| Reappointment of Incumbent Federal Public
Defender in the Middle District of Florida at Orlando -
December
15 , 2011
»
Click here
to read the notice
Elimination of BNC
notice of meetings of creditors to debtors' attorneys -
December
12 , 2011
On December 5, 2011, the court began operations under Bankruptcy
CM/ECF Release 4.2. Release 4.2 will support an additional noticing-related
improvement provided by the court’s Bankruptcy Noticing Center
(BNC) contractor.
Previously, you received the notice of 341 meeting of creditors
by Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF) with the debtor's redacted
Social Security Number (SSN), and by U.S. Mail through the BNC with
the debtor’s full SSN. The improvement provided with CM/ECF
Release 4.2 will allow the BNC to send you an email containing a
secure hyperlink to the unredacted 341 notice in place of a paper
notice. The BNC will send one summary email per day containing hyperlinks
to one or more notices. Each hyperlink provides one free look to
the full notice. You will no longer receive the paper 341 notice
from the BNC.
A sample BNC email notification is provided at the following web
page: http://ebn.uscourts.gov/documents/Attorney341Email.pdf
Important information
regarding Trailer Bridge Inc. case - November
22, 2011
» Click
here to read the announcement
Universal Login
Form for Florida Bankruptcy Courts - November
1 , 2011
In a recent PACER assessment, CM/ECF users nationwide expressed
their desire to reduce the number of logins and passwords they need
to retain in order to access the different courts in which they
are registered users. While we are unable to do anything nationally
at this time, the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts for the Northern, Middle
and Southern Districts of Florida have taken steps to address this
issue and have collaborated to develop a new, easy to remember login
structure that will allow users to have the same login and password
for all three courts.
This is a voluntary option for attorneys registered to practice
in two or more of the Florida Bankruptcy Courts.
Should you wish to have the same password in all three courts,
you may change your password by logging into the individual court’s
CM/ECF programs and changing your password through the Utilities
menu. More specific instructions will be provided to you when you
are assigned your new login ID.
It should be noted that the CM/ECF systems in each court are not
linked and therefore you will still be required to log into each
district separately to perform any filing function in the individual
districts, however, we hope the use of the same login and password
structure is a step toward making CM/ECF usage easier. Additionally,
the universal login assigned to you is only for access to the Florida
Bankruptcy Court CM/ECF systems. This process will not change your
login and/or password to the U.S. District Courts for the Northern,
Middle or Southern Districts of Florida or any other U.S. Bankruptcy
or U.S. District Court in which you may be registered.
To submit your request, please click the link below to complete
the form.
» Please
click here to complete the form
Free PACER Training
Site - November
1 , 2011
A free-of-charge website offers access to a training database through
the judiciary’s PACER service. The site features data from
real cases in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of
New York over a six-month period in 2007. The training site can
be accessed via “Frequently Used” on the PACER website
home page, www.pacer.gov.
No registration is required, and a login and password are posted
on the training site’s Welcome Page.
Users can search the database to find cases to explore. As searches
are conducted, a transaction receipt display will explain what charge
would have been accrued for the PACER service. Reviewing the receipts
will help users understand their PACER charges and improve their
search techniques to minimize charges.
Electronic Public
Access fee increase effective April 1, 2012 - October
6, 2011
Effective April 1, 2012, the Electronic Public Access fee will
increase from $.08 to $.10 per page for electronic public access
to court records thru the PACER service. The quarterly exemption
will be raised from $10 to $15. Implementation of the fee increase
for local, state and federal agencies will be suspended for 3 years.
For more information, visit www.pacer.gov
Declaration Under
Penalty of Perjury for Electronic Filing form update -
October
3 , 2011
Please note that the form “Declaration Under Penalty of Perjury
for Electronic Filing” has been updated to be in compliance
with the provisions of 28 U.S.C. § 1746.
»
Click here for the updated form
Updated Census Bureau
Median Family Income figures to occur on October 14. -
October
3 , 2011
»
Click here to read the entire announcement
District Court Order
regarding conditions applicable to using Internet - September
24, 2011
Policy governing limited personal use of supplied broadband wireless
internet connection for registered courtroom users.
» Click
here to read the Order
Proposed Rule Amendments
Published for Public Comment - September
19, 2011
The Judicial Conference Advisory Committees on the Appellate, Bankruptcy,
Civil, Criminal, and Evidence Rules have proposed amendments to
their respective rules and requested that the proposals be circulated
to the bench, bar, and public for comment. The public comment period
ends on February 15, 2012.
New Calendaring
Program - Effective Wednesday, September 21, 2011 for Tampa Division
- September
2 , 2011
The Tampa Division will begin its transition to a new calendaring
system called CHAP on Wednesday, September 21, 2011. The Orlando
Division made the transition in September, 2010 and the Jacksonville
Divisions is to follow later. While the new system offers some efficiencies
and improvements in the calendaring arena, it is not anticipated
that external users will notice a difference when viewing the Judge's
calendars from our website.
Amendments to Federal
Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure and Bankruptcy Forms - Effective December
1, 2011* - August
31, 2011
• Bankruptcy Rule 1004.2 (republication
of a new rule requiring entity filing a chapter 15 petition to state
the country of the debtor's main interest, filer to list each country
in which a case involving debtor is pending, and setting deadline
for challenging the statement asserting the country of the debtor's
main interest)
• Bankruptcy Rule 2003 (requires
the filing of a statement upon adjourning a meeting of creditors
or equity security holders)
• Bankruptcy Rule 2019 (expands
the scope of the rule’s disclosure requirements by requiring
disclosure in chapter 9 and chapter 11 cases by all committees or
groups that consist of more than one creditor or equity security
holder, as well as entities or that represent more than one creditor
or equity security holder. It also authorizes the court to require
disclosure by an individual party in interest when knowledge of
that party’s economic stake in the debtor would assist the
court in evaluating the party’s arguments)
• Bankruptcy Rule 3001 (prescribes
in greater detail the supporting information required to accompany
certain proofs of claim)
• Bankruptcy Rule 3002.1 (new
rule implements § 1322(b)(5) of the Bankruptcy Code, which
permits a chapter 13 debtor to cure a default and maintain payments
of a home mortgage)
• Bankruptcy Rule 4004 (permits
a party under limited circumstances to seek an extension of time
to object to a debtor’s discharge after the time for objecting
has expired)
• Bankruptcy Rule 6003 (clarifies
that the requirement of a 21-day waiting period before a court can
enter certain orders at the beginning of a case, including an order
approving employment of counsel, does not prevent the court from
specifying an effective date for the order that is earlier than
the date of its issuance)
• Bankruptcy Form 1 (implements
new Bankruptcy Rule 1004.2)
• Bankruptcy Forms 9A - 9I (conforming
amendments to the pending amendment of Bankruptcy Rule 2003(e))
• Bankruptcy Form 10, Attachment
A and Supplements 1 and 2 (clarify that, consistent with Rule 3001(c),
writings supporting a claim or evidencing perfection of a security
interest - not just summaries - must be attached to the proof of
claim)
• Bankruptcy Form 25A (changes
the effective date consistent with 2009 time-computation rules amendments)
* On April 26, 2011,
the Supreme Court approved the amendments to the above-referenced
rules, formerly approved by the Judicial Conference at its September
2010 session. The rules amendments were transmitted to Congress
in accordance with the Rules Enabling Act. They are scheduled to
take effect on December 1, 2011, and shall govern in all proceedings
in bankruptcy cases thereafter commenced and, insofar as just and
practicable, all proceedings then pending, unless Congress enacts
legislation to the contrary.
