The Washington Center for Real Estate Research has published the median sales prices for homes by county, relevant for determining the...
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News & Announcements
08/31/2023
The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Washington solicits comments, pursuant to Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 9029, on proposed amendments to the Local Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure and Local Bankruptcy Forms,...
08/10/2023
The Court posts audio from held hearings directly on the ECF case docket. Audio is contained in an embedded PDF file which must be downloaded in order to play. See information below for best results when accessing, downloading and playing...
07/12/2023
Nationally, CM/ECF filers are increasingly using third-party services (e.g., PACER Pro, DocketBird,...
05/26/2023
The Federal Bar Association's Nominations Committee is accepting applications for three open Lawyer Representative positions for the Western District of...
05/15/2023
The Washington State legislature has enacted significant changes to the Washington personal property exemption statutes, amending RCW 6.15.010, 51.32.040, 6.67.100, and 6.27.140. Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5173 was signed by Governor Jay...
04/25/2023
Due to national issues with the CM/ECF program for batch filing of new cases, WAWB will be turning off the batch filing feature used to group 341 meetings for an attorney filing multiple new cases on the same day.
03/23/2023
The Thomas T. Glover Mediation Program Presents: The Nuts and Bolts of Mediation - Including Ethical Considerations
Are you curious about the mechanics of mediation? New to practicing law and wondering about how to raise the topic...
02/15/2023
WAWB Best Practices has posted a new article in this series designed to benefit new and seasoned bankruptcy professionals. "Navigating the New Student Loan Discharge Process: Overview and Additional...
02/06/2023
Registration is now open for “Roadways to the Bench: Who Me? A Bankruptcy or Magistrate Judge?”, an exciting program coordinated by the Judicial Conference Committees on the Administration of the Bankruptcy System and the Magistrate Judges System...
01/09/2023
The WAWB Best Practices series announces its most recent installment: In re Masingale: "100% of Value" Exemption Claim, an article by Katherine Culbertson, Law Clerk to Hon. Brian Lynch. The article...
01/04/2023
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Washington is pleased to announce the appointment of Gina Zadra Walton as the new Clerk of Court. Ms. Zadra Walton will assume the Clerk of Court duties on January 1, 2023.
Ms...
12/21/2022
Effective December 1, 2022, the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts has designated any entity that receives 50 or more paper bankruptcy notices in a single calendar month is a high-volume paper...
12/12/2022
The Court has entered General Order 2022-3, increasing the presumptive fee in chapter 13 cases to an amount up to $5,000. The presumptive fee process is established by...
12/02/2022
The Court's Thomas T. Glover Mediation Program is pleased to announce the addition of three new members to its Executive Committee. Thomas Buford, Jennifer Faubion, and Darcel Lobo have joined the Committee as of December 1, 2022.
The new...
12/01/2022
Several national federal rule changes and national official form changes are effective December 1, 2022. The full amendments to the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure can be found here:
...
10/17/2022
VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT - Bankruptcy Judgeship Opportunity - Southern District of California, San Diego
VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
Bankruptcy Judgeship Opportunity - Southern District of California, San Diego
10/12/2022
The Vancouver and Port Orchard motion calendars are moving to a virtual platform, ZoomGov. Evidentiary hearings and trials will be held in person at the discretion of the assigned judge. Specifically:
- Judge Heston will hold her...
10/07/2022
The Thomas T. Glover Mediation Program, together with the KCBA Bankruptcy Section, announces the rescheduled return to in-person programming! Join us for a discussion of the mediation opportunities within Subchapter V, followed by a long...
08/26/2022
08/05/2022
Due to concerns related to COVID-19 variants, the Court has decided to conduct this fall’s bench/bar program on a virtual platform. The event will take place on September 19 at 2:30 pm via ZoomGov. Topics to be covered will...
07/25/2022
The latest article in the WAWB Best Practices series provides an overview of the changes implemented by the Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment and Technical Corrections Act...
07/08/2022
Reinstatement of indoor Mask Requirement. Effective July 11, 2022, face masks will be required for any person entering the courthouse and must be worn in all common areas, including courtrooms, per...
05/11/2022
The Court has entered General Order 2022-01 amending Local Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 5001-1, governing the deposit of funds into the Court's registry...
