Supreme Court clarifies standard for application of judicial estoppel in bankruptcy cases
USA August 3 2026 The Supreme Court (Court) recently issued an opinion reversing a ruling by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals (Fifth Circuit) concerning application of the doctrine of judicial estoppel in bankruptcy cases.1 Although the underlying dispute arose in a Chapter 13 case, the opinion presents implications for bankruptcy cases under all chapters, including Chapter 11. Background In Keathley v. Buddy Ayers Construction, Inc., Thomas Keathley (Debtor) commenced a case under Chapter 13 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in the US Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas (Bankruptcy Court) in December 2019. Along with his Chapter […]



















