Announcement Archive

The Court will be closed on Monday, February 17, 2025, in observance of President's Day.

The Court will be closed on Monday, January 20, 2025, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday.

The Court will be closed on Tuesday, December 24, and Wednesday, December 25, 2024.

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 three (3) vacancies on the Committee and service will commence on January 2, 2025.

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, Dara L. Silveira (dsilveira@kbkllp.com) and Jonathan N. Vaknin (jonathan@vakninlaw.com), by December 2, 2024.

Please be advised that the Honorable Hannah L. Blumenstiel will not be available on Wednesday, October 23, 2024 through and including Thursday, October 31, 2024.

The Court will be closed on Monday, October 14, 2024 in observance of Columbus Day.

CM/ECF will be temporarily unavailable on Saturday, September 21st  from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM due to system maintenance.
 

The Court will be closed on Monday, September 2, 2024 in observance of Labor Day.

The California Northern Bankruptcy Court will upgrade our Case Management and Electronic Case Filing system to version 1.7.2. The system will be temporarily unavailable from Saturday, August 24, 2024, at 8:00 AM to Sunday, August 25, 2024, at 6:00 PM.

The Court will be closed on Thursday, July 4, 2024 in observance of Independence Day.

Effective immediately, use of VERSION 4 of the Chapter 13 Plan dated January 1, 2023, is mandatory for all Chapter 13 cases filed on or after January 1, 2023. The updated Version 4 enhances the following functionality of the form fields:

• - Corrected the dollar amount, ensuring that input after the decimal point is accurately displayed




• - Enhanced dynamic rows, allowing users to now remove rows in addition to adding them.
• - Expanded the number of digits allowed in a field from 6 to 9 digits.
• - Adjusted the size of form fields to ensure proper text display.
• - Improved and simplified internal programming for enhanced efficiency.

Access to CM/ECF will be temporarily unavailable on Saturday, April 20, 2024 from 8:00 AM to 11:30 PM due to system maintenance.

The Court will be closed on Monday, February 19, 2024, in observance of President's Day.

The Court will be closed on Monday, January 15, 2024, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday.

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.

The Court will conduct a seminar on the District’s new Chapter 13 Plan (effective January 1, 2023)

The seminar has reached capacity. The recording will be available for viewing on the courts website on December 19, 2022.

 Presenters:

Judge Hammond

Judge Johnson

Brisa Ramirez, Esq., Office of Trustee David Burchard

Darya Druch, Esq.

James S.K. (“Ike”) Shulman, Esq.

Topics will include:

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

Lien Strips and Cramdowns

This Program will be recorded and posted on the Court’s Website if you are not able to attend at the time it is offered.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Friday, November 11th, in observance of Veterans Day.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Court is considering changes to Bankruptcy Local Rule 9014-1. A PDF of the proposed changes (redlined version) is below, along with the Local Form for Certificate of No Objection. Comments regarding the proposed changes may be submitted by emailing ron_mastroianni@canb.uscourts.gov by September 30, 2022.

CM/ECF will be temporarily unavailable on Saturday, September 17^th from 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM due to system maintenance. Following the system maintenance, CM/ECF will undergo tests to ensure proper back-up system operations. During this time, you may experience temporary intermittent access to certain CM/ECF features. Testing will conclude on Saturday, September 24, 2022.

  If you experience any issues, please contact the helpdesk.  

   PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Court is requesting comments on the new Chapter 13 plan that it has drafted in consultation with a committee of lawyers and Martha Bronitsky, Chapter 13 Trustee. PDF versions of the Chapter 13 plan and its attachments are below.  Comments regarding the new plan may be emailed to Ron_Mastroianni@canb.uscourts.gov by September 1, 2022.  The subject line of the email should be “Chapter 13 Plan Comments.”   

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, July 4th, in observance of Independence Day.

Access to CM/ECF will be temporarily unavailable on Saturday, June 25, 2022, from 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM due to system maintenance.

PACER users and Next Generation (NextGen) Case Management/Electronic Case Files (CM/ECF) e-filers may experience intermittent authentication issues when logging on, and intermittent connection issues when making payments through Pay.gov on Sunday, June 12 from 3:55 AM to 4:00 PM due to PACER system maintenance.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, May 30th, in observance of Memorial Day.

