Announcements

It is with great sadness that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland announces the passing of the Honorable Wendelin I. Lipp. Chief Judge Lipp passed away Tuesday, November 26, peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones.

The United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland has approved amendments to the Court’s Local Bankruptcy Rules effective December 1, 2019. To view the Administrative Order implementing the amendments, a summary of the changes, and a redlined copy of the amended rules and forms, please click below.

Please click below for the Office of United States Trustee announcement.

Please click below for the Office of United States Trustee announcement.

The United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland has approved, effective December 1, 2018, amendments to Local Bankruptcy Rules 5005-1, 7005-2, and 9013-4.  The amendments are necessitated by changes to the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure and Federal Rules of Civil Procedure that will take effect December 1, 2018.  To view the Administrative Order implementing the amendments and a redlined copy of the amended rules, please click below.

The Federal Judiciary Workplace Conduct Working Group, a group of federal judges and senior Judiciary officials formed at the request of Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., issued a report recommending measures to improve workplace conduct policies and procedures in the federal Judiciary. The Working Group submitted its findings to the Judicial Conference of the United States, the federal Judiciary’s policy-making body. The report and an executive summary are available online.

The Bench has approved two new forms for the avoidance or valuation of liens in a Chapter 13 plan. The new forms, which are currently recommended but not mandatory, serve as helpful summaries of avoidance or valuation requests. The new forms are available in both .pdf and Word formats on the Court’s website under Local Bankruptcy Forms. If you have any comments on the new forms or other suggestions regarding the Chapter 13 plan confirmation process, please send your comments to: LocalRules@mdb.courts.gov

Amendments to Bankruptcy Rules 2002, 3002, 3007, 3012, 3015, 3015.1 (new), 4003, 5009, 7001 and 9009 are effective December 1, 2017. The text of the new and amended rules and accompanying committee notes can be viewed here. In addition, new or amended Official Bankruptcy Forms 101, 113, 309F-I, 425A-C, and 426 are effective December 1, 2017. The new and amended Official Forms can be viewed here.

The United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland has approved, effective December 1, 2017, amendments to Local Bankruptcy Rules 3012-1, 3012-2, 3015-1, 3015-2, 3015-4, 4001-3, and 4003-2; Local Forms H, L, M (Chapter 13 Plan), M-1, and M-2; and Appendix F to the Local Bankruptcy Rules. To view the Administrative Order implementing the amendments and a redlined copy of the amended rules and forms, please click here. To view a clean version of the rules and forms, and Foreword from Chief Judge Nancy V. Alquist, please click here.

On March 1, 2017, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland entered Administrative Order 17-01 which requires, among other things, that all visitors to the courthouse (counsel and members of the public) "turn off all electronic devices before entering a courtroom and may not use electronic devices in a courtroom without the permission of the judge."  For a full copy of Administrative Order 17-01, please click below.