05/02/2022
Thank you to the Honorable Brian D. Lynch and his law clerk Katherine Culbertson, as well as the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, for the latest installment in the WAWB Best Practices series:...
04/19/2022
Starting late April, the Seattle/Everett/Bellingham assignment areas will be consolidated as to the...
04/11/2022
Updated April 11, 2023
The COVID-19 National Emergency has been Terminated Effective April 10, 2023
President Biden has signed a Congressional resolution ending the national emergency declared in response to the...
04/07/2022
Temporary amendments to the Bankruptcy Code, Rules and National forms were implemented by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act ("CARES Act"). Those bankruptcy provisions sunset on March 27, 2022. Certain of the Official...
03/23/2022
The Court's Thomas T. Glover Mediation Program welcomes bankruptcy attorney Thomas Buford to its panel of mediators. Program mediators are trained in alternative dispute resolution...
02/10/2022
Effective March 1, 2022, the Bankruptcy Clerk’s Office intake counters will reopen to serve the public in the Tacoma and Seattle courthouses. The counter is staffed Monday through Friday during business hours: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. Clerk’s office...
01/26/2022
In recognition of the increased use of the ZoomGov platform for virtual hearings, WAWB Best Practices series presents the attached ZoomGov guide for hearing participants. This guide includes technical details and tips for practitioners...
01/20/2022
Fed. R. Bankr. P. 1007(a)(1) requires certain debtors to file, with the voluntary petition, a statement of corporate ownership. Effective December 1, 2021, this requirement was...
01/18/2022
A new ECF event has been made available to Trustees to facilitate their compliance with the Bankruptcy Administration Improvement Act (BAIA). The BAIA requires Chapter 7 panel trustees to docket a certification of eligibility, pursuant to 11 U.S....
01/13/2022
Judge Barreca announces that Everett Calendars will be conducted via ZoomGov going...
01/06/2022
12/02/2021
The Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure, as well as the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure, were amended effective December 1, 2021. In addition, Official Form 122B, Chapter 11 Statement of Monthly Income, was amended.
The amendments...
11/29/2021
The Thomas T. Glover Mediation Program is accepting applications from qualified individuals desiring to join its panel of trained mediators. Attorney candidates must be a member of the bar of any state for at least 5 years, be in good standing...
11/29/2021
For the latest information on hearing dates and each judge's preference for conducting calendars, refer frequently to the Chambers information pages of the Court's website.
... 11/15/2021
The Court's Thomas T. Glover Mediation Program is assisted by an Executive Committee comprised of up to 5 attorneys. Members are appointed for 3 year terms, which may be...
11/10/2021
The latest installment of the WAWB Best Practices series is courtesy of the Washington State Bar Association. The article addresses recent changes to malpractice disclosure requirements, MCLE ethics requirements,and more. Find this and prior...
09/28/2021
The Court is updating its website with respect to how we display and communicate information related to judges' future calendars. Calendars are currently available under the "Hearings and Locations...
09/28/2021
If the U.S. Congress fails to enact a Continuing Resolution by midnight on September 30, 2021, federal agencies will implement shutdown plans. However, in the event of a lapse of appropriations, the Judiciary has fee authorities and no-year...
09/13/2021
In anticipation of continued telephone Section 341 Meetings of Creditors, the U.S. Trustee’s office has arranged for new conference call lines for most trustees. Each trustee will have a specific conference call line...
09/01/2021
As part of the continuing Best Practices Series, "Service on Credit Unions" by Taylor M. Jones, law clerk to Judge Brian D. Lynch, addresses the nuances of service under...
08/27/2021
The Clerk's office is frequently contacted by individuals who are looking for a copy of their discharge order from a prior bankruptcy proceeding. Those requests can now be processed online, on the homepage of the...
08/25/2021
Judge Barreca's Everett Calendar will be held telephonically until November 10, 2021, not in person as previously announced, as a result of changing Covid-19 related restrictions at the Everett facility. Permission to attend telephonically is not...
08/19/2021
The U.S.Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Washington is available on ChapMobile, a free mobile app that displays Confirmed Hearings and 341 Meetings in a user-friendly format. A go-to app for attorneys and trustees who want to track...
