Announcements

Starting this month, on a rolling basis the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AO) will begin implementing multifactor authentication (MFA) for CM/ECF and PACER users.  MFA provides an added layer of security to protect against cyberattacks and other security risks. The AO expects to fully implement MFA for all CM/ECF filing users by the end of 2025. Users with CM/ECF filing access will be required to enroll in MFA. While not required, users with PACER access only will be able to opt in to MFA. For more information, please visit the PACER website.

Please click here to view the Notice of Vacancy from the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland.

Adjustments to the dollar amounts in certain provisions of the Bankruptcy Code and one provision of Title 28 of the United States Code will go into effect on April 1, 2025, for cases filed on or after that date. 11 U.S.C. § 104 outlines the adjustments’ timing and calculation, which in 2025 is an increase of 13.2%.  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, 2025, and will apply to cases filed on or after that date.

Adjustments are also being made to the “no look” fee amounts in Appendix F to the Local Bankruptcy Rules.  In accordance with paragraph 2.C. of Appendix F, the following dollar adjustments will be effective for cases filed on or after April 1, 2025:

• 2.A. Fees -- $5,300 (current $4,675)
• 2.B. Fees -- $6,800 (current $6,000)

The United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland will discontinue the practice of manually adding federal, state, and local taxing authorities to the list of creditors for noticing purposes in all new bankruptcy cases effective January 1, 2025.  As of that date, only parties listed on the debtor’s mailing matrix and parties who file a request for notices or otherwise actively participate in the case will receive notices in bankruptcy cases filed in the District of Maryland.  Bankruptcy records are publicly available and can be accessed via PACER at www.pacer.gov.

Mail delivery to Canada, including bankruptcy notices, had been temporarily suspended due to a national strike by the Canadian Union of Post Workers.  The strike has been resolved, and effective January 6, 2025, the U.S. Postal Service resumed mailing operations to Canada.

Bankruptcy Restyled Rules Parts I through IX, amendments to Bankruptcy Rules 1007, 4004, 5009, 7001, 9006, and new Rule 8023.1 are effective December 1, 2024. The text of the amended rules, 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, 2024, to the Court’s Local Bankruptcy Rules and Local Bankruptcy Forms.  To view the Administrative Order implementing the amendments, a summary of the changes, and a redlined copy of the amended local rules and amended local forms, please click here.

There has been nationwide reporting of fake CM/ECF Notices of Electronic Filing (NEFs) being sent to attorneys and law firms (so far none have been identified as relating to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland).  These fake NEFs are phishing attempts to convince recipients to respond back to the emails. Once a recipient replies to the email, they are sent a follow-up email containing a link to access a document that leads the user to a malicious website.  Users should validate cases and case documentation only through CM/ECF, and never download any attachments or click any links from unofficial or questionable sources.

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.