Supreme Court Rules on Ghost Guns, Bankruptcy Powers

The U.S. Supreme Court issued two significant rulings regarding bankruptcy and firearms regulation, reflecting a continued emphasis on textual interpretation over broader political implications. In Bondi v. Vanderstok, the Court upheld a 2022 Biden administration regulation that subjects 'ghost guns' to the same requirements as traditional firearms, affirming the ATF's authority to regulate weapon parts. Separately, in a ruling concerning bankruptcy, the Court determined that trustees cannot recover federal tax payments made more than two years prior to a bankruptcy filing, citing the federal government's sovereign immunity. This decision reversed a lower court ruling that had allowed such clawbacks, emphasizing the strict two-year limit in bankruptcy law. Additionally, the Ninth Circuit ruled that bankruptcy trustees can avoid fraudulent transfers even without proving injury to creditors, aligning with similar decisions from other circuits. In a related case, an Illinois bankruptcy court dismissed a Chapter 11 filing due to improper corporate authorization, underscoring the necessity of adhering to internal governance structures in bankruptcy proceedings.