Announcements

The United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland is pleased to announce that the Celebration of Life for the Honorable James F. Schneider and Honorable Wendelin I. Lipp, along with the Portrait Unveiling for Judge Lipp, will take place at 4:00 pm on November 2, 2023, in Courtroom 4C at the United States Courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland. Further information for this important celebratory event will be forthcoming.

The EDSS Pilot Program was made available during the Covid-19 pandemic to provide self-represented parties an alternative to bringing documents to the courthouse, after the Court significantly altered operations including restricting access to the courthouses by non-court personnel. The COVID-19 national emergency ended and the Court has returned to normal operations, including access to the Clerk’s Office during normal business hours and the after hours drop boxes located in both courthouses.  The EDSS Pilot Program will end on July 1, 2023, and as of that date the Court will not accept filings by EDSS.  To see the Administrative Order rescinding the Pilot EDSS, please click here. 

The online Electronic Self Representation (eSR) tool is now available to help self-represented individuals in the District of Maryland complete and file a bankruptcy petition electronically.  eSR is only available for non-emergency Chapter 7 individual filings.  eSR is not available to bankruptcy petition preparers.  Further information on eSR as well as a link to access the eSR tool can be found here.

Amendments to Bankruptcy Rules 1007, 1020, 2009, 2012, 2015, 3002, 3010, 3011, 3014, 3016, 3017.1, 3017.2 (new), 3018, 3019, 5005, 7004, and 8023 are effective December 1, 2022.  The text of the amended rules and accompanying committee notes can be viewed here.  In addition, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland has approved a technical amendment to Local Bankruptcy Rule 1006-1 and, with the exception of Interim Federal Bankruptcy Rule 1020, the rescission of the Small Business Reorganization Act related interim Federal Bankruptcy Rules as contained in Appendix I to the Local Bankruptcy Rules.  The rules were superseded by promulgation of the final Federal Rules.  To view a summary of the changes and a redlined copy of the amended local rule and amended Appendix I, please click here.

By using the Online Payment Form (click here to access the form), parties can make installment payments for chapter 7, 11, and 13 filing fees with their debit card, PayPal, or via ACH (electronic payment from a bank account).  The Online Payment Form can also be used to pay fees associated with case reopens, amendments and other matters. Please call the Clerk's Office at 410-962-2688 or 301-344-8018 to verify any particular fee amount.

This form cannot be used to make Chapter 13 plan payments to the trustee. Any payment returned for insufficient funds will be charged a $53.00 returned item fee, and future electronic payments from such parties may be refused by the Court.  Attorneys must file documents and pay corresponding filing fees via CM/ECF. See generally L.B.R. 5005-1 and Administrative Orders 03-02 and 11-03.

The Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment and Technical Corrections Act was signed into law by President Biden on Tuesday June 21. The Act amends Section 1182(1) of the Bankruptcy Code to include the increased aggregate debt limit of $7.5 million in Subchapter V’s definition of a “debtor” (with a two year sunset from enactment). In addition, the Corrections Act provides that an individual with regular income is eligible to be a debtor under Chapter 13 if the individual owes noncontingent, liquidated debts of less than $2.75 million as of the date of the petition (also with a two year sunset from enactment).

Chief Judge Thomas J. Catliota has informed the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit that he will retire from his position as U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Maryland on October 3, 2022, after 16 and a half years of outstanding service to the Court.  The Court congratulates Chief Judge Catliota on the occasion of this announcement, and thanks him both for his long-term, dedicated service as one of the Court’s Judges and also for his extraordinary leadership as Chief Judge immediately following the sudden passing of beloved Judge Wendelin I. Lipp and then, just a couple of months thereafter, during the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic.

Adjustments to the dollar amounts stated in various provisions of the Bankruptcy Code and one provision of Title 28 of the United States Code will go into effect on April 1, 2022, for cases filed on or after that date. The adjustments’ timing and calculation are codified in 11 U.S.C. § 104.  A chart showing the affected sections, including the current and adjusted dollar amounts, can be found here. Seven Official Bankruptcy Forms and two Director’s Forms also contain references to several of the affected dollar amounts. The revised forms, available here, will be effective on April 1, 2022 and will apply to cases filed on or after that date.

The Office of the United States Trustee has announced that Brian A. Tucci has been appointed as a Chapter 13 Standing Trustee in Baltimore.  Please click here to view the announcement.

The United States District Court has designated the Honorable David E. Rice to serve as Chief Judge of the Bankruptcy Court, effective April 30, 2022. Please click here to view the announcement.