This order rescinds Amended Interim Bankruptcy Rule 1020, and the use of amended Official Forms 101, 122A-1, 122B-1, 122C-1, and 201 in this Court.

Access to CM/ECF will be temporarily unavailable on Saturday, February 26th, 2022, from 5:00 AM to 10:00 AM due to system maintenance.

A debtor who wishes to dismiss a pending chapter 13 case that has not previously been converted shall file a “Notice of Voluntary Dismissal Pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 1307(b)”.  This Notice shall be executed by the debtor(s) under penalty of perjury and shall attest that the case to be dismissed has not previously been converted under 11 U.S.C. §§ 706, 1112, or 1208.  At the same time that the debtor files this Notice, they shall submit an Order of Dismissal. 

On June 21, 2021, the United States Trustee Program’s rule entitled Uniform Periodic Reports in Cases Filed Under Chapter 11 of Title 11, published at 28 C.F.R. § 58.8 (the “Final Rule”) became effective. The Final Rule requires that chapter 11 debtors-in-possession and trustees, other than in small business and subchapter V cases, file monthly operating reports and post-confirmation reports using streamlined, data-embedded, uniform forms in every judicial district where the U.S. Trustee Program operates.

The United States Trustee Program has posted on its website updated versions of the UST Form 11-MOR, Monthly Operating Reports (“MOR”) and UST Form 11-PCR, Post-confirmation Reports (“PCR”), that should be used for all reports filed after that date. Designed to improve the overall user experience, the updates will streamline the process of embedding data on the forms by using standard PDF bar-code technology. The updates do not impact the information required to be reported on the MORs and PCRs.

To obtain important information related to periodic reporting under the Final Rule, please visit https://www.justice.gov/ust/chapter-11-operating-reports. While at that webpage, please subscribe to the “Chapter 11 Operating Reports E-mail Updates” feature to automatically receive future email updates about the forms and periodic reporting under the Final Rule.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, January 17th, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday.

Please be advised that the Honorable Hannah L. Blumenstiel will not be available on Thursday, December 23, 2021 through and including Friday, January 7, 2022.

On April 6, 2020, the Judicial Council of California adopted Emergency Rules intended to address issues relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.  These Emergency Rules took effect on April 6, 2020 and some of them pertain to unlawful detainer actions and judicial foreclosure actions.  The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California has posted the Emergency Rules here for informational purposes only.  All parties and counsel should understand that the Judicial Council’s Emergency Rules neither govern nor restrict the power of Bankruptcy Judges to decide matters based upon the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code and Rules, nor do they provide a doctrinal basis to enlarge a Bankruptcy Judge’s powers to decide matters before them.

Access to CM/ECF will be temporarily unavailable on Sunday, December 26, 2021, from 5:00 AM to 12:00 PM due to system maintenance.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Thursday, November 11th, in observance of Veterans Day.

The California Northern Bankruptcy Court will be upgrading our Case Management and Electronic Case Filing system to version 1.6.2 and will be temporarily unavailable from Saturday, October 16 at 5:00 AM to Sunday, October 17 at 11:00 PM.

Our CM/ECF filing system will be fully upgraded to NextGen v 1.6.2 on Monday, October 18, 2021.  Please visit our website and review NextGen 1.6 PDF Information regarding what enhancements should be omitted from submission to our filing system.

Please note that the NDCA Bankruptcy Judicial Conference scheduled for 10/1/21 at the Presidio (and rescheduled from 2020) is postponed. To have the in-person connections that this conference brings, a new date will be determined and announced for 2022.

This order announces effective June 28, 2021, the Intake Counter at Clerk’s office locations in San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland will re-open to the public with limited hours of operation.

Temporary Assignment of Certain Bankruptcy Cases and Adversary Proceedings

Debtor(s)’ Signatures On Electronic Filings Order Temporarily Suspending Requirement To Obtain Original Signatures From Debtors For Electronic Filings

This order extends the closure of the bankruptcy courts in San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Rosa, Salinas, Oakland, and McKinleyville to the general public until further notice.

            The Administrative Office of the United States Courts has provided notice of a national breach of the CM/ECF system and has called upon courts to implement new security procedures to protect Highly Sensitive Documents.  Given the limited number and nature of documents that are filed under seal by the bankruptcy court, the court construes this request to apply to all motions to seal documents filed in this court.  The bankruptcy court is working to update its motion to seal protocols, and is awaiting further guidance and direction from the Administrative Office of the Courts on this matter.

