Thursday, March 28, 2024

LR 83.50: Bankruptcy Cases and Proceedings

(a) Matters Referred to the Bankruptcy Judges

(1) Unless withdrawn by a district judge, all cases under Title 11 of the United States Code and any or all proceedings arising under Title 11 or arising in or related to a case under Title 11 are referred to bankruptcy judges. The court intends to give bankruptcy judges the broadest possible authority to administer cases and proceedings properly within their jurisdiction.

(2) Under 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(1), bankruptcy judges will hear and determine all cases under Title 11 and all core proceedings (including those listed in 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)) arising under Title 11, or arising in or related to a case under Title 11, and will enter appropriate orders and judgments, subject to review under 28 U.S.C. § 158.

(3)Bankruptcy judges will hear all the non-core proceedings related to a case under Title 11.

(A) By Consent. With the parties’ express consent, bankruptcy judges may conduct hearings and enter appropriate orders or judgments in the proceeding, subject only to review under 28 U.S.C. § 158.

(B) Absent Consent. Absent consent of the parties, bankruptcy judges will conduct hearings and file proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law and a proposed order or judgment with the bankruptcy clerk. Bankruptcy judges may also file recommendations for expedited review. The bankruptcy clerk will immediately serve copies on all parties by mail and enter the date of mailing on the docket. Objections to a bankruptcy judge’s proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law must be filed as required by Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9033(b) and (c).

(b) Motions to Withdraw. District judges will hear motions to withdraw cases or proceedings. The district clerk will serve a copy of the order on the bankruptcy clerk and the bankruptcy judge.

(c) Matters to be Heard and Determined or Tried by District Judges. District judges will hear and determine cases or proceedings withdrawn under 28 U.S.C. § 157(d). District judges will also try personal injury tort and wrongful death claims under 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(5). If necessary, parties may move under (b) to withdraw a personal injury tort or wrongful death claim from a bankruptcy judge.

(d) Filing Papers.

(1) While cases or proceedings are pending before a bankruptcy judge, or before entry of an appeal on the district court docket under Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8010(b), all papers -- including removal notices under 28 U.S.C. § 1452(a) and motions to withdraw the reference -- will be filed with the bankruptcy clerk. If a notice of removal is mistakenly filed with the district clerk, the district clerk will note on the notice the date on which it was received and transmit it to the bankruptcy clerk. It will be deemed filed with the bankruptcy clerk on the date noted.

(2) After a contested matter or proceeding is assigned to a district judge, all papers in the matter or proceeding must bear a civil case number in addition to the bankruptcy case number(s) and must be filed with the district clerk.

(3) With the exception of papers required under Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8009, after the district clerk gives notice of the date on which the appeal was docketed, all papers must bear a civil case number in addition to the bankruptcy case number(s) and must be filed with the district clerk.

(e) Submitting Papers, Records or Files to the District Court; Assigning District Judges.

(1) The bankruptcy clerk will submit the necessary papers to the district clerk when:

(A) the time for filing objections under Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9033(b) expires;

(B) a district judge enters an order under 28 U.S.C. § 157(d);

(C) a party files a motion to withdraw a case or proceeding;

(D) a bankruptcy judge determines that a case or proceeding is one in which a personal injury tort or wrongful death claim is to be tried in a district court under 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(5); or

(E) the record is complete for purposes of appeal under Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8010(b).

(2) In connection with matters other than appeals, the bankruptcy clerk will send a notice to the parties identifying the papers submitted to the district clerk.

(3) Subject to (4), below, the district clerk will assign a civil case number to each matter submitted. The district clerk will assign all cases and proceedings arising out of a bankrupt estate to the district judge to whom the case was first assigned. If there is no prior assignment, the district clerk will assign the matter under LR 83.11.

(4) If the assigned judge believes that a bankruptcy case is one of unusual complexity, then, with the consent of the assigned judge, the chief judge may reassign to other judges of this court by random draw subsequent cases, motions to withdraw the reference under 28 U.S.C. § 157(d), proceedings withdrawn under 28 U.S.C. § 157(d), and appeals under 28 U.S.C. § 158, arising from that bankruptcy case for the purpose of docket efficiency and to expedite the resolution of such matters. In such a case, the following case management guidelines apply:

(A) In motions and appeals, expedited briefing schedules should be ordered.

(B) Oral argument should be allowed, unless the Court finds explicitly that oral argument will delay or inhibit the decision.

(C) The order or opinion deciding motions and appeals should be filed within 28 days of oral argument.

COMMENT: If multiple matters are reassigned under (e)(4), the chief judge will consider whether each subsequent matter should be treated as a companion case and reassigned under the companion case rule in LR 83.11(b)(7). The 2022 amendments change the references to the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure to conform to the numbering changes to those rule citations.

October 1, 2022