08/13/2021
As a result of a judiciary wide service disruption, Notices of Electronic Filing (NEFs) generated by the Court's Case Filing/Electronic Case Management System (ECF) failed to launch for about 30 minutes on the afternoon of Thursday, August 12....
07/13/2021
The Clerk’s office procedures for closing cases is largely governed by an agreement between the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts and the United States Trustee. We are updating our closing procedures per that...
06/23/2021
The Court has adopted General Order 21-02,...
06/01/2021
The Office of the United States Trustee for W. Washington and Alaska is hosting a training on how to prepare and file the new Chapter 11 Monthly Operating Reports and new Post-Effective Date Reports. The training will take place by Microsoft...
05/24/2021
The Court's Thomas T. Glover Mediation Program is proud to sponsor an excellent program featuring three well known and respected jurists renowned for their dual expertise in mediation and bankruptcy law:
** Barbara Houser,...
05/13/2021
The Washington State legislature has enacted significant changes to the Washington homestead statute. The Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5408 (link is external)...
05/03/2021
The United States District Court for the W.D. Washington has entered General Order 08-21 defining the electronic device policy for Western...
04/30/2021
The WAWB Best Practices series has added a timely and informative article by Mark S. Stern and Christina Latta Henry with practice tips related to the new Washington...
04/26/2021
The United States District Court for the Western District of Washington has announced an increase in attorney admission fees. The one-time fee for admission to practice in the Western District of Washington is increased to $238.00. The pro hac...
03/24/2021
A reminder that memorandum decisions of the Court are available free, without a logon, at https://govinfo.gov In addition, the Court's RSS Feed service provides notification of new opinions posted on the...
03/01/2021
Attorneys and other case participants are increasingly using third-party services (e.g., PACER Pro, DocketBird, CourtDrive, RECAP, etc.) to collect and organize case filings in matters in which they are involved. To facilitate the use of a third-...
02/26/2021
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, allows an “eligible creditor” to file a supplemental proof of claim for a CARES Act forbearance in a chapter 13 case. A new form of Supplemental Proof of Claim for CARES Forbearance Claim,...
02/19/2021
On December 27, 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act (the “Act”) was signed into law. Among other changes, the Act creates a new subsection (i) of section 1328 of the Bankruptcy Code which permits a court to grant a regular (not hardship)...
01/20/2021
NOTICE OF NEW CHAPTER 11 QUARTERLY FEE SCHEDULE
The chapter 11 quarterly fee schedule established by 28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(6) was changed by the Bankruptcy Administration Improvement Act of 2020 (the Act), Pub. L. No....
01/15/2021
ChapMobile App 1.1.4 is now available in the Apple and Google Play Stores
CHAP Support is pleased to announce ChapMobile App 1.1.4 is now available in the Apple and Google App Stores as of Saturday, January 16, 2021....
12/16/2020
The Bankruptcy Court for the W.D. Washington announces a Bench Bar event to be held via Zoom ...
12/09/2020
The Bankruptcy Court is generally not conducting any in-person hearings due to the covid-19 pandemic.
... 12/01/2020
Various amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure become effective today, December 1, 2020. A comprehensive list of all federal rule changes can be found on the...
10/28/2020
The Western District of Washington Bankruptcy Court adopted a set of local rules establishing the Thomas T. Glover Mediation Program in 2012. The Program offers pro bono and low fee mediation with qualified mediators, most of whom are...
10/09/2020
At the discretion of the individual judge, the Bankruptcy Court may begin to hold a limited number of in-person trials and evidentiary hearings. For the benefit of all participants, the Court has adopted certain...
09/23/2020
The Judiciary has entered into an new contract with the Bankruptcy Noticing Center (BNC). As part of that transition, the BNC will be implementing a new form of Certificate of Notice....
09/22/2020
PUBLIC NOTICE
SOLICITATION OF APPLICANTS TO SERVE AS SUBCHAPTER V TRUSTEES
The United States...
09/21/2020
At its March 2020 session, the Judicial Conference for the United States approved inflationary increases to some components of the Bankruptcy...
08/31/2020
The U.S. Trustee Program has extended the requirement that section 341 meetings be conducted by telephone or video appearance to all cases filed during the period of the...