» Link
to Amendments to Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure
» Information
Regarding Supreme Court Approved Rule Amendments (April 26, 2011)
» Pending
Changes in the Bankruptcy Forms
The Honorable Karen
S. Jennemann appointed Chief Bankruptcy Judge - August
24, 2011
The Honorable Karen S. Jennemann was appointed Chief Bankruptcy
Judge for the United States Bankruptcy Court, Middle District of
Florida, for a four-year term effective October 1, 2011 and continuing
through September 30, 2015.
» Click
here to read the Order
Closing of the public
research room at the Federal Records Center in Atlanta
- June
23, 2011
As of July 1, 2011, the Federal Records Center (FRC) in Atlanta
will close its public research room. This change will affect members
of the public requesting direct access to Court records. The public
will no longer be able to view Court records at the FRC.
The Federal Records Center in Atlanta will continue to provide
copies of court case files directly to the public via our current
fax, mail, and scan order services. The public can learn more about
the FRC services by visiting:
» https://eservices.archives.gov/orderonline/start.swe?SWECmd=Start&SWEHo=eservices.archives.gov
In addition, the public can contact the FRC's Court Reference Staff
at 404-736-2900 for more information.
Fort Myers Division
Cases - June
9 , 2011
Effective June 1, all new cases filed in the Fort Myers Division
will be assigned to either Judge Barry S. Schermer or Judge Jeffery
P. Hopkins, based on the terminal digit of the case number.
» Click
here for more information
Follow the Court
on Twitter - May
24, 2011
The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida
is now using Twitter to broadcast the latest announcements of the
Court to the public. Those interested are encouraged to "follow"
our tweets by visiting
http://twitter.com/floridamiddle on the internet or by signing
up on Twitter to have announcements sent directly to your mobile
device.
» Click
here for more information
Financial literacy resources for all age groups
- March
31, 2011
April was designated by Congress as National Financial Literacy
Month. The United States Bankruptcy Judges of the Middle District
of Florida participated in this annual promotion of financial well-being
and invite you to browse the following attachment for acquiring
good financial habits.
» Click
here to read more about financial literacy resources
Robb & Stucky,
Chapter 11 Case - Important information for all interested parties
- March
3, 2011
» Click
here to read the announcement
Proposed Local Rule
2016-1 (Compensation of Professionals) NOT posted for comment -
posted only as a best practice procedure for Tampa/Fort Myers divisions
- January
14, 2011
» Click
here to read the proposed local rule
Memorandum regarding
service of Amended Chapter 13 Plan - Fort Myers only -
January 14, 2011
» Click
here to read the memorandum
Court website is
now available in a Spanish edition - January
13, 2011
The Middle District of Florida is pleased to announce that we are
now offering our website in Spanish. Click here
to see our Spanish version. An En Español
link is also available on the Court's Home page.
NCBJ
Announces Blackshear Fellowship Opportunity for Tampa Conference
Below is information about the National Conference of Bankruptcy
Judges' Honorable Cornelius Blackshear Presidential Fellowship for
minority lawyers who practice bankruptcy law. Named after esteemed
Bankruptcy Judge Blackshear (now retired) of the Southern District
of New York, the fellowship program provides some expense reimbursement
for one or more lawyers who wish to attend the annual conference
of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges and otherwise meet
the selection criteria. The aggregate stipend/scholarship is capped
at $2,500 per year and is for the cost of travel and registration
for the conference (this year's regular registration fee is $825;
the amount is less for government employees). To view the current
year's conference agenda, go to www.ncbj.org. The deadline for submitting
an application is AUGUST 26th. The application must be faxed to
NCBJ NBA Liaison Committee Chair Honorable Jeffery P. Hopkins (fax:
513-357-5420).
Amendments
to Bankruptcy Rules Effective December 1, 2010. A brief summary
of the coming changes to rules.
Rule Changes:
1007: extends time for individual Chapter 7 debtors to file statement
of completion of the personal financial management course. Also
shortens time for debtors to file a list of creditors after entry
of order for relief in involuntary case.
1014: adds Chapter 15 cases to the rule authorizing courts to determine
where cases should proceed when there are multiple petitions for
the same debtor.
1015: adds Chapter 15 cases to the rule that authorizes courts to
order consolidation or joint administration.
1018: reflects enactment of Chapter 15 in 2005.
1019: provides a new time period (with some exceptions) to object
to an exemption claim when a case is converted from Chapter 7 to
Chapter 11, 12, or 13.
4001: includes a technical and conforming amendment on computation
of time.
4004: includes new deadline for filing of motions (instead of complaints)
under Rule 7001(b) to object to debtor’s discharge; directs
courts not to grant discharge if motion or complaint objecting to
discharge has been filed (unless objection has been decided in debtor’s
favor); directs court in Chapter 11 and 13 cases to withhold entry
of discharge if debtor has not filed statement of completion of
course in personal financial management.
5009: requires clerk to provide notice to debtors in Chapter 7 and
Chapter 13 cases that case may be closed if statement of completion
of course in personal financial management is not filed. Also now
requires a foreign representative in a Chapter 15 to file and give
notice of the filing of a final report.
5012: establishes procedures in Chapter 15 for obtaining approval
of an agreement regarding communications and coordination of proceedings
with cases involving debtor pending in other countries. (Differs
from Interim Rule 5012.)
7001: provides that specified objections to a discharge in Chapter
7 and 13 cases are not treated as adversary proceedings.
9001: amended to add words and phrases in §1502 to the list
of definitions.
» Click
here to read the Amendments to the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure
effective December 1, 2010
Chapter
11 Individual Case Administrative Closing Forms - Tampa and Fort
Myers
» Debtor's
Motion to Administratively Close Individual Chapter 11 Case
» Debtor's
Motion to Administratively Reopen Individual Chapter 11 Case to
Obtain Discharge and Final Decree
» Order
Granting Debtor's Motion to Administratively Close Individual Chapter
11 Case
» Order
Granting Debtor's Motion to Administratively Reopen Individual Chapter
11 Case and Directing Response to Request for
Entry of Discharge and Final Decree
Revised
Census Bureau Median Income Figures - Effective November 1, 2010
The latest update incorporates the new Census Bureau Median Income
figures effective November 1, 2010. For more information, click
on the US
Department of Justice link. Select the date range "11/01/2010
or After" and click Go
New Calendaring
Program - Effective Monday, September 13, 2010 for Orlando Division
The Court will begin its transition to a new calendaring system
called CHAP on Monday, September 13, 2010. The Orlando Division
will be the first to make the transition with the Tampa/Ft Myers
and Jacksonville Divisions to follow later. While the new systems
offers some efficiencies and improvements in the calendaring arena,
it is not anticipated that external users will notice a difference
when viewing the Judge's calendars from our website.
Use of CourtCall
for telephonic hearings in the Middle District
Several judges in the Middle District now utilize the telephonic
services of CourtCall. The judges who currently use the service
are Judge Glenn, Judge Briskman, Judge Funk, Judge Williamson, Judge
May, Judge McEwen, and Judge Delano. To view specific policies on
the use of CourtCall, please visit the individual judge pages for
information.
Digital
Audio Files of Proceedings Now Available via PACER
Registered PACER users can now request immediate access to digital
audio recordings of court proceedings before Judge Jennemann. Users
can download a copy of the digital audio file, share it with their
clients, and keep it for future reference or use in drafting orders
or other pleadings.
» Click
here to read the entire announcement
Effective
July 12, the Bankruptcy Noticing Center will not mail notices to
a creditor if address is invalid
When a bankruptcy court mails notices to a creditor, the court is
required to use the address a debtor provides on its creditor mailing
list unless a creditor has provided the court with a different address.
The court uses the Bankruptcy Noticing Center ("BNC")
to mail notices, but the BNC can only do so if an address is valid.
If an address is not valid, the United States Postal Service ("USPS")
treats this as sending mail to an "undeliverable address."
Reasons for undeliverable mail may include: incomplete address;
moved to a foreign address; moved and left no forwarding address;
post office box closed; and forwarding order expired. In some instances
the USPS will forward mail when a creditor has given the USPS a
forwarding address, but only for a limited time. It is up to the
debtor or creditor to file a change of address with the court.
» Click
here to read the entire announcment
Apple Mac users and CM/ECF documents
PDF documents containing form fields created by Mac users are causing
issues when viewing the document in CM/ECF. The form fields (areas
in the document that contain names, address, etc.) appear blank and
missing.
To avoid this issue, Mac users are requested to use the File/Print/PDF/SaveAs
sequence, and NOT the File/SaveAs sequence, in
order to avoid the problem.
Adjustments
to certain dollar amounts in Bankruptcy Code and Forms
On April 1, 2010, automatic adjustments to the dollar amounts stated
in various provisions of the Bankruptcy Code will become effective.
The amended dollar amounts apply to cases filed on or after April
1, 2010.
The amended dollar amounts will affect, among other matters, the
eligibility of a debtor to file under chapters 12 and 13 of the
Bankruptcy Code, certain maximum values of property that the debtor
may claim as exempt, the maximum amount of certain claims entitled
to priority, the calculation of the “means test” for
chapter 7 debtors, the duration of a chapter 13 plan, the definition
of a small business debtor, the minimum aggregate value of claims
need to commence an involuntary bankruptcy, the value of “luxury
goods and services” deemed to be nondischargeable, and where
the trustee may commence certain proceedings to recover money judgment
or property.
In addition, certain Official Bankruptcy Forms and Director’s
Forms contain references to several of the affected dollar amounts
and these forms will be amended on April 1, 2010 and apply to cases
filed on or after April 1, 2010.
» Click
here to read the Administrative Office's memorandum
Fort Myers cases – hearings held in the Tampa division
- Chapter 11 cases.
As a result of the increase in the pending caseload in the Ft. Myers
Division, Judge Paskay has agreed to entertain a motion to hold
a hearing in a pending Chapter 11 case in his courtroom in the Tampa
Division, unless the matter involved requires notice to all creditors.
» Click
here to read the entire announcement
The
following changes to the Local Rules of the Bankruptcy Court of
the Middle District of Florida relating to time computation took
effect on December 1, 2009: Local Rules 2002-4, 2090-1, 2091-1,
3020-1, 3071-1, 5003-1, 5005-3, 5011-1, 5011-2, 6004-1, 7005-1,
7026-1, 7030-1, 9015-1, 9019-1, 9019-2.
Click
here to read the entire announcement regarding time period change
Claims
Bar Date for Chapter 11 Cases - Jacksonville Division
Effective with Chapter 11 cases filed in the Jacksonville Division
on or after October 15, 2009, a claims bar date will be set forth
in the Notice of Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Case, Meeting of Creditors
and Deadlines (Section 341 Meeting of Creditors Notice).
Other than for a governmental unit, the Claims Bar Date will be
set 90 days following the date first set for the Meeting of Creditors.
Taylor,
Bean & Whitaker Mortgage Corp. filed for bankruptcy pursuant
to Chapter 11 on August 24, 2009, in the Middle District of Florida,
Jacksonville Division and is assigned to The Honorable Jerry A.
Funk under case number 3:09-bk-7047.
Read more
Claims Bar
Date for Chapter 11 Cases - Tampa and Ft. Myers Divisions.
View announcement
Pilot program
for court digital audio recordings
The pilot program has a tentative start date of October 30 that
will allow CM/ECF users the ability to listen to digital audio recordings.
More information will follow as the date nears.
Public Notice
- Local Rule amendments published for public comment.
View notice
Form
of order to be used in granting motion to strip second mortgage
lien - Tampa and Ft. Myers Divisions.
View
order
Amendments
to the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy effective December 1, 2008.
Congress has taken no action on the amendments to the Federal Rules
of Bankruptcy, Civil, and Criminal Procedure, approved by the Supreme
Court on April 23, 2008. Accordingly, amendments to the rules went
into effect on December 1, 2008
View
amendments
Changes
to Judge May's negative notice procedure.
Judge May will no longer consider Motions to Modify Confirmed Chapter
13 Plan's on negative notice. The court will set all such motions
for hearing.
Judge
McEwen recipient of the 2008 Jimmy Kynes Pro Bono Service Award
View
the press release
Changes
to Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule
On March 11, 2008, the Judicial Conference approved changes to the
Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule. The changes clarify
and simplify the language of thefee items, delete one obsolete fee
(and renumber the Schedule accordingly), and make stylistic changes
to comport with current editorial standards. There has been no change
to any fee amount. The changes to the Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous
Fee Schedule will be effective October 1, 2008.
View
entire announcement
Notice of
Fraudulent Scheme
The Administrative Office of the United States Courts has been notified
by the bankruptcy clerk in Utah of a fraudulent scheme that might
be affecting victims throughout the country.
View announcement
Proposed
Rules amendments published for public comment
The Judicial Conference Advisory Committees
on the Appellate, Bankruptcy, Civil,Criminal, and Evidence Rules
have proposed amendments to their respective rules and requestedthat
the proposals be circulated to the bench, bar, and public for comment.
View annoucnement
Notice
to electronic filers regarding documents filed through CM/ECF after
upgrade
Due to a problem after the conversion
to CM/ECF version 3.3.1, the feature that links an attorney to a
party when making a first appearance on a case was not adding the
attorney to the case. Therefore a notice of electronic filing was
not sent on some docket entries made between Sunday March 8 and
noon on Wednesday March 11, 2009 . The attorneys have since been
added to the cases and will receive all future notices of electronic
filing on the respective cases.
We advise attorneys to check their cases
and if you did not receive a notice of electronic filing from an
entry you made as a first appearance on a case during this time,
you may view the document through PACER, however you will be charged
to do so.
Users
of Cogent internet service - issues accessing court websites
Sprint and Cogent announce that they have
reached a multi-year interconnection agreement for the purposes
of exchanging Internet traffic. This agreement will benefit the
customers of both Sprint and Cogent and resolves the earlier dispute
to the satisfaction of both parties. The agreement is in accordance
with both parties’ previous and long standing interconnection
policies and agreements. The specifics of this agreement are confidential."
Between October 30 and November 2, 2008, the courts and the general
public experienced a brief disruption in messaging and other services
that are dependent on the exchange of Internet traffic between the
two Internet Service Providers (ISPs). This ISP agreement ensures
that customers will not experience these problems in the future.
Previously, customers
lost the ability to access United States Courts websites including
CM/ECF. At the time it was recommended that Cogent customers secure
another Internet Service Provider to maintain CM/ECF access in the
event that Sprint-Nextel severs lost internet connection to Cogent.
Postponement
of CM/ECF v3.2 upgrade
The upgrade of CM/ECF to version
3.2, originally scheduled for October 10-13, 2008, was postponed.
The postponement is attributed to recent system performance degradation
observed in Courts that have already converted to the new version
of CM/ECF. The Administrative Office of the United States Courts
is working to identify and correct these problems.
A new announcement will be issued
once a new conversion date has been set.
The Honorable
Caryl E. Delano
The Honorable Caryl E. Delano was appointed
as a bankruptcy judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for
the Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division, on June 25, 2008.
She graduated from the University of South Florida, B.A., cum laude,
in English in 1976. She attended Indiana University School of Law
– Indianapolis and Emory University School of Law, receiving
her J.D. from Indiana University in 1979. Judge Delano practiced
before the state and federal courts of California for fourteen years.
