In addition to the Christmas holiday on December 25, 2023, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland will be closed on Friday, December 22, 2023 and Tuesday, December 26, 2023. December 22, 2023 and December 26, 2023 will be treated as “legal holidays” for the purposes of Federal Bankruptcy Rule 9006 and Fed. R. Civ. P. 6.  The afterhours drop box for the Southern Division will not be available on these days; however, the afterhours drop box for the Northern Division, located at 101 West Lombard Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 will be available.  Electronic filing through CM/ECF remains available during this time.  Emergency contact numbers are available on the court's website.

CM/ECF users please be aware the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland has recently discovered that CM/ECF infrequently but erroneously reuses a transaction ID for two unrelated case transactions, which may interfere with the proper docketing of a filing.  When this happens the filer gets an unusual message from CM/ECF that appears to indicate a filing has been accepted, but reports two separate case numbers. If users receive this unusual ECF message they must check the docket sheet to confirm that the intended transaction was docketed, and resubmit the transaction if it does not appear on the docket sheet.  For more information including a screen shot of the ECF message at issue, click here.

Amendments to Bankruptcy Rules 3011, 8003, 9006, and new Rule 9038 are effective December 1, 2023. The text of the amended rules and new rule and the accompanying committee notes can be viewed here.  In addition, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland has approved amendments effective December 1, 2023, to the Court’s Local Bankruptcy Rules and Appendices D, F, G, H and J.  To view the Administrative Order implementing the amendments, a summary of the changes, and a redlined copy of the amended local rules, please click here.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland is pleased to introduce COURTney, the Court’s new chatbot.  COURTney is located on the Court’s public website and visible when viewing any page on the website.  COURTney not only provides relevant information when users click on buttons in the chat (e.g., list of fees, forms, filing information, etc.), but during regular business hours it will enable users to chat directly with Clerk’s Office staff members. 

The United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland has approved for publication and public comment amendments to the Court’s Local Bankruptcy Rules and Appendices D, F, G, H and J.  Please click here for a summary of the proposed changes, redline and clean copies of the amendments, and instructions on how to submit comments.  Comments on the proposed amended rules and appendices should be submitted on or before October 10, 2023.  If adopted, the amended Local Bankruptcy Rules and Appendices will go into effect on December 1, 2023.