Page - 190 - in Austrian Law Journal, Volume 2/2021

ALJ 2021 Nunner-Krautgasser/Weidinger 190 responsible for debt settlement proceedings before the district court.70 For insolvency proceedings before the regional court, however, a judge is always responsible.71 As the places of jurisdiction defined by the IO are compulsory, any agreements on the place of jurisdiction regarding insolvency proceedings are invalid pursuant to § 253 (2) IO.72 D. Self-administration in debt settlement proceedings In Austrian insolvency proceedings, the debtor generally loses the power of disposal over the insolvency estate (i.e. assets subject to enforcement).73 In debt settlement proceedings, however, for the purpose of lower costs usually no insolvency administrator ("Insolvenzverwalter") is appointed according to § 190 (1) IO; rather, the debtor is entitled to self-administration according to § 186 (1) IO.74 In over 90% of all debt settlement proceedings, administration is left to the debtor, who is then supervised by the court.75 Within the scope of the debtor's self-administration, the debtor is entitled to receive all of his postal correspondence and can accept payments with debt-discharging effect.76 In this context, the debtor also has the power to conduct civil proceedings regarding assets belonging to the insolvency estate;77 however, the debtor requires the court's authorisation to conduct such proceedings pursuant to § 187 (1) no. 3 and 4 IO. In the case of self-administration, the insolvency court must approve most legal transactions of the debtor.78 The decision on approval made by the court is contestable.79 The acts requiring approval include, for example, the creation of new liabilities.80 The legal transactions mentioned in § 116 IO must be notified to the court and legal transactions mentioned in § 117 IO must be approved by the court in any case. The insolvency court may appoint an insolvency administrator only for certain activities;81 the insolvency administrator will then only be active in a limited scope of business.82 An insolvency administrator with a limited scope of activities may be appointed by the insolvency court 70 Schneider, Privatinsolvenz3 7; Dellinger/Oberhammer/Koller, Insolvenzrecht4 Rz 42; Kodek, Insolvenzrecht2 Rz 49; Rechberger/Seeber/Thurner, Insolvenzrecht3 Rz 428. 71 Mohr, Privatinsolvenz3 Rz 78; Dellinger/Oberhammer/Koller, Insolvenzrecht4 Rz 41. 72 Dellinger/Oberhammer/Koller, Insolvenzrecht4 Rz 40; Rechberger/Seeber/Thurner, Insolvenzrecht3 Rz 35; Mohr, Privatinsolvenz3 Rz 25. 73 Kodek, Insolvenzrecht2 Rz 561; Dellinger/Oberhammer/Koller, Insolvenzrecht4 Rz 128. 74 Dellinger/Oberhammer/Koller, Insolvenzrecht4 Rz 483; Mohr, Privatinsolvenz3 Rz 132; Schneider, Privatinsolvenz3 29; Kodek, Insolvenzrecht2 Rz 558; Kodek, Privatkonkurs2 Rz 33; Feuchtinger/Lesigang, Insolvenzrecht4 132. 75 Kodek, Insolvenzrecht2 Rz 562. 76 Dellinger/Oberhammer/Koller, Insolvenzrecht4 Rz 500; Schneider in Koller/Lovrek/Spitzer, IO § 157 Rz 2; Kodek, Insolvenzrecht2 Rz 566. 77 Schneider in Koller/Lovrek/Spitzer, IO § 157 Rz 8; Schneider, Privatinsolvenz3 82; Mohr, Privatinsolvenz3 Rz 142. 78 Mohr, Privatinsolvenz3 Rz 145 and 350; Schneider, Privatinsolvenz3 29; Dellinger/Oberhammer/Koller, Insolvenzrecht4 Rz 500; Kodek, Insolvenzrecht2 Rz 563. 79 Kodek, Insolvenzrecht2 Rz 565. 80 Schneider, Privatinsolvenz3 29; Kodek, Insolvenzrecht2 Rz 563; Mohr, Privatinsolvenz3 Rz 145. 81 Schneider, Privatinsolvenz3 29; Kodek, Insolvenzrecht2 Rz 574. 82 Mohr, Privatinsolvenz3 Rz 144; Dellinger/Oberhammer/Koller, Insolvenzrecht4 Rz 499; Kodek, Insolvenzrecht2 Rz 574.