            In the interim, the bankruptcy court is revising its “Electronically Filing Sealed and Redacted Documents” guideline (the “Guideline”) as follows:

            Step 2 under the “CM/ECF Filing Sequence For Sealed Documents” is stricken, and the moving party shall not electronically file the document(s) at issue. Instead, the moving party shall contact and inform chambers that it is filing a motion to seal a document.  After notifying chambers, the moving party shall place the document(s) in question into an envelope that identifies on its cover the bankruptcy case/adversary proceeding caption and states in bold, upper case language that it contains “PROPOSED DOCUMENT(S) TO BE FILED UNDER SEAL.” The moving party shall securely seal the envelope and cause the envelope to be delivered and deposited into the court’s drop-box located in the San Francisco or San Jose courthouse.  The court shall physically secure the document(s) in question. 

            Paragraph 4 of the Guideline shall now read as follows:

            A.  If Motion is Granted: The proposed document(s) Filed Under Seal will remain sealed and become part of the record, but will not be electronically filed. The Clerk will annotate the original docket entry as follows: PROPOSED SEALED DOCUMENT(S) APPROVED-REFER TO DOCKET ENTRY #_. 

            B. If Motion is Denied: The proposed document will remain in the secure possession of the court and will not be placed on the electronic docket. The Clerk will annotate the original docket entry as follows: PROPOSED SEALED DOCUMENTS DENIED-REFER TO DOCKET ENTRY #_.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, February 15th, in observance of Presidents' Day.

The Judicial Conference of the United States approved adjustments to the miscellaneous fee schedule for bankruptcy courts.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, January 18th, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Access to CM/ECF will be temporarily unavailable on Saturday, January 9, 2021, from 5:00 AM to 9:00 AM due to system maintenance.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Friday, January 1st, in observance of New Year's Day.

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

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Wednesday, November 11th, in observance of Veterans Day.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, October 12th, in observance of Columbus Day.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, September 7th, in observance of Labor Day.

Access to CM/ECF will be temporarily unavailable on Saturday, July 18, 2020, from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM due to system maintenance.

Check out PACER’s newly redesigned, informational and
resource website, https://pacer.uscourts.gov.

The website provides information about how the public
can access federal court records electronically and have
easy access to PACER and PACER-related applications.

New features include:

  • Mobile friendly design;
  • New tools to search for court-specific information;
  • Interactive format to search frequently asked questions;
  • Search engine has been optimized to improve content
    findability;
  • JSON and XML feeds of court-specific information; and
  • New accessibility tools.

In addition, two PACER applications—Manage My Account
and Registration—have new designs to create an improved
user experience. 

Email any feedback to the PACER Service
Center.

This order extends the closure of the federal courts in San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Rosa, Salinas, Oakland, and McKinleyville to the general public through September 30, 2020. 

This order establishes a new requirement regarding the noticing of civil hearings and trials conducted by video or teleconference.  Unless otherwise ordered by the presiding judge, all notices of any motion or application filed with the court and served on any party which sets a hearing date for the motion or application must state that the hearing will not be conducted in the presiding judge’s courtroom but instead will be conducted by telephone or video, and include language as specified in Paragraph 8 in the Third Amended General Order 38.

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 seven (7) vacancies on the Committee and service will commence on July 1, 2020.

Prospective Committee Members should review the requirements and selection criteria of General Order No. 15. Trustee’s and employees of the U.S. Trustee are eligible to apply. Applications must commit to participate in six to eight Committee meetings each year during their 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, Dennis Miller (dmiller@lubinolson.com) and Scott Johnson (sjohnson@gajplaw.com) by June 15, 2020.

Because of upcoming protests near federal building locations in the Northern District of California, all courthouses are CLOSED through Monday, June 8, 2020.  If you need to file a document or contact the Court, please call (888) 821-7606. In addition, pleadings can be sent to CANB-EMERGENCY-FILINGS@canb.uscourts.gov .

CM/ECF will be unavailable on Saturday, May 2, 2020 at 7 AM to Sunday, May 3, 2020 at 11:59 PM for system maintenance.

CM/ECF will be unavailable on Saturday, April 18, 2020, from 10 AM to 10 PM for system maintenance.