08/21/2020
Because of the strong interest bankruptcy practitioners expressed in regard to the Western District of Washington Bankruptcy Court’s Thomas T. Glover Mediation Program survey, the deadline for responding has been further extended to ...
08/17/2020
The Judicial Conference Advisory Committees on Appellate, Bankruptcy, Civil, and Criminal Rules have proposed amendments to various rules. These proposed changes, and the advisory committees' reports explaining the proposed rule changes, are...
07/22/2020
The Western District of Washington Bankruptcy Court announces online payment options for those not registered in the CM/ECF electronic filing system. Payment of court fees (filing fees and installment payments, copies, recordings of hearings,...
07/21/2020
An electronic filing option is available for parties without an attorney (debtors and creditors). Such parties may use this service to submit documents for filing with the...
07/20/2020
The Western District of Washington Bankruptcy Court's Thomas T. Glover Mediation Program is seeking input and feedback from bankruptcy practitioners through the survey link below. Responses are welcome from both practitioners who have used the...
06/26/2020
New PACER Website
Check out PACER's newly redesigned, informational and resource website, https://pacer.uscourts.gov.
The website provides information about how the public can access...
06/01/2020
The Seattle U.S. Trustee's office is currently seeking an experienced bankruptcy attorney to join the office as a trial attorney.
Details of the position, and required qualifications can be found at: ...
06/01/2020
Effective June 3, a new event will be available in ECF for docketing a notice of substantial consummation of a Subchapter V plan of reorganization. Not later than 14 days after the plan of the debtor is substantially consummated, the debtor...
05/26/2020
05/08/2020
04/27/2020
In January, the Court entered General Order 2020-1, adopting Interim Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure to implement the Small Business Reorganization Act of 2019. In March, 2020,...
04/14/2020
The District Court has entered General Order 7-20 which extends the closing of the Seattle and Tacoma courthouses to the general public for an additional 30 days to May 13, 2020. The Bankruptcy Court will continue to hear non-evidentiary matters...
03/26/2020
Given the transition to telephonic hearings in most matters, there are questions as to how hearings should be noticed.
If a matter was originally set for a physical hearing location, and will now be conducted telephonically per...
03/24/2020
The Court has entered a general order adopting interim procedures to clarify the need for a physical signature under Local Bankruptcy Rule 5005-1(d)(2). General...
03/20/2020
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03/18/2020
Judge Lynch has announced that his March 31 calendar in Vancouver will be held telephonically. In addition, Judge Lynch’s March 25 calendar in Tacoma will be held telephonically. Guidance and instructions are listed below.
Judge...
03/17/2020
Judge Dore's Chapter 13 Calendar on March 18 will be held telephonically. Please contact Judge Dore's chambers for instructions and dial in information: 206-370-5300.
03/17/2020
On March 17, in furtherance of efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19, the District Court entered a General Order closing the courthouses in Seattle and Tacoma...
03/16/2020
In re PNW Healthcare Holdings, LLC and subsidiaries, consolidated case no. 19-43754.
The official claims register, case documents and docket information can be found at
03/16/2020
The courthouses in Seattle and Tacoma, and the bankruptcy clerk's offices remain open to the public. However, in keeping with local and national recommendations to help limit the spread of COVID-19, the Clerk's offices in Seattle and Tacoma are...
03/16/2020
The United States Trustee has announced the following:
All in-person chapter 7,12, and 13 section 341 meetings scheduled through April 10, 2020, are hereby continued until a later date to be determined. Absent special circumstances,...
03/16/2020
Judge Barreca's calendars for March 19 (Seattle), April 1 (Everett) and April 2 (Seattle) will be telephonic only. Instructions and guidelines for telephonic appearances are as follows:
Instructions
(1) Dial: 1-888-363-4749...
03/13/2020
In light of the public health circumstances that our community is currently facing, the Pro Se Bankruptcy Clinic at the Seattle Courhouse will NOT be held in person on Thursday, March 19, 2020. Instead, those seeking to attend the clinic can...
03/12/2020
Judge Alston’s March 19 and March 20 Seattle Calendars to be held by Telephone Only*
*Instructions to Participate
(1) Dial: 1-888-363-4749
(2) Enter Access Code: 8955076#...
