REGULATION OF THE TIME LIMITATION FOR ACTS THAT MAY BE SUBJECT TO ACTIO PAULIANA UNDER INDONESIAN BANKRUPTCY LAW

• Safina Elita Aliyah

  Universitas Airlangga

  Author

Law Number 37 of 2004 provides the actio pauliana mechanism as a form of protection for creditors against legal acts of debtors who deliberately transfer their assets so that they are excluded from the bankruptcy estate, thereby causing potential losses to creditors. However, the regulation concerning the time frame for legal acts that may be challenged through actio pauliana has given rise to misinterpretation in the practice of the Commercial Court. The phrase “one (1) year” in Article 42 is intended to function as a mechanism for shifting the burden of proof from the curator to the debtor, based on the presumption that the debtor had knowledge when the legal act was carried out within one year prior to the declaration of bankruptcy. This study aims to analyze the characteristics of legal acts that may be subject to actio pauliana under bankruptcy law and to examine the legal consequences of regulating the time limitation for acts that may be challenged through an actio pauliana claim. This research employs a statutory approach, a case approach, and a comparative approach by examining the bankruptcy laws of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Italy. The findings indicate that the lack of clarity in the regulation results in legal uncertainty, leads to inconsistent practices in the Commercial Court, and has the potential to prejudice good-faith third parties. This study emphasizes the urgency of clearly determining the applicable time period as a manifestation of legal certainty, justice, and utility for all parties.

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