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2008-10-14, 1:30
[CLE] 破產聲請作為「自動中止契約」的事由 (1)：美國法的一般規定
有讀者來信問到關於契約裡常見的「Termination on Bankruptcy」條款的問題。在美國，破產法是由聯邦統一立法規範，排除各州對破產事務的立法權限。在進入這個問題之前，先回顧美國破產法裡的特殊程序規定，稱為「Automatic Stay」。
「Automatic Stay」的概念，目前在台灣法律學界沒有統一的中譯，因為台灣的破產法制（包括破產法及消費者債務清償條例）並無類似之規定，有譯為「自動凍結」或「自動中止」者。Automatic Stay的定義與範圍，見於 11 U.S.C. Sec. 362 (a)，原文如下：
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, a petition filed under section 301, 302, or 303 of this title, or an application filed under section 5(a)(3) of the Securities Investor Protection Act of 1970, operates as a stay, applicable to all entities, of—
(1) the commencement or continuation, including the issuance or employment of process, of a judicial, administrative, or other action or proceeding against the debtor that was or could have been commenced before the commencement of the case under this title, or to recover a claim against the debtor that arose before the commencement of the case under this title;
(2) the enforcement, against the debtor or against property of the estate, of a judgment obtained before the commencement of the case under this title;
(3) any act to obtain possession of property of the estate or of property from the estate or to exercise control over property of the estate;
(4) any act to create, perfect, or enforce any lien against property of the estate;
(5) any act to create, perfect, or enforce against property of the debtor any lien to the extent that such lien secures a claim that arose before the commencement of the case under this title;
(6) any act to collect, assess, or recover a claim against the debtor that arose before the commencement of the case under this title;
(7) the setoff of any debt owing to the debtor that arose before the commencement of the case under this title against any claim against the debtor; and
(8) the commencement or continuation of a proceeding before the United States Tax Court concerning a corporate debtor’s tax liability for a taxable period the bankruptcy court may determine or concerning the tax liability of a debtor who is an individual for a taxable period ending before the date of the order for relief under this title.
簡而言之，債務人一旦向聯邦地方法院所設置的破產專門法庭聲請破產，自破產聲請遞進破產法庭開始，所有以債務人為對象之法律程序、行政程序，或者以保全債權為目的之強制執行、催收、訴訟等等程序，一律予以暫時凍結。
這個「自動凍結」機制設置的目的，是為了確保債務人的權益。債務人無力償還債務，理由不一而足，可能是單純的負債大於資產，也可能債務人是一家公司，資產大於負債，只不過一時現金週轉不靈而付不出應償還之利息或本金。如果沒有「自動凍結」機制，債權人一看苗頭不對，而採取法律上的自力救濟手段，一擁而上的結果可能是擠倒債務人，原本有生產力的資產、生產工具、事業等被債權人瓜分，債權人所得之保障有限，但原本的生產力卻消失了。因此，「自動凍結」的機制讓債權人不能各自行動，而強迫各個債權人與聲請破產的債務人，在法院的監督之下坐下來協商出一個各方都能接受的清償債務的辦法。
接下來再講所謂的「Termination on Bankruptcy」的契約條款。這種契約條款通常長得像下面這個樣子：
This Agreement shall terminate, without notice, (i) upon the institution by or against either party of insolvency, receivership or bankruptcy proceedings or any other proceedings for the settlement of either party's debts, (ii) upon either party making an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or (iii) upon either party's dissolution or ceasing to do business.
這種條款在中文契約裡也很常見，通常會約定：在契約任一方自願提出破產聲請、或被第三人聲請非自願性質之破產、或任一方無法清償債務、或就任一方之債務進行法律上之協商程序，或者任一方將本契約下之權利義務移轉給其債權人以充抵債務時，本契約自動中止，不待非違約方之主動通知。
回到破產程序。如果甲聲請破產時，那麼甲控制之下所有值錢的財產與權利就構成了所謂的「破產財團」(bankruptcy estate)，甲進行破產程序時，就用這個「破產財團」裡所有的資產集合作為償還所有債務的基礎。假設甲與乙有一份契約，在這個契約下，乙欠甲一百塊錢。那麼甲就對乙有一百塊錢的債權，這個債權是有價值的，在甲聲請破產時這個債權就進入「破產財團」之中聽候發落。但如果甲與乙之間的契約又包括了上述的「Termination on Bankruptcy」條款，乙就可以主張，當甲聲請破產之時，甲與乙的契約就已自動中止，乙此後不欠甲這個一百塊錢的債，而甲也就無法將此一債權納入甲的破產財團中作為清算人欠欠人的基礎。
那麼，「Termination on Bankruptcy」在美國的破產法下的效力如何？答案是無效的。依據11 U.S.C. Section 541 (c)：
(c)
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, an interest of the debtor in property becomes property of the estate under subsection (a)(1), (a)(2), or (a)(5) of this section notwithstanding any provision in an agreement, transfer instrument, or applicable nonbankruptcy law—
(A) that restricts or conditions transfer of such interest by the debtor; or
(B) that is conditioned on the insolvency or financial condition of the debtor, on the commencement of a case under this title, or on the appointment of or taking possession by a trustee in a case under this title or a custodian before such commencement, and that effects or gives an option to effect a forfeiture, modification, or termination of the debtor’s interest in property.
翻譯成白話中文就是，即使契約中有約定類似「termination on bankruptcy」的條款，但債務人在此一契約下的利益仍然存在且成為破產財團的一部份，不受這種契約條款的影響。11 U.S.C. Section 365 (e) 關於executory contract (即契約雙方都還有未盡義務之契約)也有類似的規定，就不引述全文了。
(未完待續)
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