On April 7, 2020, at 10:00 AM, the Bankruptcy Court hearing in the PG&E Corporation and Pacific Gas and Electric Company Chapter 11 cases (Case No. 19-30088-DM (Lead Case)) will be conducted by Judge Dennis Montali via TELECONFERENCE. Attorneys and others intending to appear and be heard on matters on the calendar should register via CourtCall through their existing accounts or should contact CourtCall at 888-882-6878 no later than 5:00 PM, PDT, on April 6, 2020.  Members of the media and others wishing to attend via Listen Only at no cost should also register by the same deadline.

Santa Rosa on February 12, 2020, and Salinas on March 4, 2020. 

See below flyers for details.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, February 17th, in observance of Presidents' Day.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, January 20th, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

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

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on November 28th and 29th, in observance of Thanksgiving.

The United States Department of Justice, Office of the United States Trustee, seeks resumes from persons wishing to be considered for inclusion in a pool of trustees who may be appointed on a case-by-case basis to administer cases filed under the Small Business Reorganization Act of 2019 (Subchapter V), which amended chapter 11 of title 11 of the United States Code (Bankruptcy Code). Please see the below document for more information.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, November 11th, in observance of Veterans Day.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, October 14th, in observance of Columbus Day.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Court is considering changes to Bankruptcy Local Rules 1001-2, 1002-1, 1005-1, 1017-1, 1017-2, 3017-1, 5005-1, 8003-1, 9013-3, 9014-1, 9022-1, 9040-3, 9042-2 and the addition of NEW Bankruptcy Local Rules 2002-2 and 2016-1. A PDF of the proposed changes is below. Comments regarding any of the proposed changes may be submitted by emailing ron_mastroianni@canb.uscourts.gov by July 26, 2019.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Thursday, July 4th, in observance of Independence 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 July 1, 2019.

Prospective Committee members should review the requirements and selection criteria of General Order No. 15. Trustees and employees of the U.S. Trustee are eligible to apply. Applicants must commit to participate in six to eight Committee meetings each year during their 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, Adam N. Barasch (anb@severson.com) and Joanne LaFreniere (j_lafreniere@comcast.net) by June 14, 2019.

Effective April 29, 2019, the Court has migrated from CM/ECF version 5.1.4 to 5.2. This release was primarily applied in order to strengthen our system's integrity and security, and the public should not see any direct changes to our program.

Effective Saturday, May 18, 2019, CM/ECF will be temporarily unavailable from 9:00 PM to 10:00 PM, for standardize maintenance. CM/ECF should resume operations after 10:00 PM.

The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California cordially invites bankruptcy practitioners to attend the portrait dedication ceremony of Retired Bankruptcy Judge Alan Jaroslovsky on Monday, March 11, in the Santa Rosa courthouse. The ceremony will occur immediately after Judge Efremsky’s 11:00 AM calendar. Light refreshments will be served. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to wendy_kan@canb.uscourts.gov by Monday, March 4, 2019.

The following new district-wide Chapter 13 fees and related forms apply to cases filed on or after January 1, 2019.

Court operations will not be affected, including matters set for hearing and public hours during the government shutdown. The court's case management system (CM/ECF) and PACER, will remain available as well.

Due to PG&E electrical work and the GSA closure of the federal building annex, the Santa Rosa Division will be closed on Wednesday, January 16, 2019. If you must file a document please go to either the Oakland office at 1300 Clay Street, 3rd Floor, Oakland, CA 94612 or the San Francisco office at 450 Golden Gate Avenue, 18th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94102. Both offices are open from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

The Court is pleased to announce the release of a new application, ChapMobile!
ChapMobile is a free application that is available to download at your local app store, and is compatible with any mobile device.

With the ChapMobile App, you have direct access to:

View Judges' and 341 Meetings' calendars
Search hearings by case name or number
View court locations and contact information
Create your own favorite list of attorneys to follow and quickly view upcoming hearings
Navigate to other Bankruptcy Court’s calendars

For detailed instructions on how to use ChapMobile, please see:
http://www.canb.uscourts.gov/chap-mobile-application

Once downloaded, the ChapMobile Icon will appear on your mobile device and will carry a court seal.
If you have questions, please contact us toll free at (888) 821-7606 or at Helpdesk@uscourts.gov.

