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1、(SlipOpinion)OCTOBERTERM,20091SyllabusNOTE:Whereitisfeasible,asyllabus(headnote)willbereleased,asisbeingdoneinconnectionwiththiscase,atthetimetheopinionisissued.ThesyllabusconstitutesnopartoftheopinionoftheCourtbuthasbeenpreparedbytheReporterofDecisionsfortheconvenienceofthereader.SeeUnit
2、edStatesv.DetroitTimber&LumberCo.,200U.S.321,337.SUPREMECOURTOFTHEUNITEDSTATESSyllabusUNITEDSTUDENTAIDFUNDS,INC.v.ESPINOSACERTIORARITOTHEUNITEDSTATESCOURTOFAPPEALSFORTHENINTHCIRCUITNo.08–1134.ArguedDecember1,2009—DecidedMarch23,2010AplanproposedunderBankruptcyCode(Code)Chapter13becomeseff
3、ectiveuponconfirmation,see11U.S.C.§§1324,1325,andwillre-sultinadischargeofthedebtslistedintheplanifthedebtorcom-pletesthepaymentstheplanrequires,see§1328(a).Adebtormayobtainadischargeofgovernment-sponsoredstudentloandebtsonlyiffailuretodischargethatdebtwouldimposean“unduehardship”onthedeb
4、torandhisdependents.§§523(a)(8);1328.Bankruptcycourtsmustmakethisunduehardshipdeterminationinanadversarypro-ceeding,seeFed.RuleBkrtcy.Proc.7001(6),whichthepartyseekingthedeterminationmustinitiatebyservingasummonsandcomplaintonhisadversary,seeRules7003,7004,7008.RespondentEspinosa’splanpro
5、posedrepayingtheprincipalonhisstudentloandebtanddischargingtheinterestoncetheprincipalwasrepaid,buthedidnotinitiatetherequiredadversaryproceeding.Thestudentloancredi-tor,petitionerUnited,receivednoticeoftheplanfromtheBank-ruptcyCourtanddidnotobjecttotheplanortoEspinosa’sfailuretoinitiatet
6、herequiredproceeding.TheBankruptcyCourtconfirmedtheplanwithoutholdingsuchaproceedingormakingafindingofunduehardship.OnceEspinosapaidhisstudentloanprincipal,thecourtdischargedtheinterest.Afewyearslater,theDepartmentofEducationsoughttocollectthatinterest.Inresponse,Espinosaaskedthecourttoen
7、forcetheconfirmationorderbydirectingtheDepartmentandUnitedtoceaseanycollectionefforts.Unitedop-posedthemotionandfiledacross-motionunderFederalRuleofCivilProcedure60(b)(4),seekingtosetasideasvoidtheconfirmationor-derbecausetheplanprovisionauthorizingdischargeofEspino