03/11/2020
In accordance with direction from the United States Trustee, chapter 7 and chapter 13 trustees will accommodate all reasonable requests for continuances of section 341 meetings by debtors who are concerned about exposure to COVID-19.
...
03/06/2020
Seattle and King County Public Health recommend that people at higher risk of severe illness should limit their risk of exposure to COVID-19. https://www....
02/27/2020
The Local Bankruptcy Rules Committee (“LBR Committee”) is typically reactivated and reconstituted every few years to review and improve this District’s local rules. The LBR Committee is currently chaired by Judge Dore and is otherwise made up...
02/07/2020
National and Local Rule Changes Implementing the SBRA
The Small Business Reorganization Act of 2019 (the SBRA) becomes effective on February 19, 2020. To implement the SBRA's substantive and procedural changes to...
02/04/2020
Attached are the power point slides from the recent bench bar presentations on the Small Business Reform Act. The Court thanks Zach Cooper, Krystal Mikkilineni, Hilary Bramwell Mohr, Samuel Dart, and Laurie Thornton for participating in the panel...
01/28/2020
The Small Business Reorganization Act of 2019 (the SBRA) becomes effective on February 19, 2020. To implement the SBRA's substantive and procedural changes to the Bankruptcy Code and Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure, the Judicial Conference...
01/22/2020
Judges Heston and Lynch announce new procedures for motions to shorten time. Effective January 23, 2020, all motions for shortening time filed in the W.D. Washington will follow the same procedure. Specific information is set forth on the...
01/03/2020
The Court will host three bench/bar events in January and February. Presentations will include a discussion of recent bankruptcy legislation: The Small Business Reorganization Act of 2019, The HAVEN Act, and The Family Farmer Relief Act of 2019...
12/11/2019
The Thomas T. Glover Mediation Program announces the appointment of attorneys Latife Neu and Thomas Neeleman to the Program's Executive Committee. Ms. Neu and Mr. Neeleman will fill positions vacated by Ann Marshall and Geoff Groshong. The Court...
11/25/2019
A number of national and local bankruptcy rule and form amendments go into effect on December 1, 2019. Below is a summary of those changes. Please refer to the website links and the text of the actual rules and forms for specific information....
11/22/2019
November 28th and 29th - In observance of Thanksgiving Day.
December 24th - In observance of Christmas Eve
December 25th - In observance of Christmas Day
January 1, 2020 - In observance of New Year's Day
11/13/2019
The Bankruptcy Court’s Thomas T. Glover Mediation Program recently hosted a successful seminar focused on improving the understanding and management of implicit bias in mediation and arbitration. Many thanks to the distinguished...
11/04/2019
The United States Trustee Program is accepting applications for a trial attorney for its Seattle office. For more information see the announcement: https://www.justice.gov/...
11/01/2019
Mark your calendars for the following bench bar meetings scheduled in early 2020:
Seattle - January 16, 2020, 3 - 4:30 pm with reception following
Tacoma - January 22, 2020, 3 - 4:30 pm with reception following
Vancouver-...
10/29/2019
PUBLIC NOTICE
SOLICITATION OF APPLICANTS TO SERVE AS SUBCHAPTER V TRUSTEES
The United States Department of Justice, Office of the United States Trustee, seeks resumes from persons wishing to be considered...
10/23/2019
Bankruptcy Attorney - Seattle, Washington
The Chapter 13 Standing Trustee for Seattle has an immediate opening for a full time bankruptcy attorney. The attorney will review cases, conduct meetings of creditors and represent the Trustee...
10/01/2019
The Court announces the appointment of the Honorable Marc L. Barreca as Chief Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Washington Bankruptcy Court. Judge Barreca's term as Chief will commence on October 1, 2019. The Court also acknowledges...
09/24/2019
The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit invites applications from highly qualified applicants for the position of Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Idaho. Applications must be received by the Ninth Circuit by Thursday, November 14. ...
09/16/2019
The Western Washington Bankruptcy Court’s Thomas T. Glover Mediation Program is pleased to host a seminar to aid lawyers and ADR neutrals in improving their understanding and management of implicit bias in mediation and...
