(a) Conditional Approval of Disclosure Statement. In a small business case, the court may, on application of the plan proponent or on its own initiative, conditionally approve a disclosure statement filed in accordance with Rule 3016. On or before conditional approval of the disclosure statement, the court shall:
(1) fix a time within which the holders of claims and interests may accept or reject the plan;
(2) fix a time for filing objections to the disclosure statement;
(3) fix a date for the hearing on final approval of the disclosure statement to be held if a timely objection is filed; and
(4) fix a date for the hearing on confirmation.
(b) Application of Rule 3017. Rule 3017(a), (b), (c), and (e) do not apply to a conditionally approved disclosure statement. Rule 3017(d) applies to a conditionally approved disclosure statement, except that conditional approval is considered approval of the disclosure statement for the purpose of applying Rule 3017(d).
(c) Final Approval.
(1) Notice. Notice of the time fixed for filing objections and the hearing to consider final approval of the disclosure statement shall be given in accordance with Rule 2002 and may be combined with notice of the hearing on confirmation of the plan.
(2) Objections. Objections to the disclosure statement shall be filed, transmitted to the United States trustee, and served on the debtor, the trustee, any committee appointed under the Code and any other entity designated by the court at any time before final approval of the disclosure statement or by an earlier date as the court may fix.
(3) Hearing. If a timely objection to the disclosure statement is filed, the court shall hold a hearing to consider final approval before or combined with the hearing on confirmation of the plan.
(Added Apr. 11, 1997, eff. Dec. 1, 1997; amended Apr. 23, 2008, eff. Dec. 1, 2008.)
Notes of Advisory Committee on Rules—1997
This rule is added to implement §1125(f) that was added to the Code by the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1994.
The procedures for electing to be considered a small business are set forth in Rule 1020. If the debtor is a small business and has elected to be considered a small business, §1125(f) permits the court to conditionally approve a disclosure statement subject to final approval after notice and a hearing. If a disclosure statement is conditionally approved, and no timely objection to the disclosure statement is filed, it is not necessary for the court to hold a hearing on final approval.
GAP Report on Rule 3017.1. No change to the published draft.
Committee Notes on Rules—2008 Amendment
Section 101 of the Code, as amended in 2005, defines a “small business case” and “small business debtor,” and eliminates any need to elect that status. Therefore, the reference in the rule to an election is deleted.
As provided in the amendment to Rule 3016(b), a plan intended to provide adequate information in a small business case under §1125(f)(1) may be conditionally approved and is otherwise treated as a disclosure statement under this rule.
Changes Made After Publication. No changes were made after publication.
