Bankruptcy News

1. No Funds Available for Additional Chapter 7 Trustee Payments

   The Department of Justice (DOJ) has advised the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts that it has no funds available to transfer to the Judiciary to make additional payments to eligible chapter 7 bankruptcy trustees for fiscal year 2023.

2. Program Recalls Courage of Fred Korematsu and his Fight for Justice

   Honolulu high school students experienced the journey of Fred Korematsu firsthand during a courtroom reenactment of Korematsu’s fight for racial justice that included the attorneys who represented him.

3. Bankruptcies Rise 16 Percent Over Previous Year

   Bankruptcy filings rose 16 percent during the 12-month period ending March 31, 2024. That is a similar rate of acceleration as in the Dec. 31, 2023, quarterly report, but new bankruptcy cases remain significantly lower than before the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

4. Outreach Event Sparks Dialogue on Disability Rights

   Hundreds of lawyers and community members joined Minnesota federal judges in a recent courthouse event fostering awareness of disability rights.

5. Judge Aleta Trauger Opened Doors for Women in Law

   Aleta A. Trauger earned a reputation as a tough prosecutor after convicting a former Tennessee governor during her stint at the U.S. attorney’s office. The 1981 case, which dealt with selling liquor licenses to political friends, gave her credibility in a male-dominated space.

6. Case Closure Rates Get Longer as E-Discovery Increases

   Across the country, federal defender offices are struggling with increasingly complex litigation marked by escalating electronic discovery demands. Staffing shortages and the lingering effects of the COVID pandemic have added to their challenges.

7. Judiciary Releases Annual Report and Judicial Business Data

   The Judiciary today released its Annual Report providing detailed information about mission critical initiatives that advanced over the course of 2023, including efforts to enhance the court system’s physical and information technology security and modernize its IT systems.

8. Conference Acts to Promote Random Case Assignment

   The Judicial Conference of the United States has strengthened the policy governing random case assignment, limiting the ability of litigants to effectively choose judges in certain cases by where they file a lawsuit.

9. New Court Programs Inspire Students to Enter Legal Profession

   Federal judges across the country are partnering with local bar associations, community groups, and schools to bring programs like these to high school students in the communities they serve.

10. Judge Raymond Lohier Shares His Immigration Story and the Diverse Perspective it Brings

    A new video profile explores Judge Raymond J. Lohier, Jr.'s, Haitian and Caribbean heritage and the story of how his family came to America.