The United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Utah has established a Local Rules Advisory Committee to review the operation and effect of the Bankruptcy Court’s current rules, and to consider amendments to existing rules and creation of new rules, including possibly, rules to govern cases filed under Subchapter V of Chapter 11. The Committee meets quarterly with the goal of recommending amended local rules to the Bankruptcy Court for approval, after notice and opportunity for comment. The Bankruptcy Court submits any proposed amended local rules that it approves to the United States District Court for the District of Utah for final approval under 28 U.S.C. § 2071.

Starting in 2024, Chief Judge Anderson has requested that Judge Hunt assume the role of Committee Chair. The Court is inviting local practitioners, members of the Panel of Chapter 7 Trustees and Subchapter V Trustees to submit a statement of interest in serving on the Committee. The Committee will be comprised of local practitioners whose principal practices are in bankruptcy, representing debtor and creditor perspectives in commercial and consumer cases; a member of the Chapter 7 Trustee Panel; a Subchapter V Trustee; the Standing Chapter 13 Trustee; a representative from the Office of the United States Trustee; and court personnel.

Those interested in serving on the Committee should email Sarah Laybourne by no later than February 16, 2024 to express a willingness to serve. Past service on the Committee is not a bar to continued service, but the Court requests all interested professionals submit a statement of interest. Individuals selected for Committee service will be notified in March.

The Court would like to thank the following persons who served on the Committee during Chief Judge Anderson’s tenure as Committee Chair:

The Honorable Kevin A. Anderson, Chair
Troy Aramburu, Bankruptcy Practitioner
Darwin Bingham, Bankruptcy Practitioner
Geoffrey Chesnut, Bankruptcy Practitioner
George Hofmann, Bankruptcy Practitioner and Chapter 7 Trustee
Lon Jenkins, Chapter 13 Trustee for the District of Utah
Janci Lawes, Bankruptcy Practitioner
Mark Middlemas, Bankruptcy Practitione

Sarah Laybourne, Judicial Law Clerk
David Newman, Assistant U.S. Trustee
David Sime, Clerk of Court 

The Court will be closed Monday, January 15th, 2024 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. We'll be back in the office on Tuesday, January 16th, 2024.

The Honorable Kevin R. Anderson has been appointed as the Chief Judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Utah by the United States District Court for the same district. This appointment, which is outlined in General Order number 23-013, will take effect from January 1, 2024.

The Clerk's Office closures for the holidays are as follows:

• Friday, December 22nd, 2023 @ 3pm (early close) & Monday, December 25th, 2023
  Closed in observance of the Christmas Holiday and will reopen on Tuesday, December 26th, 2023.

• Monday, January 1st, 2024
  Closed in observance of the New Year Holiday and will reopen on Tuesday, January 2nd, 2024.

The current 14-year term of office of Sarah A. Hall, United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is due to expire on August 11, 2024. The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit is presently considering whether to reappoint Judge Hall to a new 14-year term of office.

Upon reappointment, Judge Hall would continue to exercise the jurisdiction of a bankruptcy judge as specified in title 28, United States Code; title 11, United States Code; and the Bankruptcy Amendments and Federal Judgeship Act of 1984, Pub. L. No. 98-353, § § 101-122, 98 Stat. 333-346.

Members of the bar and the public are invited to submit comments for consideration by the court of appeals. All comments will be kept confidential and should be directed to:

David Tighe
Circuit Executive
Byron White United States Courthouse
1823 Stout Street
Denver, CO 80257

or email to hr@ca10.uscourts.gov

Comments must be received not later than Tuesday, February 27, 2024.