The San Jose Division has new procedures for appearances by telephone.

More information:http://www.canb.uscourts.gov/procedure/oakland-san-jose/policy-and-proce...

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on November 22nd and 23rd, in observance of Thanksgiving.

http://www.canb.uscourts.gov/procedure/lafferty/judge-laffertys-chapter-...

The Court will only accept a money order or a cashier’s check made payable to “Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court.”  Please note, from a non-debtor the Clerk will accept a business check or a credit card.  Personal checks are not accepted. 

Please see the fee schedule for exact amounts.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, October 8th, in observance of Columbus Day.

The US Bankruptcy Court, NDCA (The Court) is soliciting vendors to provide FTR Gold software. Vendors interested in receiving a solicitation packet detailing the Court’s requirements should send an email to: suzanne_mcbride@canb.uscourts.gov

All requests for the solicitation packet must be received by COB Friday, August 31 2018.

Effective June 11, 2018, to order a written transcript or an audio recording of a Court hearing follow the revised Transcript Order Instructions or Audio Ordering Instructions.  

The US Bankruptcy Court, NDCA (The Court) is soliciting vendors to provide “SMART” counsel tables and lecterns for the courtrooms in the San Jose division.

Vendors interested in receiving a solicitation packet detailing the Court’s requirements should send an email to:

suzanne_mcbride@canb.uscourts.gov

All requests for the solicitation packet must be received by COB Friday, Aug 3 2018.

Thank you.

Not finding what you are looking for on the Court website?  Contact the Court at (888) 821-7606 for assistance.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, May 28th, in observance of Memorial Day.

The Court will implement new internal procedures for processing Chapter 11 cases effective February 20, 2018.  The new form of Order and Notice of Chapter 11 Status Conference that will be issued at the commencement of Chapter 11 cases is posted at http://www.canb.uscourts.gov/procedure/district/order-and-notice-chapter....

The Honorable Charles Novack shall be the acting Chief Judge of the Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California, in place of the Honorable Roger L. Efremsky.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, February 19th, in observance of Presidents' Day.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California has adopted a new Chapter 13 Plan (NDC 1-1), which becomes effective December 1, 2017.   The plan and instructions are available at:  http://www.canb.uscourts.gov/procedures/district

Public Access to electronic court records is now available at  the San Francisco divisional office located at 450 Golden Gate Avenue.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, January 15th, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

General Order 34, In re: Chapter 13 Debt Adjustment Cases and General Order 35, In re: Chapter 13 Attorney's Fees for Cases Using Form Chapter 13 Plan, effective December 1, 2017.  Available at:  http://www.canb.uscourts.gov/case-info/general-orders

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, January 1st, in observance of New Years Day.

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

In order to implement the necessary changes to comply with the December 1, 2017, Rule Changes and General Orders 34 and 35, CM/ECF will be unavailable on Friday, December 1, 2017, from 12 AM to 2 AM to install system modifications.

Monday, November 27, 2017 at 2:00 PM.  LIVE in Santa Rosa with Chief Judge Efremsky and Judge Montali.  Video casts in Oakland (Courtroom 201), San Francisco (Courtroom 17), and San Jose (Courtroom 3070).

Tuesday, November 28, 2017 at 3:30 PM.  LIVE in Oakland (Courtroom 201) with Chief Judge Efremsky and Judge Novack. Video casts in Santa Rosa, San Jose (Courtroom 3070), and San Francisco (Courtroom 17).

Space is limited. Please email one of the addresses below to confirm your attendance. Include your name and the date you will be attending in the email.

San Francisco:       SF13Program@canb.uscourts.gov
San Jose:               SJ13Program@canb.uscourts.gov
Santa Rosa:           SR13Program@canb.uscourts.gov
Oakland:                OK13Program@canb.uscourts.gov

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on November 23rd and 24th, in observance of Thanksgiving.

Please contact the Court if you have any questions or concerns.

