Alaska Stock - Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

[Matthew Chan]

I've been informed by Oscar that a lawsuit involving Alaska Stock has now been tied up due to Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.

I need help from the ELI Community. I want to find and publish information concerning the assets, liabilities, and other inside information that would be filed with their bankruptcy filings.  Normally, I am pretty good about finding such things but for the moment, I am a bit stumped but also very busy with my other business interests.

As a general rule, Chapter 7 & Chapter 13 bankruptcies are a matter of public record and can be found in PACER. However, I do not know where Chapter 11 bankruptcy information is located online.

I think getting this information about Alaska Stock's bankruptcy will be tremendously valuable to understanding the inner works of stock photo companies and could potentially be revealing.

Let the investigations begin.

[Robert Krausankas (BuddhaPi)]

From : http://www.akb.uscourts.gov/pdfs/FAQs.pdf

Is bankruptcy information public information? Can anyone look at it?

The information contained in documents filed in bankruptcy cases are a matter of public record, and can be reviewed by members of the general public. The documents can be reviewed by members of the public in the Clerk’s Office during regular business hours or, for attorneys and creditors who have access to PACER, over the Internet 24 hours a day.
Access to pleadings and papers filed in bankruptcy cases is not restricted unless there is some good basis for “sealing” information that is contained in them. To have a document filed “Under Seal” or “In Camera,” a motion must be filed explaining the need to protect the information in that document from public view.

and

Computer Access: Electronic case summaries, docket information, and viewable copies of all pleadings filed since 2000, may be retrieved via the Internet through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records system (PACER). This system requires that you be a registered participant, and there is a fee for access ($0.08 per page, with a page being approximately 50 lines of text). This charge is limited to the first thirty pages of a document, but is charged each time you open a new document. For PACER registration information, please call (800) 676- 6856.

Also, Motznik Information Services in Anchorage has some bankruptcy case filing data available. For access and cost information, please contact Motznik directly at (907) 344-6254.

I've been checking on Pacer for several days, but nothing there and from what I read in another case ( Chaga v Masterfile) Alaska Stock filed on May 23rd 2012, so it should be in Pacer..

some info on the owner:

Jeff Schultz
Nickname: Jake
Business Title: Owner & Anchorage Photographer
What he really does: replace light bulbs, sand icy parking lot, pay bills <---apparently he doesn't do this very  well! 
What he'd like to be doing: shooting pictures, anywhere
Favorite past time in winter: watching old classic B&W Jimmy Stewart movies w/family
Favorite past time in summer: kayaking, hiking, fishing
Originally from: Bay Area, California
Why he lives in Alaska: For the Summers !!! & Great people, great lifestyle
www.iditarodphotos.com www.schultzphoto.com [email protected]

Entity Details: http://commerce.alaska.gov/CBP/Main/CorporationDetail.aspx?id=64168D

Meet Photographer Jeff Schultz:
He's a "member" of the copyright alliance
(another wayward Canon User!)

Jeff Shultz is/was the official photographer of the Iditarod Dog Race, you know the race where they abuse dogs, and make them suffer thru horrendous conditions...http://www.iditarodphotos.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/schultzphoto
he's also a memebr of PACA, who is still recovering from the Blackeye they recieved in the Chaga v masterfile case...

and here's a case of Alaska Stock sending out an extortion letter and getting payment, because the recipient was to lazy and ignorant to do any research at all..
How to Control (and Cash In On) the Sarah Palin Brand
http://www.wnyc.org/articles/wnyc-news/2011/feb/16/how-control-and-cash-sarah-palin-brand/

Photographer Demanding Cash From Sites Using Palin's Official Governor Photo
http://www.techdirt.com/blog/?tag=jeff+schultz

FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jeff-Schultz-Photography/111205876335

not much to be found on the company, but I or someone else WILL find it...

[SoylentGreen]

Wonder if he blames "infringers" for his misfortune?



S.G.

[Moe Hacken]

Good God, Robert. Within 5 hours of Matthew's suggestion you have these guys nailed on a pegboard and perfectly dissected.

Amazing turnaround, great work there! Trolls take note — you could be next.

Robert's post will surely be highly competitive in the search rankings for Alaska Stock soon!

[Matthew Chan]

I regret to inform everyone that we got the facts wrong.  To our knowledge, Alaska Stock has never filed bankruptcy. In the conversation in which we thought Alaska Stock filed bankruptcy, it was, in fact, their legal opponent, Houghton Mifflin that filed bankruptcy for the purpose of restructuring their large amounts of debt.  Houghton Mifflin was in bankruptcy only for a short amount of time.

As it now stands, it is up to Alaska Stock to determine if they wish to once again file an appeal against the dismissal ruling that was granted to Houghton Mifflin.  As far as we can tell, Alaska Stock stands defeated because of their sloppy copyright registrations.  More than likely, they followed the shoddy copyright registration advice given by PACA lawyer Nancy Wolff.

There are now at least two stock photo companies in recent months (Alaska Stock & "Masterfail") who have been shown the door for trying to short-cut the copyright registration process.

I apologize to everyone for not doing a better job in rechecking certain statements before "going public" with it. 

[Greg Troy (KeepFighting)]

Matthew, while I know how frustrating it is to find out the facts were incorrect on something like this, this is a great example of why I support ELI. We ALL make mistakes but how we handle them says a lot about who we are. We do not do a Linda Ellis and go and try to delete all posts and act like nothing happened, no we say "you know what, we made a mistake sorry for the inconvenience and the error".

I will tell you when I find people and organizations that do this my respect for them goes way up. Thank you for your honesty and all you continue to do for us!

I regret to inform everyone that we got the facts wrong.  To our knowledge, Alaska Stock has never filed bankruptcy. In the conversation in which we thought Alaska Stock filed bankruptcy, it was, in fact, their legal opponent, Houghton Mifflin that filed bankruptcy for the purpose of restructuring their large amounts of debt.  Houghton Mifflin was in bankruptcy only for a short amount of time.

As it now stands, it is up to Alaska Stock to determine if they wish to once again file an appeal against the dismissal ruling that was granted to Houghton Mifflin.  As far as we can tell, Alaska Stock stands defeated because of their sloppy copyright registrations.  More than likely, they followed the shoddy copyright registration advice given by PACA lawyer Nancy Wolff.

There are now at least two stock photo companies in recent months (Alaska Stock & "Masterfail") who have been shown the door for trying to short-cut the copyright registration process.

I apologize to everyone for not doing a better job in rechecking certain statements before "going public" with it.

[Robert Krausankas (BuddhaPi)]

I hereby sentence you to 50 lashings! Greg brings up a good point..we're all human, and mistakes are bound to happen, but at least we take responsibility , if and when something lie this happens which is not often.

[Matthew Chan]

No matter how I personally might feel, I don't want to ever make factual errors or make up fiction and call them "facts". I have no love for any of the stock photo companies but I definitely did not like making the statement that Alaska Stock went into bankruptcy when that definitely was not the case.  No one is more upset than me for my making an incorrect statement of fact.

Thanks for the continued support.

[stinger]

Matt:  We are all human, so get over the mistake.  You fixed it when you published the retraction and apology.  ...nuff said!