ACCOMPLISHMENTS/INNOVATIONS

  • In September, the Court approved and issued the Strategic Plan, which sets out its vision for the next five years. The report was developed over 18 months in collaboration with judges, executive management, the staff, attorneys, and members of the public.
  • Judge Barry Russell received the William L. Norton Jr. Judicial Excellence Award at the 2013 National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges in Atlanta, Georgia. The award recognizes Judge Russell’s contributions to bankruptcy law as a leader and scholar during his four-decade judicial career.
  • Judges Robin L. Riblet, Alan M. Ahart, and Vincent P. Zurzolo each celebrated 25 years on the bench. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit appointed all three judges to their first terms in 1988.
  • The Central District’s noticing practices were ranked the most efficient in the nation when costs were measured per new case filed. The Court has kept costs low by promoting electronic noticing and revising notices and orders to eliminate unnecessary paperwork.
  • The Clerk’s Office rolled out Case Management Assist, a software program that automatically distributes and reassigns work to operations personnel. The program increases the efficiency of case processing at the Court.
  • The Court revised its Local Bankruptcy Rules (LBR) to save paper and postage, eliminating the requirement to file a Notice of Entered Order and Service List. The revised LBRs also clarify practice in several areas.
  • In partnership with the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the Court is piloting Debtor Electronic Bankruptcy Noticing (DeBN), a software program that provides electronic notices to consenting debtors. DeBN is expected to reduce noticing costs, provide faster service of notices and orders, and improve attorney-client communications.
  • In February, the Court created the Shared Administrative Services (SAS) team to implement a Judiciary cost-containment policy. