Announcement Archive

To all parties interested in attending the plan confirmation hearings for the Roman Catholic Bishop of Oakland Chapter 11 case, Case No. 23-40523-WJL, on Monday June 15, 2026 and Tuesday June 16, 2026:

The Court anticipates potentially high public interest in the plan confirmation hearings for the Chapter 11 case of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Oakland.  The plan confirmation hearings are open to the public and to the extent that space is available in courtrooms 215 and 220, spectators may attend and observe the proceedings. The Court’s usual security requirements will be observed for all visitors, including parties and their attorneys, as well as members of the public wishing to attend and observe the proceedings. All attendees will be required to access the courtrooms and other court facilities via the security portal and via the screening mechanisms located in the lobby of the second floor at 1300 Clay Street, Oakland, CA, and to obey any requests and adhere to any requirements imposed by the Court Security Officers with responsibility for maintaining such procedures.  In order to lessen the burden on parties attending the proceeding, their counsel, and members of the public, members of the public who are not participating in the trial but who wish to observe the hearings will be admitted through security only between 8:30 a.m. PDT and 9:15 a.m. PDT.  The public will be admitted to the extent that the courtrooms have available seating capacity.   Members of the public are advised that the hearings will begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. PDT on both days and will conclude at approximately 4:30 p.m. PDT.

General Order 47 - Assignment of Bankruptcy Cases; and Abrogation of First Amended General Order 33, General Order 46, and Partial Abrogation of Order For Reassignment of Cases in the San Jose Division dated July 1, 2015

The Bankruptcy Judges of the Northern District of California announce the pending retirement of Chief Judge Emeritus Charles Novack. He will leave the court on May 15, 2026. The court expresses its sincere gratitude to Judge Novack for sixteen years of faithful service, including his significant contributions to the education of the bankruptcy bar of this district.

Effective April 15, 2026, Judge Novack will cease receiving new case assignments.  Cases filed on or after April 15, 2026, in the Oakland, Santa Rosa and San Francisco Divisions will be assigned to Judges Dennis Montali, William J. Lafferty, and Hannah L. Blumenstiel.

Effective May 15, 2026, the Court will issue an order reassigning cases pending before Judge Novack to other judges of the district.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit invites applications from highly qualified candidates for three (3) Bankruptcy Judgeships for the Northern District of California. The official duty stations for these positions are one in San Francisco, California, and two in San Jose, California. Please visit the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals website for more information.

The judges of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California (the “Court”) have approved the adoption of a new B.L.R. 9039-1 pertaining to bankruptcy judges acting as mediators or settlement judges.  New B.L.R. 9039-1 would replace and expand upon the Court’s Guidelines for Settlement Conferences and Mediations with the Assistance of Out-of-District Judges (eff. Jan. 27, 2025).

Consistent with Rule 83(a)(1) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Rule 9029(a) of the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure, please take notice of this opportunity for comment regarding proposed B.L.R. 9039-1 (pdf below).  Please submit any comments to Ron Mastroianni at ron_mastroianni@canb.uscourts.gov no later than March 9, 2026.

Currently, the Northern District of California is maintaining its regular operations, including court hearings and public hours. The court's case management systems (CM/ECF and PACER) will also remain accessible. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact one of the Clerk's offices.

The Court will be closed on Monday, January 19, 2026, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday.

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 begin in January 2026.

Prospective Committee Members should review the requirements and selection criteria of General Order 15. Trustees and employees of the U.S. Trustee are eligible and encouraged to apply. Applicants must commit to participating in quarterly 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, Shane Moses at smoses@foley.com and Selwyn Whitehead at selwynwhitehead@yahoo.com, by December 31, 2025.