Court Operations after the Termination of the COVID-19 National Emergency

 

Honorable Stephen L. Johnson, Chief Judge • Edward Emmons, Clerk of Court

News and Announcements


Effective January 1, 2023, the Northern District of California
adopted a new Chapter 13 Plan


IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Bankruptcy Noticing Center Disruption

The Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California is currently experiencing an interruption in service regarding the transmission of official court notices. Due to a nationwide service disruption at the Bankruptcy Noticing Center (BNC), the BNC is unable to provide electronic and paper noticing services to the courts at this time.

Additionally, the following websites are currently unavailable. 


    • bnc.uscourts.gov

    • bankruptcynotices.uscourts.gov

    • notices.uscourts.gov

    • National Creditor Registration Service website (ncrs.uscourts.gov) that supports CM/ECF access to address labels

The Court’s CM/ECF Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF) email system continues to operate normally and counsel of record in any open case should continue to receive NEFs via email.

Please be assured that your case deadlines and legal rights are protected. While the BNC works to restore service, please follow these guidelines regarding your notices:

For Attorneys, Trustees, and Registered E-Filers 


    • Check CM/ECF Regularly: Court dockets remain fully functional. Registered users will continue to receive Notices of Electronic Filing (NEFs) via email.

    • Do Not Rely on BNC Confirmations: Please review your case dockets directly via PACER or CM/ECF to verify hearing dates, deadlines, and entry of orders.

    • Accessing Matrices: If you require a case's mailing matrix to execute service, do not attempt to use the external BNC/NCRS portal or the internal CM/ECF "List of Creditors" utility. Instead, you must check the court docket directly to locate the debtor's creditor matrix or list. Please note that the matrix may not always be attached to Docket Entry #1 (the voluntary petition), so a full review of the early docket entries to locate the most up-to-date matrix is recommended.

For Pro Se Debtors and Unrepresented Creditors


    • Check Our Public Website: Use the court's Calendars page   to verify upcoming hearing dates and times online.

    • Contact Your Attorney: If you are represented by counsel, your attorney still has full electronic access to your case files and can provide you with copies of recent notices or orders.

    • Call the Automated Voice Case Information System (McVCIS): You can check the basic status of your case, including upcoming hearings, 24/7 by calling (866) 222-8029.

    • Contact the Clerk’s Office: If you have an urgent question about a deadline or an upcoming hearing, please call our help desk at (888) 821-7606 or visit our intake counter.

Regarding Deadlines and Hearings

All scheduled court hearings will proceed as planned unless you are explicitly notified otherwise by the court or your attorney. If a critical notice or deadline was missed due to this outage, the Court will evaluate extensions of time on a case-by-case or administrative basis to ensure no party's due process is compromised.

Further updates will be posted to this website as they become available.

 

Judge William J. Lafferty, III, appointed Chief Judge effective December 1, 2026

PDF icon Chief Judge Announcement eff 12.1.26

Departure Announcement for the Honorable Hannah L. Blumenstiel

PDF icon Departure Announcement HLB

Oakland Division Brown Bag Lunch

On January 14, 2027, with Judge Lafferty and Judge Porter

PDF icon Oakland Brown Bag Lunch

San Jose Division Brown Bag Lunch

On January 25, 2027, with Judge Lafferty, Judge Novack, and Judge Porter

PDF icon San Jose Brown Bag Lunch

Ninth Circuit Appoints Cara Masako Porter as Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of California

Link: Ninth Circuit Appoints Cara Masako Porter as Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of California

General Order 35 (First Amended), effective July 30, 2026

Clarifies the application of Guidelines for Payment of Attorney's Fees in Chapter 13 Cases, for cases filed using Local Form Chapter 13 Plan NDC1-1

General Order 35 (First Amended) - Chapter 13 Attorney’s Fees for Cases Using Local Form Chapter 13 Plan