Busch Law Firm, LLC v. Frontline Medical Services LLC

CourtBankruptcy Appellate Panel of the Tenth Circuit
DecidedSeptember 29, 2025
Docket25-009
StatusPublished

This text of Busch Law Firm, LLC v. Frontline Medical Services LLC (Busch Law Firm, LLC v. Frontline Medical Services LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Bankruptcy Appellate Panel of the Tenth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Busch Law Firm, LLC v. Frontline Medical Services LLC, (bap10 2025).

Opinion

BAP Appeal No. 25-9 Docket No. 48 Filed: 09/29/2025 Page: 1 of 27

NOT FOR PUBLICATION1 UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY APPELLATE PANEL OF THE TENTH CIRCUIT _________________________________

IN RE FRONTLINE MEDICAL BAP No. CO-25-009 SERVICES LLC,

Debtor. __________________________________ Bankr. No. 22-13411 BUSCH LAW FIRM, LLC, Chapter 11

Appellant,

v.

FRONTLINE MEDICAL SERVICES OPINION LLC,

Appellee. _________________________________

Appeal from the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Colorado _________________________________

Before SOMERS, HALL, and THURMAN, Bankruptcy Judges. _________________________________

THURMAN, Bankruptcy Judge.

This appeal presents another chapter in debtor Frontline Medical Services LLC’s

(“Appellee’s”) efforts to reorganize. Previously, the Tenth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate

1 This unpublished opinion may be cited for its persuasive value, but is not precedential, except under the doctrines of law of the case, claim preclusion, and issue preclusion. 10th Cir. BAP L.R. 8026-6. BAP Appeal No. 25-9 Docket No. 48 Filed: 09/29/2025 Page: 2 of 27

Panel (the “BAP” or “Court”) reversed the United States Bankruptcy Court for the

District of Colorado’s (the “Bankruptcy Court’s”) confirmation order (the “First

Confirmation Order”) and remanded to the Bankruptcy Court for further findings (the

“Remand Order”). On remand, the Bankruptcy Court reviewed the record and determined

that Appellee’s proposed plan of reorganization was feasible. The Bankruptcy Court then

entered Additional Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law (the “Remand Findings”)2

and confirmed Appellant’s Second Amended Subchapter V Plan of Reorganization (the

“Plan”) over creditor Busch Law Firm, LLC’s (“Appellant’s”) continued objection.

Appellant now appeals the Remand Findings on both procedural and substantive grounds.

For the reasons explained below, this Court determines the Bankruptcy Court

adequately complied with the BAP’s Remand Order and made the required findings and

conclusions based on sufficient evidence. Thus, the Remand Findings were proper, and

we therefore affirm.

I. Jurisdiction

This Court has jurisdiction to hear timely filed appeals from “final judgments,

orders, and decrees” of bankruptcy courts within the Tenth Circuit, unless a party elects

to have the district court hear the appeal.3 Appellant timely filed a notice of appeal from

the Remand Findings, which is a final order.4 No party has elected to have the United

2 Remand Findings in Appellant’s App. at 2625. 3 See 28 U.S.C. §§ 158(a)(1), (b)(1), and (c)(1); see also Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8003, 8005. 4 See In re Novinda Corp., 585 B.R. 145, 151 (10th Cir. BAP 2018) (“An order . . . confirming a Chapter 11 plan is a final order.”). 2 BAP Appeal No. 25-9 Docket No. 48 Filed: 09/29/2025 Page: 3 of 27

States District Court for the District of Colorado hear the appeal.5 Accordingly, the BAP

has jurisdiction to hear this appeal.

II. Background

The BAP has previously thoroughly explained the facts that precipitated

Appellant’s first appeal, which this Court will refer to as “Frontline I.”6 This Court will

commence its explanation where the Frontline I Court left off.

In Frontline I, the BAP held that the Bankruptcy Court made no error when it

determined that Appellee did not file its bankruptcy petition in bad faith.7 The BAP

further held that the Bankruptcy Court did not abuse its discretion in denying Appellant’s

then-pending motion to dismiss.8 The BAP did, however, reverse the First Confirmation

Order on the sole ground that the Bankruptcy Court “did not apply the correct legal

standard in analyzing feasibility for a nonconsensual plan proposed under subchapter

V.”9 The BAP explained that the Bankruptcy Court erred when it made “no specific

findings [as to the feasibility of Appellee’s proposed plan] under either § 1191(c)(3)(A)

or § 1191(c)(3)(B).”10 The BAP remanded “this issue” to the Bankruptcy Court for

“further findings consistent with [its] opinion.”11

5 See Notice of Appeal and Statement of Election at 2 in Appellant’s App. at 2630. 6 See In re Frontline Med. Servs. LLC, 665 B.R. 818, 822–25 (10th Cir. BAP 2024) (summarizing the factual background of the dispute). 7 Id. at 828–29. 8 Id. at 830. 9 Id. at 832. 10 Id. 11 Id. The Frontline I Court’s choice to only remand “this issue” for “further findings” carries significant meaning. Entailed in the text of the Remand Order is an acknowledgment that there are no other issues being remanded. Further, the text of the 3 BAP Appeal No. 25-9 Docket No. 48 Filed: 09/29/2025 Page: 4 of 27

The BAP issued the Remand Order on December 26, 2024. On February 24, 2025,

the Bankruptcy Court entered the Remand Findings.12 In the Remand Findings, the

Bankruptcy Court “incorporate[d] its prior findings of fact and conclusions of law” from

the First Confirmation Order and made additional findings and conclusions as to 11

U.S.C. §§ 1191(c)(3)(A) and (c)(3)(B).13

The Bankruptcy Court analyzed the statutory requirements of § 1191(c)(3)(A) and

concluded that “Frontline satisfied its burden of proving it will be able to make all

payments under the Plan.”14 “[O]ut of an abundance of caution,” the Bankruptcy Court

then analyzed feasibility under § 1191(c)(3)(B).15 The Bankruptcy Court concluded that

“Frontline has shown at least a reasonable likelihood it will be able to make all payments

under the Plan” and “the Plan provides appropriate remedies to protect the holders of

claims or interests in the event that the payments are not made.”16 Fourteen days after the

entry of the Remand Findings, Appellant filed a Notice of Appeal and Statement of

Election.17

Frontline I opinion limits the remand procedure to only that which can produce “further findings.” 12 Remand Findings in Appellant’s App. at 2625. 13 Id. at 1 in Appellant’s App. at 2625. Unless otherwise noted, all references to “Section,” “§,” “Bankruptcy Code,” and “Code” refer to the United States Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. § 101, et seq., and all references to the “Rules” refer to the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure. 14 Id. at 2 in Appellant’s App. at 2626. 15 Id. 16 Id. 17 Notice of Appeal and Statement of Election in Appellant’s App. at 2629. 4 BAP Appeal No. 25-9 Docket No. 48 Filed: 09/29/2025 Page: 5 of 27

III. Issues Presented and Standards of Review

Although Appellant presents over fourteen issues in its brief,18 its position in

essence boils down to a single issue: whether the Bankruptcy Court erred in entering the

Remand Findings.

18 Appellant’s specific issues on appeal are: “1. Whether the Bankruptcy Court erred by failing to adhere to the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel’s mandate completely reversing the Bankruptcy Court’s confirmation order . . . 2. Whether the Bankruptcy Court erred by failing to hear new evidence, require additional briefing, and to hold a confirmation hearing on the confirmation of the subchapter V plan . . . 3.

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