Dischargeability Complaint

Drafts a court-ready adversary complaint under 11 U.S.C. §523 for U.S. bankruptcy proceedings, with jurisdiction/venue allegations, evidence-anchored counts, and FRBP compliance.

Quick Start

Collect before drafting:

Standing: Plaintiff's enforcement right (original creditor, assignee, successor, subrogee)
Case data: Court, case number, chapter, petition date, first §341 date, conversion status
Deadline posture: FRBP 4007(c) timing — confirm filing window or extension basis
Evidence: Contracts, account records, correspondence, payment history, admissions, fiduciary documents
§523 theories: Map each subsection to its required elements under controlling circuit law
Damages: Principal, contractual interest, statutory interest, fees, costs
Local rules: Caption format, paragraph style, line numbering, font/margins, filing protocol

Core Workflow

1. Build complaint scaffold

| Section | Content | Verify | |---|---|---| | Caption | Court name, bankruptcy case no., adversary caption, parties | District matches debtor case | | Jurisdiction/Venue | 28 U.S.C. §§1334, 157(b)(2)(I), 1409; core proceeding | Explicitly alleged | | Parties | Names, addresses, standing chain | Standing complete | | Procedural posture | Petition date, §341 date, Rule 4007(c) timing | Within deadline or extension stated | | Factual narrative | Chronological facts with dates and sources | Each allegation tied to exhibit | | Counts | Per-theory allegations for each §523 subsection | All elements and remedies included | | Prayer | Non-dischargeability, amount, interest, fees, costs | Amounts traceable to evidence | | Verification | Perjury statement and signature block | Authorized signer confirmed | | Service checklist | Filing-ready package | Complete |

2. Plead theory-specific elements

| Theory | Elements | Style | |---|---|---| | §523(a)(2)(A) | False representation, scienter, reliance, proximate causation, damages | Fact-dense: who/what/when/where/how | | §523(a)(2)(B) | Materially untrue financial statement | Attach supporting financials, explain materiality | | §523(a)(4) | Express fiduciary relationship, breach, fraud/defalcation | Distinguish express fiduciary duty from contractual/statutory | | §523(a)(6) | Willful and malicious injury | Show intentional conduct + substantial certainty of harm |

3. Apply paragraph construction rules

Number all paragraphs; keep short-to-medium length for readability.
Fraud allegations must satisfy Rule 9(b): identify statement, communicator, medium, date, and falsity.
Incorporate prior paragraphs by reference at each count's start.
Use separate counts per theory — prevents collapse if one fails.
Cross-reference facts; do not repeat full blocks.

4. Produce mandatory sections

Complaint heading and title
Jurisdiction and venue
Parties / standing
Factual background
Procedural timing
Count I: §523(a)(2)(A)
Count II: §523(a)(4) (if applicable)
Count III: §523(a)(6) (if applicable)
Prayer for relief
Verification
Signature block
Service/filing checklist

Legal Constraints

FRBP 7001: Adversary proceeding form governs structure.
FRBP 7009 / Rule 9(b): Heightened pleading for fraud allegations.
FRBP 7012 / Rule 12(b)(6): Frame for plausibility to resist dismissal.
FRCP 11: Remove weak, conclusory, or unsupported allegations — sanctions exposure.

Pitfalls and Checks

Reconcile all damages figures against attached evidence.
Confirm every element has at least one direct fact anchor.
No allegation may rest on speculation — separate facts from legal inference.
Do not mix circuit authority; use only jurisdiction-verified standards.
Do not plead causes outside §523 scope.
Keep tone objective — factual allegations only, no inflammatory language.
Include [VERIFY] placeholders for unresolved legal standards or local-rule citations.
Confirm attorney signature, bar status, and filing authorization before finalizing.
Preserve exhibit organization and authentication trail.