07/02/2019
The Seattle Chapter 13 Trustee will host a Bench / Bar / Trustee brown bag lunch meeting on Thursday, October 3, 2019 from Noon to 2:00 pm at One Union Square, 600 University Street, Seattle,...
03/19/2019
Automatic adjustments will be made on April 1, 2019, to dollar amounts stated in various provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, one provision in Title 28, seven Official Bankruptcy Forms which contain adjusted dollar amounts, the Instructions for...
01/30/2019
In anticipation of the implementation of NextGen CM/ECF, the Court has entered General Order 2019-2, adopting amended Electronic Filing Procedures. The amended Electronic Filing Procedures...
01/23/2019
In cases filed after January 31, 2019, attorneys representing debtors in chapter 13 cases may be awarded fees of up to $4,000 (the "presumptive fee") without the need to first file a written fee application. The Court has signed...
01/03/2019
A series of bench/bar events was held in early 2019. Topics included recent developments in Washington state homestead law (and bankruptcy implications), a summary of recent developments in commercial law, and an overview of changes related to...
12/21/2018
10/02/2018
Effective January 1, 2019, matters formerly heard in Marysville will be heard at the Everett Station, 3201 Smith Avenue,...
09/07/2018
The Ninth Circuit is recruiting to fill two bankruptcy judge vacancies. The vacancy in the Eastern District of Washington, Yakima, has an application deadline of November 8. The vacancy in Eastern District of California, Fresno, is due November 1...
09/06/2018
After more than 19 years as the Chapter 13 Trustee in Seattle, Mike Fitzgerald will retire effective September 30, 2018. The United States Trustee has announced the appointment of Jason Wilson-Aguilar as the Chapter 13 Standing Trustee for...
09/06/2018
08/15/2018
On August 15, 2018, the...
04/24/2018
The U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Washington, announced that the operator of a business that abused bankruptcy...
02/02/2018
The Federal Bar and NW Consumer Law Center operate a free bankruptcy clinic for unrepresented debtors. The clinic is held from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM on the1st & 3rd Thursdays of...
11/21/2017
Reminder: Amendments to the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure and the local rules of bankruptcy procedure for the Western District of Washington will become effective December 1, 2017.
Clean and redline versions of the amended local...
11/13/2017
At recent bench bar meetings in Seattle, Tacoma and Vancouver, Judge Dore and the Chapter 13 Trustees discussed practice tips and pitfalls for working with the new local chapter 13 form plan that will be effective Dec. 1, 2017. An outline of...
10/18/2017
Did you know that there is a workroom in the Seattle courthouse that is available for attorneys to use while between calendars or on a break from a trial or hearing? Room 7411 on the 7th Floor of the Courthouse is supplied with desks, phones, a...
09/28/2017
Effective Wednesday, October 4, 2017, electronic filers may request an exemplified document through CM/ECF. The ECF event "Request for Exemplification of Document (fee)" is docketed to a case and linked to the document requiring certification....
09/21/2017
Effective December 1, 2017, local and national rule and form amendments will bring significant changes to local chapter 13 practice, particularly due to the adoption of a new local form chapter 13 plan. The chapter 13 trustees and the court will...
08/03/2017
The Court has signed General Order 2017-4, amending Local Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 9029-2, effective September 1, 2017.
06/16/2017
The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Washington solicits comments, pursuant to Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 9029, on proposed amendments to the Local Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure and Local Bankruptcy Forms,...
05/17/2017
Beginning June 1st, electronic filers may request a certified document through CM/ECF. The ECF event "Request for Certification of Document (fee)" is docketed to a case and linked to the document requiring certification. The $11.00 certification...
05/16/2017
You are invited to The Court's Thomas T. Glover Mediation Program seminar on the use of mediation in bankruptcy.
Date: Wednesday, June 7, 2017
Time: 1:30...
05/05/2017
Effective May 15, 2017, chapter 13 trustees will again pay filing fee installments from pre-confirmation plan payments in cases where the debtor is authorized to pay the filing fee in installments. The Court has vacated General Order 2017-2,...
02/23/2017
Parties inquiring about vehicle titles should contact Julie Beavers at Washington State Department of Licensing, JBeavers@DOL.WA.GOV 360-902-3748.
02/14/2017
Effective March 1, 2017, the Court will remove from CM/ECF the text only hearing confirmation event entitled "Notice to Court of Unopposed Motion." This event is no longer necessary. If a motion is unopposed, the filing of a "Declaration of No...
02/13/2017
The Seattle Clerk's Office will no longer maintain two separate phone lines for questions and assistance. The ECF Help phone line (206-370-5280) is being phased out. All calls, whether for general assistance or for ECF filing questions, should...
02/03/2017
The Court has entered a General Order, GO-2017-1, stating that effective Monday, February 6, a request to disqualify a bankruptcy judge shall be made by motion and determined by the...
01/19/2017
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has announced the appointment of Mary Jo Heston to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Washington. Judge Heston's term will be effective February 1, 2017. She will fill a vacancy resulting from the...
01/03/2017
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has issued his 2016 Year-End Report on the Federal Judiciary (pdf), highlighting the work performed by U.S. District judges....
12/06/2016
The Court will host a series of bench bar meetings in January, 2017. Each meeting will include an overview of the December 2016 local and national rule and form changes and feature a panel discussion on Chapter 7 issues. The chapter 7 panel will...
11/21/2016
Amendments to Local Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure and Local Forms
The Court has adopted amendments to the Local Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure for the Western District of Washington, as well as amendments to Local Bankruptcy Forms,...
10/31/2016
The United States District Court for the Western District of Washington has announced an increase in attorney admission fees, effective December 1, 2016. The one-time fee for admission to practice in the Western District of Washington will...
10/26/2016
The Judicial Conference of the United States has approved inflationary adjustments to federal court miscellaneous fee schedules. The following bankruptcy fee increases will become effective December 1, 2016:
Amendments - $31
CD-Rom...
09/12/2016
Effective immediately, the fee for a nonresident attorney to participate pro hac vice in a bankruptcy case or adversary proceeding is increased to $226.00, per order of the United States District Court, Western District of Washington....
09/08/2016
The Local Rules Committee of the Western District of Washington announces proposed amendments to the Local Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure. The proposed amended rules, a related proposed local form, and proposed amendments to two existing local...
08/12/2016
The Judicial Conference has proposed amendments to several rules and forms, including amendments to Bankruptcy Rules 3002.1, 5005, 8002, 8006, 8011, 8013, 8015, 8016, 8017, and new Rule 8018.1, 8022, 8023 and additional new Official Forms. The...
08/11/2016
Please note that Judge Barreca has added to his chambers procedures new requirements that are to be followed for submission of discovery disputes to him.
08/09/2016
Repeat filer information is now included on the case docket. An automated repeat filer entry is docketed in every case where a debtor has a prior bankruptcy case history, in this district and others, and includes prior case numbers and case...
07/18/2016
Effective immediately, attorneys with a CM/ECF account in this district may sign up to receive courtesy notification of the electronic filing of documents. By docketing a request for Courtesy Notification of Electronic Filing (NEF) to a case,...
07/11/2016
The Judicial Conference Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure has approved publication of proposed amendments to Bankruptcy Rule 3015 and proposed new Rule 3015.1. The period for public comment ends October 3, 2016.
04/05/2016
NW Territorial Mint LLC filed a chapter 11 case on April 1, 2016, in the Western District of Washington. and was assigned case number 16-11767. The following information is provided to assist claimants and others interested in the case.
1...
03/22/2016
Effective April 1, 2016, dollar amounts stated in various provisions of Title 11 and Title 28 of the U.S. Code will adjust to keep pace with the Consumer Price Index, as required by statute. Seven of the Official Bankruptcy Forms and three of...
03/21/2016
Effective March 29, 2016, ECF participants will be able to electronically file an application for a writ and receive the issued writ through ECF.
See Obtaining a Writ of Garnishment.
03/09/2016
After more than 20 years of dedicated service as a bankruptcy judge in this district, the Honorable Paul B. Snyder today announced his intent to retire effective December 31, 2016.
03/07/2016
Counsel who need to file 25 or more withdrawal and substitution notices - or change of address notices - may use a generic case caption (such as "All Pending Cases/All Pending Case Numbers") and must docket the notice to all pending cases. A...
01/04/2016
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has issued his 2015 Year-End Report on the Federal Judiciary (pdf), focusing on amendments made to the Federal Rules of Civil...