Please take notice:  The calendar matters set for 11:00 AM on October 16, 2017, in Santa Rosa are all continued to the same time on October 23, 2017. Questions should be sent to monica_burley@canb.uscourts.gov

Please take notice: The 1:00, 1:10, 1:20, 1:30 and 1:45 PM Chapter 13 calendar matters set for October 11, 2017, in Santa Rosa are all continued to the same times on November 8, 2017

This updated guideline replaces Guidelines for Valuing and Avoiding Liens in Individual Chapter 11 Cases and Chapter 13 Cases, dated September 10, 2010

Application of Policy on Privacy of Personal Data Identifiers

In the interest of full and open access by the public to the records and the dockets of the Bankruptcy Court, absent an order on a motion to file a document under seal, to file a redacted document, to redact a document, or to restrict access to a document or an applicable exception, the Clerk’s Office will not manually or electronically seal, redact or restrict access to a document filed with the court electronically or in paper.  Consistent with Bankruptcy Rule 9037 and the Judicial Conference Policy on Privacy and Public Access to Electronic Case Files, in an electronic or paper filing made with the court that contains an individual’s social security number, taxpayer identification number, birth date, the name of an individual, other than the debtor, known to be an identified as a minor, or a financial account number, unless the court orders otherwise, a party or non-party making the filing may include only:

(1)  The last four digits of the social security number and taxpayer identification number;

(2)  The year of the individual’s birth;

(3)  The minor’s initials; and

(4)  The last for digits of the financial account number.

This policy on privacy of personal data identifiers is subject to the provisions of, inter alia, 11 U.S.C. §§ 107 and 112, Bankruptcy Rule 9037, Civil Local Rule 79-5, the district procedure for Electronically Filing Sealed and Redacted Documents, and the Interim District Procedure for Motions to Redact.

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

All requests for the solicitation packet must be received no later than Friday, August 18, 2017, at 5:00 p.m. PDT.  All proposals must be received via email no later than Friday, August 25, 2017, at 5:00 p.m. PDT.

The form order will be effective July 1, 2017, and will be required in the Oakland Division when obtaining a court order to modify the Chapter 13 Plan.  This preferred form order, approved by all Chapter 13 Trustees, may also be used in the San Francisco, Santa Rosa and San Jose Divisions.

Assignment of Santa Rosa Cases Filed on or after July 1, 2017 and Abrogation of General Order 27

UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

Notice of Temporary Assignment:
Network Administrator

Length of Assignment: Approximately 60 days, may be extended

Opportunity to Respond:  June 15 – June 24, 2017

The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California is seeking a temporary employment agency to provide a temporary Network Administrator for a 60 day assignment.

Interested employment agencies should email Corrine_Jew@canb.uscourts.gov  for more information. 

UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

Notice of Temporary Assignment - Network Administrator

Length of Assignment: Approximately 90 days

Opportunity to Respond:  May 4 – May 11, 2017

The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California is seeking a temporary employment agency to provide a temporary Network Administrator for a 90 day assignment.

Interested employment agencies should email Corrine_Jew@canb.uscourts.gov  for more information. 

The BDRP invites applications from individuals for appointment to the BDRP Panel of Resolution Advocates.  Please visit Information on Joining BDRP as a Resolution Advocate to submit an application.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, February 20th, in observance of Presidents' Day.

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

Amendments to Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure 1010, 1011, 1012, 2002, 3002.1, 7008, 7012, 7016, 9006, 9027 and, 9033.  Clean and redline versions of these Rule changes are available from the US Courts website.

Effective immediately, the court’s United States Postal Service (USPS) mailing address is:

United States Bankruptcy Court
450 Golden Gate Avenue
Mail Box 36099
San Francisco CA 94102

The court will keep its current mailing address (P.O. Box 7341) until November 1, 2016.  At which time, mail will be forwarded to the above address (450 Golden Gate Avenue).

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Friday, November 11th, in observance of Veterans Day.

The US Bankruptcy Court, NDCA (The Court) is soliciting vendors to provide maintenance for our courtroom audio equipment.  The Court has divisional offices in San Francisco, Oakland, Santa Rosa, and San Jose.  Interested vendors must be able to service each location.

Vendors interested in receiving a solicitation packet detailing the Court’s requirements should send an email to:

suzanne_mcbride@canb.uscourts.gov

All requests for the solicitation packet must be received by COB Friday, August 26.

Thank you.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, September 5th, in observance of Labor Day.

United States Bankruptcy Court
for the Northern District of California

survey for Bankruptcy Judge William J. Lafferty

Judge William J. Lafferty of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California asked the Federal Judicial Center (FJC) to survey members of the Bar to assess his level of performance. The judge’s decision to ask the FJC to conduct this survey is entirely voluntary and is part of Judge Lafferty's ongoing commitment to provide the highest level of public service possible. The FJC, which is the research and education organization for the federal courts, is located in Washington, D.C. The FJC has been conducting similar surveys for judges for several years.

