Announcement Archive

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. 

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  bnc.uscourts.gov
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  bankruptcynotices.uscourts.gov
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  notices.uscourts.gov
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  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 

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

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  Parties may Request Special Electronic Notice: By completing the Request for Special Notice of Electronic Filing Form.
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  Check Our Public Website: Use the court's Calendars page   to verify upcoming hearing dates and times online.
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  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.
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  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.
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  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.

The Bankruptcy Noticing Center (BNC) is experiencing a nationwide service outage that has prevented the delivery of paper and electronic notices since Friday, October 9, 2026. This outage also impacts related websites including bnc.uscourts.gov, bankruptcynotices.uscourts.gov, notices.uscourts.gov websites, and the NCRS (National Creditor Registration Service) website that supports generating lists of creditors. The Court will provide further updates as information becomes available.

The Court will be closed on Monday, October 12, 2026 in observance of Columbus Day.

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 receiving 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 requests must be received via email no later than Friday, June 26 2026 at 5:00pm PDT.

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.