11/30/2015
Last updated: 11/24/2015
[This page will be updated frequently; please continue to check back for additional information]
The Judicial Conference has approved significant changes to the...
10/27/2015
The new location is Everett Station, Weyerhaeuser Room (4th Floor), 3201 Smith Avenue, Everett, WA 98201. The January 5, 2016 chapter 7 calendar is scheduled to open for assignment beginning November 27, 2016. The January 7, 2016 chapter 13...
10/20/2015
A sophisticated phone scam is targeting bankruptcy filers in several states, using personal information from filings and posing as attorneys to get intended victims to immediately wire money to satisfy a debt.
The National Association of...
10/01/2015
The Bankruptcy Court has adopted new procedures for the withdrawal and substitution of counsel. The new procedures set out in General Order 2015-3 are effective October 1, 2015, and include the following requirements:
- A notice of...
08/24/2015
Attorney Wi-Fi Internet access is available. Information for attorneys about connecting to the Court’s Wi-Fi Internet is available at the Bankruptcy Court Clerk’s Office front counter.
08/01/2015
For information about these national form changes, visit US Courts website.
06/10/2015
Debtors can now receive same day email notice of court generated notices and orders through Debtor Electronic Bankruptcy Noticing (DeBN). DeBN is free and easy to set up. For more information and registration instructions, go to the...
05/29/2015
Effective for cases filed on and after May 15, 2015, the list of creditors shall be filed by the debtor no later than 7 days from the date of the filing of the petition. Failure to timely file or submit the creditor list may result in dismissal...
05/20/2015
The front entrance to the Vancouver Federal Building will be closed during the month of June for an elevator replacement project. Consequently, public access to the facility will be through the first floor east entrance. Security screening will...
05/12/2015
Effective July 1, 2015, there will be a redistribution of cases between Judge Barreca and the new judge filling Judge Overstreet’s vacancy. Judge Barreca will preside over the Marysville caseload. The new judge will preside over the Port Orchard...
05/01/2015
Debtors can now receive same day email notice of court generated notices and orders through Debtor Electronic Bankruptcy Noticing (DeBN). DeBN is free and easy to set up. For more information and registration instructions, go to the...
03/12/2015
***Please check this page frequently; information will be continually updated.
... 02/01/2015
Follow the W.D. Washington Bankruptcy Court on Twitter @WAWB_News for public notices, court closure information and information regarding ECF accessibility.
10/13/2014
On August 15, 2014, the Judicial Conference Advisory Committees on Appellate, Bankruptcy, Civil, and Criminal Rules published proposed amendments to their respective rules and forms, and requested that the proposals be circulated to the bench,...
09/26/2014
Dear Colleague:
Our next Bench/Bar meeting will take place on Friday, October 3rd, from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm., in the One Union Square conference room. The One Union Square building is located at 600 University Street, between University...
05/22/2014
Local Bankruptcy Rule 5005-1 currently requires sealed documents to be filed conventionally, in paper. Effective June 3, 2014, electronic filers will have the ability to file sealed documents electronically. See General Order 2014-1.
...
11/22/2013
Electronic filers no longer need to create a separate pdf for a declaration of no objection under LBR 9013-1(f). A new "Declaration of No Objection (text only)" event in ECF is now available. The event will prompt the filer for specifics about...
08/27/2013
The Judicial Conference Privacy Policy has been amended to restrict public access through PACER to all documents in bankruptcy cases that were filed before December 1, 2003, and have been closed for more than one year. Documents in these closed...
07/22/2013
Mobile Query Feature in CM/ECF. Effective June 17, 2013, the Court will go live with a new mobile query feature that improves the ability to search CM/ECF from a mobile phone or tablet. Mobile query is designed to work with any browser...
06/14/2012
Effective June 27, 2012, the court will no longer expunge a case that is inadvertently filed twice. On occasion a case is filed twice as a result of a duplicate submission by an ECF filer or filer's staff. In the past, some filers were accustomed...
04/12/2012
The Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Washington is a mandatory electronic filing court. Local Rule W.D. Wash. Bankr. 5005-1(d)(2) requires the electronic filing of documents that must contain original signatures or verifications (e.g...