Boullion v. McClanahan , 639 F.2d 213, 214 (5th Cir. 1981).See, e.g.,Grant, Konvalinka & Harrison, PC v. Banks (In re McKenzie) , 716 F.3d 404, 413 (6th Cir.), cert denied , 571 U.S. 955, 134 S.Ct. 444, 187 L.Ed.2d 285 (2013) ; Sierra v. Seeber , 966 F.2d 1444 (4th Cir. 1992) ; Phoenician Mediterranean Villa, LLC v. Swope (In re J & S Props., LLC) , 545 B.R. 91, 104 (Bankr. W.D. Pa. 2015) ("When not acting pursuant to an order of court, a bankruptcy trustee is generally afforded qualified immunity ."), aff'd , 554 B.R. 747 (W.D. Pa. 2016), aff'd , 872 F.3d 138 (3d Cir. 2017).
A trustee may also be personally liable if the trustee's actions are ultra vires —outside of the duties conferred by the Bankruptcy Code. Konvalinka & Harrison, PC v. F. Scott LeRoy (In re McKenzie), 716 F.3d 404 (6th Cir.2013), cert. denied, ––– U.S. ––––, 134 S.Ct. 444, 187 L.Ed.2d 285 (2013) ; DiStefano v. Stern (In re J.F.D. Enters., Inc.), 223 B.R. 610, 625 (Bankr.D.Mass.1998) (“[I]mmunity does not extend to acts which are ultra vires or in breach of a trustee's fiduciary duty.”); Ziegler v. Pitney, 139 F.2d 595, 596 (2d Cir.1943). Therefore, a trustee's actions are sanitized if the trustee, after full disclosure, notice and hearing, obtains court approval and immunized if the trustee makes a mistake in business judgment while carrying out his statutory duties.