Announcement Archive

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, December 25th, in observance of Christmas Day.

The Bench-Bar Liaison Committee (the “Committee”) is seeking members of the bar to serve a three-year term on the Committee. There are currently four (4) vacancies on the Committee and service will commence on January 2, 2024.

Prospective Committee Members should review the requirements and selection criteria of General Order 15.  Chapter 7 Panel Trustees and employees of the U.S. Trustee are eligible to apply. Applications must commit to participate in quarterly Committee meetings each year during their three-year membership term and to otherwise actively further the Committee’s mission. To apply for a position on the Committee, please send a letter of interest along with a current resume or curriculum vitae to the Committee Co-Chairs, Kimberly Fineman (kfineman@fhlawllp.com) and Jeannie Kim (jekim@sheppardmullin.com) by December 6, 2023.

The Court will be closed on Friday, November 10, 2023, in observance of Veterans Day.

In re:

Court Operations Following the end of COVID-19 Emergency; and Abrogation of General Orders 38, 39, 40 (Second and Third Amended); 41 (Eff 12/1/2023); 43

Judge Hannah L. Blumenstiel of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California asked the Federal Judicial Center (FJC) to survey attorneys and trustees to obtain feedback about her judicial performance. The FJC is the research and education agency for the federal courts. The judge's decision to ask the FJC to conduct this survey is entirely voluntary and reflects Judge Blumenstiel's ongoing commitment to provide the highest level of public service possible.

During the week of July 17th, the FJC will send an email to each attorney or trustee who has had a case assigned to Judge Blumenstiel since January 1, 2019. The email will explain how to access and complete an online questionnaire.

The survey procedure is set up so responses are anonymous. Research staff at the FJC will compile the survey responses and provide Judge Blumenstiel a report, including the comments that are provided in response to the open-ended questions and tables or figures aggregating the responses to the closed-ended questions. The survey results and report are exclusively for Judge Blumenstiel's use in improving her performance.

If you do not receive a survey link from the FJC and want to participate, please contact Jessica Snowden of the FJC at 202-502-4049 or at jsnowden@fjc.gov.

If you have questions about the survey or encounter any technical difficulties, please also contact Jessica Snowden.

The Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California (the Court) is soliciting vendors to include on an approved list of qualified transcription services providers that will be publicly posted on the Court’s website. Vendors interested in received a solicitation packet detailing the Court’s requirements should send an email request to the Procurement Administrator, Suzanne McBride, at: suzanne_mcbride@canb.uscourts.gov.

All proposals must be received via email no later than Friday, July 28 2023 at 5:00pm PDT.

On June 8, 2023 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PT, the Boston Bar Association will present a FREE webinar explaining the U.S. DOJ’s New Guidance on Discharging Federal Student Loans in Bankruptcy Cases.  Panelists include:  Hon. Hannah L. Blumenstiel (Bankr. N.D. Cal.); John Rao (National Consumer Law Center); and William Austin Hinkle (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau).  Among many other things, the panelists will discuss the Guidelines and related forms recently promulgated by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California concerning the Guidance.  You do not need to be admitted to the Massachusetts bar and do not need to be a member of the Boston Bar Association to join the webinar.  No CLE credit can or will be provided for this program.  Please see the below program announcement for more information and a link to online registration.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, May 29th, in observance of Memorial Day.

CM/ECF will be temporarily unavailable from Saturday, April 22, 2023, at 8:00 AM to Sunday, April 23, 2023, at 11:59 PM due to system maintenance.

The California Northern Bankruptcy Court will upgrade our Case Management and Electronic Case Filing system to version 1.7.1. The system will be temporarily unavailable from Friday, March 10, 2023, at 5:00 PM to Monday, March 13, 2023, at 8:00 AM.
 

Prior to viewing the recording, please download the below pdfs as they will be referred to by the presenters.

To view the recording in a web browser, click here.

Topics discussed: Completing and ECF Filing the Chapter 13 Plan, Distributions under the Chapter 13 Plan, Defaulted Home and Vehicle Loans and Reporting Thereon, Treatment of Government Claims, Estimated Plan Lengths, and Lien Strips and Cramdowns

Presenters: Judge Hammond, Judge Johnson, Brisa Ramirez, Esq., Office of Trustee David Burchard, Darya Druch, Esq., and James S.K. (“Ike”) Shulman, Esq.

After 17 years on the Northern District of California bankruptcy bench, Judge Roger Efremsky is retiring, effective January 31, 2023.  Given the Northern District’s relatively low weighted caseload, it is not anticipated that the Ninth Circuit will replace him in the foreseeable future.  To ensure a smooth transition, effective November 1, 2022, Judge Efremsky will be removed from the Oakland and Santa Rosa divisions’ case assignment “wheels,” and no bankruptcy cases filed on or after that date will be assigned to him.  All new Oakland bankruptcy cases will be assigned to Judges Novack or Lafferty, and Judge Lafferty will replace Judge Efremsky on the Santa Rosa wheel.  With regard to Judge Efremsky’s Oakland cases that are pending on February 1, 2023, all cases that end in an “even” number will be assigned to Judge Novack, and all cases that end in an “odd” number will be assigned to Judge Lafferty.  Pending adversary proceedings will follow the main bankruptcy case. Judge Efremsky’s Santa Rosa cases and adversary proceedings that are pending on February 1, 2023, will be assigned to Judge Lafferty.

Please be advised that the Honorable Hannah L. Blumenstiel will not be available on Saturday, January 7, 2023 through and including Thursday, January 26, 2023.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, January 16th, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, December 26th, in observance of Christmas Day.