Title 11BankruptcyRelease 119-73

§558 Defenses of the estate

Title 11 › Chapter CHAPTER 5— - CREDITORS, THE DEBTOR, AND THE ESTATE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - THE ESTATE › § 558

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The estate can use defenses the debtor had against anyone else; debtor's waiver after the case starts doesn't bind it.

Full Legal Text

Title 11, §558

Bankruptcy — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The estate shall have the benefit of any defense available to the debtor as against any entity other than the estate, including statutes of limitation, statutes of frauds, usury, and other personal defenses. A waiver of any such defense by the debtor after the commencement of the case does not bind the estate.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective with respect to cases filed 90 days after July 10, 1984, see section 552(a) of Pub. L. 98–353, set out as an

Effective Date

of 1984 Amendment note under section 101 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

11 U.S.C. § 558

Title 11Bankruptcy

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73