During the week of June 13, the FJC will send an email to each attorney who has had a case or proceeding assigned to Judge Lafferty during approximately the past three years. The email will explain how to access and complete an online questionnaire.

Research staff at the FJC will compile and analyze completed questionnaires, and will provide Judge Lafferty a report, including a statistical summary and a compilation of the comments that are received.  FJC staff will not provide the judge with the identity of the people who responded, if that information becomes known to them. The results are exclusively for Judge Lafferty’s use in improving his performance during the remainder of his term; they will not be provided to anyone other than the judge and they will not be used in the reappointment process.

Judge Lafferty currently serves on the FJC Committee on Bankruptcy Judge Education.  FJC staff who work with the committee are in a different division of the FJC and are not involved in this survey. The results will not be shared with them and will not affect Judge Lafferty’s standing on the committee.

If you do not receive an email from the FJC and want to participate, please contact Beth Wiggins of the FJC by phone at 202-502-4076 or by email at bwiggins@fjc.gov.

If you have questions about the survey or encounter any technical difficulties, please also contact Ms. Wiggins. If you would prefer to complete a paper version of the questionnaire, she can provide you with a copy and instructions for returning it to the FJC.

These features include:

1. “Live Chat” which will allow you to interact with the Helpdesk via chat box.
    
2. A definitions glossary that will be available throughout the website. You can access definitions by hovering over identified key words.
    
3. Our “Calendars” page is now divided between court calendars and 341 calendars
    
4. A new “Advanced Search” feature is available on some of the sections of the website.
    
5. A new format for the Attorneys' ECF manual
    

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, July 4th, in observance of Independence Day.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, May 30th, in observance of Memorial Day.

In December 2015, the Clerk of Court and the San Francisco Division of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California relocated to the Phillip Burton Federal Building and United States Courthouse, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, California, 94102.

Courtrooms for Judges Blumenstiel and Montali are located on the 16th Floor. Judge Blumenstiel will preside in Courtroom 19; Judge Montali will preside in Courtroom 17. The San Francisco Division’s intake counter is located on the 18th Floor. All telephone and facsimile numbers associated with the San Francisco Division remained the same, as is the post office box.

The Clerk of Court and his administrative staff conducts business on the 5th floor. All telephone and facsimile numbers associated with the office of the Clerk of Court remained the same.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, February 15th, in observance of Presidents' Day.

The program will cover the Northern District form plan currently in use in the Oakland and San Francisco Divisions, common fact patterns, strategies for success, and will leave time for questions.

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Click here for Video

Judge Blumenstiel will move the time of her "Salinas Only" relief from stay calendar from 1:00 p.m. to 11:30 a.m. Also beginning December 2, 2015, Judge Blumenstiel will convene case management conferences or law & motion hearings in Salinas cases at 11:00 a.m. on the dates set forth in Part D of her Open Calendar Dates, which are available here:

All divisions of the Bankruptcy Court will be closed on Monday, September 7th, in observance of Labor Day.

Sets forth the reassignment of cases in the San Jose Division, effective July 1, 2015. Please see the below PDF.

CM/ECF will be unavailable on Saturday, July 18, 2015 from 9 am to 6pm for system maintenance

Effective May 1, 2015, Judge Blumenstiel will convene preliminary hearings on motions for relief from the automatic stay; motions to extend the automatic stay; motions for a determination as to whether the automatic stay applies (in cases under all chapters of the Bankruptcy Code) on Thursdays at 1:00 p.m. Until April 30, 2015, Judge Blumenstiel will continue to hear such motions on Mondays at 2:00 p.m. Refer to Judge Blumenstiel's Open Calendar Dates and Procedures:

New Website Tour

Bankruptcy Local Rules

Saturday, January 17, 2015, from 9 AM to 12 PM

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Court is considering changes to Bankruptcy Local Rules 4001-2, 5005-2, 9013-1(b), 9014 (b)(3) and 9014-1(d). A pdf of the redlined version is below. Comments regarding any of the proposed changes may be submitted by emailing Ron_Mastroianni@canb.uscourts.gov by December 1, 2014.