On June 30, 2021, at 12:00 p.m. the Bankruptcy Bar Association is hosting a virtual presentation by the United States Trustee Program on the new Chapter 11 periodic reports, which become effective on June 21, 2021. Assistant U.S. Trustees Jeanette Rice and Gerard Vetter, and other members of their staff will provide important information on the NEW Chapter 11 periodic reports. This program will introduce these streamlined, data-embedded, uniform forms and detail the procedures for completing, filing and serving the new monthly operating reports and post-confirmation reports.

You can register for the program using the following link: United States Trustee Program introduction to the new Chapter 11 Periodic Reports | Maryland Bankruptcy Bar Association.

The United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland has completed the conversion to NextGen CM/ECF, and the system is available for all users.  All electronic filers must take several steps to file with the Court in NextGen CM/ECF, including linking their prior CM/ECF account with their upgraded PACER account.  Click here for more information.  Clerk's Office staff will be available during regular business hours to assist users having trouble logging onto NextGen.  The Court thanks the members of bar and all filers for their patience and support during the conversion process. 

 Click here to view the Judicial Law Clerk (Temporary) Notice of Vacancy for Judge Michelle M. Harner.

The Court thanks those attorneys who continue to devote their time to the benefit of pro se debtors and the bankruptcy system in the District of Maryland.  Attorneys who annually take at least two Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service pro bono referrals or staff the Telephonic Debtor Assistance Project/Debtor Assistance Project for six hours every six months are eligible to be added to the Court’s Low Bono Lists, published on the Court’s website. Interested attorneys can find more information here on how to get listed. The Low Bono Lists are made available to debtors seeking bankruptcy counsel for a reduced or deferred fee. The revised Chapter 7 Low Bono List and Chapter 13 Low Bono List contain up-to-date attorney information.

Recent disclosures of widespread cybersecurity breaches of both private sector and government computer systems have prompted the federal courts to add new security procedures to protect highly sensitive documents (“HSDs”) filed with the courts.  HSDs contain information that is so sensitive and confidential that additional precautions beyond sealing the document from public view on the Court’s CM/ECF system is required.  Factors used to determine whether a document constitutes an HSD include whether the case involves: national security; foreign sovereign interests; criminal activity related to cybersecurity; intellectual property, trade secrets, or sensitive commercial information likely to be of interest to foreign powers; terrorism; investigation of public officials; or the reputational interests of the United States.  The following types of documents are generally not considered HSDs: Social Security records, administrative immigration records, information about minors, documents related to domestic abuse, and most other sealed filings in bankruptcy cases.

In order to provide appropriate safeguards for HSDs, they must be filed in paper and not under seal through the Court’s electronic case filing system (CM/ECF).  For HSD filing instructions, or if you believe you previously filed an HSD document with the Court, please contact the Clerk’s Office at (410) 962-2688 or (301) 344-8018 for further instructions.