Save the Date! June 28-29, 2019, for the 29th Annual Bankruptcy Seminar and Retreat at Sun Mountain Lodge, Winthrop, Washington. 7.5 CLE Credits (projected). Special $100.00 discount for first-time attendees!
L. Warden Hanel Memorial Bankruptcy Scholarship:
Congratulations to the 2019 Eric L. Warden Hanel Memorial Bankruptcy Scholarship recipient, Eric Geiger! Click here to read his article entitled, The Issue Checklist: Discharging Unsecured Tax Debts for Individual Debtors.
Latest News:
2018 Fall Bankruptcy Seminar. An extra special thank you to all who attended our Fall Bankruptcy Seminar on Friday, November 9, 2018. This includes a hearty welcome to Tecla Druffel, a bankruptcy practitioner new to our District. Welcome!! Please be sure to get to know Tecla when you have the opportunity. If you couldn’t make it to join us this time around, we missed you and look forward to seeing you at Sun Mountain next June. Topics included Common Objections and Frequent Issues in Chapter 13 cases, Treatment of 3rd Party Claims, a Case Law Update, a discussion of how to handle traffic citations in bankruptcy, a discussion of the perils of cutting corners, reasons why proposed electronic orders are rejected by the Court, common procedural errors in consumer bankruptcies, and the intersection of divorce and bankruptcy.
2018 Retreat/CLE – 28th Annual Bankruptcy Seminar and Retreat. A special thank you to those of you who joined us at Sun Mountain this year. We hope that in addition to a great CLE program, you were able to network and spend time learning about one another in the beautiful Methow Valley. Next year is going to be a huge celebration, honoring Judge Kurtz, so plan early and invite your friends, family, and colleagues.
2018 Federal & Civil Trial Practice Seminar. The 12th Annual Federal Civil Trial Practice Seminar will be held on Friday, May 18, 2018, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. in the Richland U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building Public Auditorium, 825 Jadwin Avenue, Richland, Washington. Click here for program and registration information. (Source: http://www.waeb.uscourts.gov/news/2018-federal-civil-trial-practice-seminar-0)
Bankruptcy Filings Continue to Decline. According to statistics released by the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, national bankruptcy case filings fell 0.7% for the 12-month period ending December 31, 2017, compared to the previous year. This is the smallest one-year decline in national bankruptcy case filings since 2010. In the Eastern District of Washington, bankruptcy case filings fell by 6.5% for the 12-month period ending December 31, 2017. Since 2010, the annual decline in local bankruptcy case filings has ranged from 13.5% to 5.5%, with the smallest one-year decline occurring between 2015 and 2016. (Source: https://www.waeb.uscourts.gov/news/bankruptcy-filings-continue-decline-1)
Amended Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure effective December 1, 2017. The following rules were affected: 1001, 1006, 1015, 2002, 3002, 3007, 3012, 3015, 3015.1 (new), 4003, 5009, 7001 and 9009. Local Bankruptcy Rule 3007-1. Additional information regarding pending rules and amendments may be found on the Judiciary’s website at www.uscourts.gov/rules-policies/pending-rules-and-forms-amendments.
New Local Chapter 13 Plan effective December 1, 2017. The Eastern District of Washington Bankruptcy Court’s new Chapter 13 Plan was unveiled at the Fall Seminar. The new Plan will be required for all Chapter 13 Plan after December 1, 2017. All modifications of existing Chapter 13 plans will have to incorporate the new numbered paragraphs. A conversion sheet will be uploaded to the website shortly.
Fall Seminar. Thank you to all who attended the Bankruptcy Fall Seminar! It was very well attended and we had some great speakers.
Current Scholarship Recipient. Congratulations to our newest Warden L. Hanel Scholarship recipient Kristopher Morton. We look forward to seeing your article this spring!
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Pictures from the Bankruptcy Fall Seminar, October 2017
