The Court has entered General Order No. 2023-1 adopting amendments to the Local Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure for the Western District of Washington, Local Bankruptcy Forms including the chapter 13 plan, and the Administrative Procedures and Technical Requirements for Electronic Filing ("Electronic Filing Procedures"). The amended rules, forms, and procedures will be effective December 1, 2023.  A summary of the substantive changes to the local rules and forms, along with the General Order, clean and redlined versions of the local rules and forms, and the amended Electronic Filing Procedures, are below.

The Court will host bench bar events in January 2024 to discuss the amendments. A Seattle bench bar will be held at the U.S. Courthouse, 19th floor, on January 23; a Tacoma bench bar will be held at Tacoma Union Station, Jury Assembly Room, on January 24. More details about these events will be forthcoming.

In addition to the local rule changes, there are national bankruptcy rule and form changes that will become effective December 1, 2023. Information about those amendments, and amendments to federal civil and criminal rules, can be found at uscourts.gov. The Judicial Conference of the United States has approved inflationary adjustments to bankruptcy and other fee schedules effective December 1, 2023.

The Court thanks the members of the Local Rules Committee for their time and dedication during the 2023 rules review process.