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- Transitional provisions to the revision of the Stock Corporation Act of June 19, 2020
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FEDERAL CONSTITUTION
MEDICAL DEVICES ORDINANCE
CODE OF OBLIGATIONS
FEDERAL LAW ON PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW
LUGANO CONVENTION
CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
CIVIL PROCEDURE CODE
FEDERAL ACT ON POLITICAL RIGHTS
CIVIL CODE
FEDERAL ACT ON CARTELS AND OTHER RESTRAINTS OF COMPETITION
FEDERAL ACT ON INTERNATIONAL MUTUAL ASSISTANCE IN CRIMINAL MATTERS
DEBT ENFORCEMENT AND BANKRUPTCY ACT
FEDERAL ACT ON DATA PROTECTION
CRIMINAL CODE
CYBERCRIME CONVENTION
COMMERCIAL REGISTER ORDINANCE
FEDERAL ACT ON COMBATING MONEY LAUNDERING AND TERRORIST FINANCING
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
FEDERAL ACT ON THE INTERNATIONAL TRANSFER OF CULTURAL PROPERTY
- I. Bankruptcy at the debtor's request
- II. Bankruptcy at the request of the creditor
- Bibliography
- Materials
I. Bankruptcy at the debtor's request
1 The judge shall declare bankruptcy for a debtor who files for insolvency in court and pays the advance on costs on time or is exempt from doing so, unless (i) an amicable settlement of the debts is possible (Art. 191 para. 2 LP cum Art. 333 ff. LP), (ii) if the debtor is already bankrupt (Art. 206 para. 3 LP [prohibition of parallel bankruptcies]), or (iii) if the debtor has invoked the failure to return to better fortune (OK-Constantin, Art. 265b LP [prohibition of chain bankruptcies]). The article in question prohibits a former bankrupt debtor from filing for bankruptcy under Art. 191 LP for the duration of any proceedings brought against them for a debt included in a previous bankruptcy and against which they have filed an objection on the grounds of no return to financial standing (N. 5). The prohibition applies to all proceedings against the former bankrupt, including if they are again subject to general enforcement proceedings (Art. 39 LP).
2 Prior to the 1994 revision, the debtor could circumvent the system and escape new proceedings brought against him for a debt arising before the opening of bankruptcy proceedings by filing an objection on the grounds of no return to better fortune and declaring himself insolvent in court. In this case, the creditor, who held a certificate of insolvency after the (first) bankruptcy, would only receive a possible dividend at the end of new general enforcement proceedings. Not only did the enforcement proceedings lose their purpose, but their success also depended on the debtor's behavior. Since the above-mentioned revision, the legislature has limited the debtor's ability to file for bankruptcy in order to prevent abusive declarations of insolvency by former bankrupts, thereby strengthening the position of creditors holding a certificate of insolvency. The aim is to ensure the effectiveness of Art. 265 et seq. LP and to guarantee the effective seizure of the former bankrupt's assets.
3 According to the majority of legal scholars and Zurich practice, the debtor should generally not be able to file for personal bankruptcy as long as proceedings concerning a claim included in a previous bankruptcy are pending. Some authors interpret Art. 265b LP a fortiori. In their view, the prohibition on filing for personal bankruptcy would apply even if the debtor has not lodged an objection on the grounds of non-return to better fortune or has withdrawn such an objection. Other authors and the Zurich Obergericht base their opinion on the prohibition of abusive insolvency declarations and reach the same conclusion. I agree with the latter opinion, which is also based on a teleological interpretation of the law after the revision (N. 2). The aim is to prevent the debtor from circumventing Art. 265 to 265b LP and Art. 191 LP by withdrawing his objection or failing to object on the grounds of non-return to better fortune in order to file for his own bankruptcy.
4 The judge called upon to rule on bankruptcy at the debtor's request within the meaning of Art. 191 LP shall examine ex officio whether the debtor has already been subject to bankruptcy proceedings and, if so, whether the debtor has raised the defense of non-return to better fortune in ongoing proceedings concerning a claim arising before the bankruptcy (Art. 255(a) CPC). According to Zurich practice, the judge may even retroactively declare the bankruptcy null and void without regard to Art. 265b LP.
