Kevin Keech
As Turner Grain Merchandising Inc. winds its way through Chapter 7 liquidation, attorneys have filed paperwork seeking fees of more than $200,000.
Bankruptcy attorney Kevin Keech of North Little Rock already has been awarded $127,116 for his work as Turner’s bankruptcy attorney between Oct. 23 and Feb. 11, according to court filings. A little more than $8,300 of that amount was for expenses. Keech said in a filing last week that his firm has been paid $120,000, and $7,116 is still owed.
Last week, Keech submitted another bill seeking $33,219 for his work between Feb. 12 and May 19. Of that, $3,755 represents expenses.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Phyllis M. Jones has to approve the request, which she hadn’t done as of Thursday.
Meanwhile, the attorneys for the Counsel for the Official Unsecured Creditors’ Committee, Lyndsey D. Dilks of Little Rock and Nicholas H. Wooten of Auburn, Alabama, have submitted their bill for a total of $71,877. Expenses totaled nearly $5,700. But that invoice has drawn scrutiny.
K.B.X. Inc. of Benton, which isn’t a creditor, has objected to the amount billed and said in court filings that “many of the services rendered by Ms. Dilks and Mr. Wooten cannot be considered beneficial to the estate or the Committee.”
K.B.X. said it wants Jones to deny the Counsel’s bill or reduce the payment to the attorneys.
Turner Grain was forced into receivership in September and then filed for Chapter 11 reorganization in October, listing $24.8 million in debts and $13.8 million in assets. Its case was converted to a Chapter 7 liquidation last month.
The claims register in U.S. Bankruptcy Court shows 61 claims filed against Turner Grain for a total of $20.1 million.
Turner Grain, of Brinkley, contracted to buy and take possession of a farmer’s grain and delivered it to the ultimate buyer.
Sign up for Daily E-news
