Consideration of cases on challenging transactions with preference: theory and practice

Introduction: the article considers the issues concerning transactions made by a debtor in anticipation of the bankruptcy and being challenged as those having caused harm as a result of rendering preference to one of the creditors. Special attention is given to the analysis of judicial and arbitration practice. Purpose: to analyze the grounds and general procedure for challenging transactions with preference, as well as the criteria allowing court to find the third party being honest or dishonest while making the transaction with the debtor. Methods: analytical, system, comparative legal, technical-legal methods are used. Results: the article emphasizes the need for more accurate definition of the concept "preferable satisfaction". It is noted that this concept is not specified in the Bankruptcy law of Russia, which leads to its broad interpretation. Declaration of a transaction with preference as invalid requires existence of any of the conditions specified in Art. 61.3 of the Bankruptcy law. As this list is open, preference can take place in other cases, apart from those on the list. Conclusions: when working out regulations on challenging a debtor’s transactions, the legislature used rather complicated legal construction. This was done with the aim of protecting rights and interests of all participants of bankruptcy relations by means of combining objective and subjective grounds for holding transactions invalid in the most efficient manner.