5 The prohibition on filing for one's own bankruptcy applies from the closure of the (first) bankruptcy. It continues until the end of the enforcement proceedings in which the debtor has filed an objection on the grounds of no return to better fortune (N. 1). It ends when the proceedings are terminated, when the judge declares the objection on the grounds of no return to better fortune admissible, or if the debtor wins the proceedings provided for in Art. 265a LP (OK-Constantin, Art. 265a LP N. 17 ff. and N. 26 ff.). If the debtor is considered to have regained financial standing, the prohibition remains in force until the end of the enforcement proceedings, i.e. until it is clear that their “ordinary” objection to the claim (OK-Constantin, Art. 265a LP N. 38 ff.) cannot be lifted, until the funds have been realized and distributed or until the debt enforcement proceedings have expired (art. 88 para. 2 LP).
II. Bankruptcy at the request of the creditor
6 Art. 265b LP only prevents bankruptcy without prior enforcement at the request of the debtor. New bankruptcy at the request of the creditor remains possible. Such bankruptcy will concern a claim arising after the opening of the first bankruptcy. It is subject to the former bankrupt still being subject to bankruptcy proceedings (Art. 39 LP) or to bankruptcy without prior enforcement proceedings under Art. 190 LP being considered.
7 Claims for which a certificate of insolvency has already been issued are not given priority in the new bankruptcy. They are treated in the same way as claims arising after the first bankruptcy. New creditors are not given priority either. The principle of equality of creditors prevails.
Bibliography
Amonn Kurt/Walther Fridolin, Grundriss des Schuldbetreibungs- und Konkursrechts, 9e éd., Berne 2013.
Chabloz Isabelle, L’ouverture de la faillite : situation actuelle et mise en perspective, RSDA 2016, p. 357–369.
Dallèves Louis, Règlement amiable ou judiciaire des dettes selon la LP révisée, PJA 1995, p. 1564–1570.
Gilliéron Pierre-Robert, Commentaire de la loi fédérale sur la poursuite pour dettes et la faillite, Loi du 11 avril 1889, texte en vigueur le 1er janvier 1997, Articles 159-270, Lausanne 2001.
Gut Beat/Rajower Felix/Sonnenmoser Brigitta, Rechtsvorschlag mangels neuen Vermögens, unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der zürcherischen Praxis, PJA 1998, p. 529–546.
Huber Ueli/Sogo Miguel, Commentaire de l’art. 265b LP, in : Staehelin Daniel/Bauer Thomas/Lorandi Franco (édit.), Bundesgesetz über Schuldbetreibung und Konkurs, Basler Kommentar, vol. II, 3e éd., Bâle 2021 (cité : BSK, Auteur).
Jeandin Nicolas, Actes de défaut de biens et retour à meilleure fortune selon le nouveau droit, SJ 1997, p. 261–309 (cité : Jeandin, SJ 1997).
Jaeger Carl/Walder Hans Ulrich/Kull Thomas/Kottmann Martin, Commentaire de l’art. 265b LP, in : Jaeger Carl et al. (édit.), Bundesgesetz über Schuldbetreibung und Konkurs, Band II, Art. 159-292, 4e éd., Zurich 1999.
Jeandin Nicolas, Commentaire de l’art. 265b LP, in : Foëx Benedict/Jeandin Nicolas/Braconi Andrea/Benoît Chappuis (édit.), Commentaire romand, Poursuite et faillite, Commentaire de la loi de la poursuite pour dettes et la faillite ainsi que des articles 166 à 175 de la Loi sur le droit international privé, 2e éd., Bâle 2025 (cité : CR, Auteur).
Kren Kostkiewicz Jolanta, Schuldbetreibungs- und Konkursrecht, 4e éd., Zurich 2024.
Näf Guido/Peyer Daniel, Commentaire de l’art. 265b LP, in : Hunkeler Daniel (édit.), Schuldbetreibungs- und Konkursgesetz, Kurzkommentar, 3e éd., Bâle 2025 (cité : KUKO, Auteur).
Stoffel Walter/Chabloz Isabelle, Voies d’exécution, 3e éd., Berne 2016.
Schober Roger, Commentaire de l’art. 265b LP, in : Kren Kostkiewicz Jolanta/Vock Dominik (édit.), Kommentar zum Bundesgesetz über Schuldbetreibung und Konkurs SchKG, SK – Schulthess Kommentar, 4e éd., Zurich 2017 (cité : SK, Auteur).
Vock Dominik/Meister-Müller Danièle, SchKG-Klagen nach der Schweizerischen ZPO, 2e éd., Zurich et al. 2018.
Vouilloz François, La faillite à la demande du débiteur et le règlement amiable des dettes, Une réforme (presque) inutile, ECS (3) 2001, p. 247.
Materials
Message concernant la revision de la loi fédérale sur la poursuite pour dettes et la faillite du 8 mai 1991, FF 1991 III 1, disponible sur https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/fga/1991/3_1_1_1/fr, consulté le 6.3.2025.