In 1994, she returned to her hometown of Tampa, Florida, where she
most recently practiced law with the firm of Addison & Delano,
P.A. She concentrated her practice on bankruptcy and commercial
litigation. Judge Delano has represented debtors and creditors in
numerous Chapter 11 cases and related adversary proceedings. She
is a member of The Florida Bar, The State Bar of California, the
Business Law Section of The Florida Bar, the American Bankruptcy
Institute, the Federal Bar Association, the Hillsborough County
Bar Association, and the Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association.
View the
press release
Electronic
Public Access Fee Schedule Change
Pursuant to sections 1913, 1914, 1926, 1930,
and 1932 of Title 28, United StatesCode, the Judicial Conference,
at its March 11, 2008, session, amended the Electronic Public Access
(EPA) Fee Schedule for the appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts,
the United States Court of Federal Claims, and the Judicial Panel
on Multidistrict Litigation. The fee schedule was amended to eliminate
any reference to dial-up access, because the current versions of
CM/ECF and PACER no longer provide direct dial-up remote access.
The fee schedule change is effective immediately.
View
the new EPA Fee Schedule
Information
for Electronic Filers with an Electronic Bankruptcy Noticing agreement
(EBN)
With the implementation of the Reduced Paper
Module (RPM), redundant paper notices stopped being mailed by the
Bankruptcy Noticing Center. Many of our electronic filing users
have signed up with the noticing center to receive electronic bankruptcy
notices instead of paper notices. For more information on EBN, please
go to the noticing center's website: https://www.noticingcenter.com.
Implementation of RPM also reduced the redundant electronic notices
being sent by the noticing center. Electronic filing users should
continue to monitor their daily notices of electronic filing (NEF)
sent from the court and retrieve hearing notices and orders attached
to the NEF.
Attention
ALL Electronic Filers: Elimination of redundant paper notices from
the Court Please be advised that
as indicated in the Announcement
dated February 4, 2008 and the second e-mail
notification
to electronic filers on February 20, 2008,
the Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida has implemented
the Reduced Paper Module (RPM). In most cases where an electronic
filer is a party, only electronic notice will be sent. The court will
no longer send redundant paper notices and orders with a few exceptions.
The “Notice of the First Meeting of Creditors” will continue
to be sent in paper by BNC as well as by electronic notice. In addition
there are some docket entries that cause the termination of a party
from the case. In order for the terminated party to receive notice,
certain orders and notices will be tagged to be mailed in paper from
BNC to the terminated party as well as any other electronic filing
party on the case. Trustees will receive paper notice only if they
are terminated on Notices/Orders of Conversion and Notices/Orders
of Removal or Substitution. Attorneys will receive paper notice only
if they are terminated on Notices/Orders of Substitution of Counsel
and Orders Granting Withdrawal as Counsel. IT
IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROPERLY MAINTAIN YOUR E-MAIL ACCOUNTS
IN ORDER TO RECEIVE ALL ELECTRONIC NOTICES TIMELY. ADDITIONALLY,
IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MONITOR CASE ACTIVITY.
Application
to the Administrative Office of the United States Courts for Approval
as a Notice Provider
Entities interested in entering into separate
arrangements with creditors for delivery services comparable to
those provided through the Bankruptcy Noticing Center program's
National Creditor Registration Service (NCRS).
View
application
Please fax the completed application to the
Administrative Office of the United States Courts, Bankruptcy Court
Administration Division at (202) 502-1511. A list of approved notice
providers will be posted on the Judiciary’s public website
at www.uscourts.gov. If you have any questions regarding the status
of your application, please contact the Bankruptcy Court Administration
Division at (202) 502-1540.
Notice
of revised Chapter 11 quarterly fee schedule
Amended
"means test" forms (22A, 22B, and 22C) effective January
1, 2008
Bankruptcy
rules amendments effective December 1, 2007
Appointment
of Douglas W. Neway as Chapter 13 Standing Trustee in the Jacksonville
Division Notice is given by the
United States Trustee of the appointment of Douglas W. Neway as Chapter
13 Standing Trustee in the Jacksonville Division of the Middle District
of Florida, effective October 1, 2007, following the resignation of
Mamie L. Davis.
