Dismissal of a complaint objecting to a discharge raises special concerns because the plaintiff may have been induced to dismiss by an advantage given or promised by the debtor or someone acting in his interest. Some courts by local rule or order have required the debtor and his attorney or the plaintiff to file an affidavit that nothing has been promised to the plaintiff in consideration of the withdrawal of the objection. By specifically authorizing the court to impose conditions in the order of dismissal this rule permits the continuation of this salutary practice.
Rule
41 F.R.Civ.P. refers to Rule
19 F.R.Civ.P. Pursuant to Rule
7002 that reference is to Rule
19 F.R.Civ.P. as incorporated and modified by Rule
7019.
The United States trustee has standing to object to the debtor’s discharge pursuant to § 727(c) and may have refrained from commencing an adversary proceeding objecting to discharge within the time limits provided in Rule
4004 only because another party commenced such a proceeding. The United States trustee may oppose dismissal of the original proceeding.
The rule is also amended to clarify that the court may direct that other persons receive notice of a plaintiff’s motion to dismiss a complaint objecting to discharge.
The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, referred to in text, are set out in the Appendix to Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.