court and submit all the defenses he adheres to, and the court shall assess the creditor’s defenses and then reach a decision to accept the claim in whole or in part or reject it.
The creditor may also object to the Court of Appeal against the court’s decision to reject the inclusion of his claim in whole or in part within fourteen days from the issuance or announcement of the decision. The Court of Appeal shall consider the objection and decide to uphold the decision to reject the inclusion of the claim in whole or in part or to overturn the decision. If it overturns the decision, it shall rule on the subject of the objection with a judgment that cannot be appealed in any way.
Regulatory document: Articles 63, 68, 217 of the Bankruptcy Law, and Articles 13 and 14 of the Executive Regulations.
Is the creditor entitled to submit a claim that includes potential obligations in the future or is conditional on a condition that may occur in the future?
Yes, the creditor may submit his claim that includes potential obligations or is conditional on a condition, such as obligations of letters of guarantee, documentary credits, etc.
Regulatory document: Article 63 of the Bankruptcy Law
How can the creditors’ committee be formed? What are its powers?
The creditors’ committee may be formed in financial restructuring procedures, financial restructuring of small debtors or liquidation at the initiative of the court on its own initiative, or upon the request of the trustee, or upon the request of creditors whose claims represent 50% of the value of the debts.
If the court decides to form the creditors’ committee, it must notify the trustee of this, whereby the latter shall notify all creditors within five days of being notified of the court’s decision so that those of them who wish to nominate themselves may submit their nominations to the trustee within fourteen days from the date of notification, provided that they have an acceptable claim in the list of claims and that their debt subject to the claim is not fully secured. The trustee shall then deposit the list of candidates with the court, attaching thereto the proposed formation and the justifications for this formation. The court shall then issue its decision to form the creditors’ committee of at least three members, with the appointment of a chairman for the committee.
The decisions of the Creditors Committee are issued by majority and the Committee’s mission is to represent the creditors in the tasks stipulated in the system and regulations, including expressing an opinion on some procedures such as preparing a financial restructuring proposal, obtaining secured financing, or terminating the debtor’s contracts, and expressing an opinion when making decisions related to the sale of bankruptcy assets. It is also necessary to obtain its approval for some procedures such as the sale of any bankruptcy asset whose value exceeds a quarter of the value of the bankruptcy assets. The Committee also has the right to report any violations of the system or regulations, in addition to any other tasks assigned to it by the court.
The formation of the Creditors Committee will enable creditors to participate more effectively in bankruptcy procedures and ensure that a balance is observed in managing these procedures between the rights and interests of the debtor and the creditors.
Regulatory document: Articles 73, 106, 126, 159 of the Bankruptcy Law, and Articles 24 to 29 of the Executive Regulations.
How can the debtor’s actions prior to the opening of the procedure be objected to, which include smuggling or concealing bankruptcy assets or deliberately harming creditors?
The creditor and any interested party may object before the court to the debtor’s actions during the twelve months prior to the opening of the procedure if the actions were purely harmful, such as relinquishing assets and guarantees, discharging his debtor, and other actions, or if they were between benefit and harm but mostly harmed the rights of creditors, such as in the case of concluding a deal for less than fair value or making an unfair settlement.
The objection period extends to twenty-four months if the action was with a related party, which is a person related to the debtor by a business relationship or kinship relationship, or someone controlled by the debtor or who controls the debtor financially or organizationally.
If the court finds that the action does not serve the debtor’s interest and that the debtor was in default or bankrupt at the time of its implementation, it shall rule the action invalid and implement the effects resulting from the invalidation, which are represented by recovering the asset and similar measures.
On the other hand, the creditor may submit his report in the event of suspicion of the debtor mismanaging his funds or concluding deals without consideration or for an unfair consideration or concealing or embezzling bankruptcy assets, or other criminal acts if they lead to harm to the rights of creditors. The creditor may submit this report to the court or the bankruptcy committee to begin its work in inspection and verification and then referral to the competent authority in the event of suspicion of a crime.
Regulatory document: Chapter Thirteen of the Bankruptcy Law, Article 9, Paragraph 2/e of the Bankruptcy Law, Article 86 of the Executive Regulations.
What are the rights of creditors related to monitoring the correctness of the implementation of the preventive settlement plan or financial restructuring?
As a general principle, the creditor may object before the court to any procedure taken or decision issued by the debtor or the trustee when implementing the plan.
In the preventive settlement procedure, the creditor may object to the debtor’s request to terminate the procedure to complete the implementation of the plan, and he may submit a request to the court to terminate the procedure due to the impossibility of implementing the plan.
In the financial restructuring procedure, the system granted the trustee supervisory powers over the debtor during the plan implementation period, including the necessity of obtaining his approval when carrying out some actions and transactions. The plan may include more restrictions on the debtor’s management of the activity during the plan implementation.
The debtor must also submit a report every three months to the trustee on the progress of the plan implementation, and the trustee sends this report to the court and creditors after verifying its accuracy.
The creditor in the financial restructuring procedure may also object to the debtor’s request to terminate the procedure due to the completion of the plan implementation, and he may submit a request to the court to terminate the procedure due to the inability to implement the plan.
In both procedures, one or more creditors whose claims represent more than 50% of the total value of the creditors’ debts in the plan may propose amending the plan.
Regulatory document: Articles 38, 39, 84, 85, 86, 87, 141, 159 of the Bankruptcy Law, and Articles 31, 47 of the Executive Regulations.
What are the creditor’s rights related to reviewing the work of the bankruptcy procedures management?
The creditor has the right to review the information and documents held by the trustee or the bankruptcy committee related to the opened bankruptcy procedure unless the trustee or the bankruptcy committee or the competent authority decides that they are confidential for reasons related to preserving the value of the bankruptcy assets or the continuation of the procedure or activity supervised by the competent authority.
However, the creditor may object to the decision on the confidentiality of information and documents before the court, and the court shall assess the extent to which the decision adheres to the objective controls that require confidentiality. The court may then uphold or cancel the decision, and if it cancels it, it may set conditions for reviewing the information and documents.
Regulatory document: Article 10 of the Executive Regulations.
How can a natural debtor be referred to in the event that the liquidation procedures are completed and his account remains burdened with some debts?
If the debtor is a natural person and his debts are not discharged after the end of the liquidation procedures due to the insufficiency of the bankruptcy proceeds to meet the creditors’ rights, he shall be considered bankrupt for twenty-four months from the end of any of the liquidation procedures. During this period, no bankruptcy procedure may be initiated against this debtor. However, this debtor has a number of obligations, including the obligation to notify his creditors when he engages in a commercial, professional or profitable activity, and that if money is transferred to him during this period, he must submit to the court a request to distribute it to the creditors according to their priority and shares. If he does not submit to the court to distribute this money, the creditors may submit to the court to claim their right to distribute this money, and the court may rule on their right to distribute this money.
Regulatory document: Articles 125, 166, 3/181 of the Bankruptcy Law, and Article 21 of the Executive Regulations.
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