Federal Rulemaking - Proposed amendments
published for public comment
At its January and June 2006 and June 2007 meetings,
the Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure approved the recommendations
of the Advisory Committees on Appellate, Bankruptcy, Civil, and Criminal
Rules and approved for publication over 90 time-computation provisions
found in the Appellate, Bankruptcy, Civil, and Criminal Rules, with
a view to simplifying the provisions and eliminating inconsistencies
among them. These proposed amendments, which are set forth below,
comprise the majority of the rules being published for comment.
The proposed amendments to the rules and
Official Forms may be accessed by clicking on the link, uscourts.gov/rules/newrules1.htm.
The proposed amendments and new rules may also be accessed by clicking
on the link titled "Proposed Rules Amendments Published for
Comment" in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. The public
comment period for the proposed amendments and new rules ends on
February 15, 2008.
Attorneys
that no longer have interest in a case and request to stop electronic
notices
Attorneys who represent a party in a contested
matter, either in the bankruptcy case or an adversary proceeding,
may file a document stating they have no further interest in the
case and request to stop electronic notices. Please note, however,
that attorneys who represent the debtor(s), attorneys who have been
employed in the case by court order, or attorneys who are representing
a client in a pending contested matter are not permitted to withdraw
from the case or request to stop electronic notice under this procedure.
To electronically file the notice, attorneys
will use docket event "Notice of Withdrawal from Case and Request
to Stop Electronic Notice," located under the Notices category
in CM/ECF. The attorney must attach a pdf document stating why they
no longer want to receive electronic notice in the case. Once the
notice is docketed, the clerk's office will review the case docket
and take appropriate action to stop electronic notice from being
sent to the attorney's email address.
Order
establishing presumptively reasonable debtor's attorney fee in Chapter
13 cases
Publication
of certain personal data in documents filed with the court - transcript
redaction
The judiciary’s privacy policy restricts
the publication of certain personal data in documents filed with
the court. The policy requires limiting Social Security and financial
account numbers to the last four digits, using only initials for
the names of minor children, and limiting dates of birth to the
year. However, if such information is elicited during testimony
or other court proceedings, it will become available to the public
when the official transcript is filed at the courthouse unless,
and until, it is redacted. The better practice is for you to avoid
introducing this information into the record in the first place.
Please take this into account when questioning witnesses or making
other statements in court. If a restricted item is mentioned in
court, you may ask to have it stricken from the record or partially
redacted to conform to the privacy policy, or the court may do so
on its own motion. Read
the entire announcement.
Pay.gov
security enhancement effective February 1, 2007 Beginning
February 1, 2007, all CM/ECF users that pay fees through the Pay.gov
system will be required to complete the security code field to complete
the transaction.
Internet browsers required to meet higher security standards
for access to Pay.gov
To insure the highest level of security when
performing online transactions, the Treasury requires that you use
an Internet browser that supports 128-bit encryption. Encryption
protects your information between you and pay.gov by scrambling
the information transmitted between two points (between you and
Pay.gov).
Lee Ann
Bennett appointed Clerk of Bankruptcy Court
Laptop
Pilot Program
The Bankruptcy Court of the Middle District
of Florida announces the launching of a pilot program to allow certain
trustees and attorneys to routinely transport laptop computers into
courtrooms. Read
the entire announcement.
Important
Notice Concerning Privacy Policy
The attached memorandum (OCPB75.PDF) from
the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts
provides information regarding the Privacy Policy. A good deal of
the information contained in the enclosure to the Director's Memorandum
is for court use, but you might find it useful to have the copies
of the new forms attached. The other attached documents are an abbreviated
version of the Director's memorandum, Statement of Social Security
number form, Guidelines to Attorneys, and Guidelines to Claim filers.
Director's
memorandum
Guidelines
to Attorneys
Guidelines
to Claim filers
Privacy
Policy
Privacy FAQs
Statement
of Social Security number form |