ACCOMPLISHMENTS HIGHLIGHTS

In 2011, the Central District welcomed Peter H. Carroll as Chief Bankruptcy Judge, and added six new judges: Mark S. Wallace, Scott C. Clarkson, Wayne Johnson, Sandra R. Klein, Julia W. Brand, and Neil W. Bason.
The Clerk’s Office paid out $6.73 million in trustee payments, breaking the previous year’s post-BAPCPA record.
By streamlining Court procedures, the Central District achieved the lowest Bankruptcy Noticing Center (BNC) costs per bankruptcy case nationwide, saving the judiciary more than $2 million in 2011.
Through effective space planning, the Clerk’s Office released 9,725 square feet at the San Fernando Valley Division and 14,000 square feet at the Santa Ana Division to GSA. The release of space in both divisions provided substantial long-term cost savings for the judiciary.
The Clerk’s Office implemented a new mobile version of the Court’s Lodged Order Upload (LOU) software, and developed enhanced monitoring capability for processing orders. As a result of these initiatives, the Central District reduced its processing time for orders more than 30 percent.
In January, the Clerk’s Office formed the Operations Support Team, a select group of deputy clerks who specialize in handling high-volume processes for district-wide operations tasks. The effort has resulted in greater consistency of work processes across divisions and greater efficiency.
The Clerk’s Office commenced the Server Modernization Project, which will save the Court money on hardware procurement, energy consumption, and server licenses. The project will also improve data backup to support the Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP).