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Sundries ruler

Bankruptcy Glossary

Bankruptcy is a very jargon-filed area of law.  This is a handy glossary of bankruptcy terms

 

Dem dozikn leksikon hot der barimter bankrot-shoyfet konrad dubershtayn, olav hasholem, funem estishn distrikt fun nyu york farzamlt.

Epes a por andere verter:

gedile=a deal

gey kakn afn yam=what you can do if you don't like my plan

helfn vi a toytn bankes=trying to perfect a security interest post-petition

khazeray=junk

kholyera, tsu hobn =when no one will extend trade credit to your business

kush mir in tukhes=1129(b)(2)(B)(ii)

mekhitn=insider with a voidable preference

ongeshtupt=satisfied in full

paskudnyak=the United States Trustee who has the nerve to question your fees

pisher=an associate who thinks he should be a partner

rachmones=mercy, as in "In re Rachmones" (Becker, C.J., o''h) or a Writ of Rachmones (i.e., do it because my client's awfully sympathetic, even if the law goes against him).

sha-gelt=hush money, a/k/a a settlement

shleperman=(1) 1st year associate; (2) as defined by Jack Ayer "the hewer of wood or drawer of water who did the hard work while somebody else got the big bucks, as in "we sent our schlepperman over to clean out the warehouse."  Not a made guy, only a connected guy (yeh, sorry, wrong argot)."

shmate=rag, as in the shamte business (the garment trade) or a shmate man (a garmento).  Much of the case law from Chapter XI of the old Act came out of the shmate business in NYC. 

shmuk with a fountain pen=guarantor

shoymer=the trustee in bankruptcy

 

Revised January 3, 2008 (ajl)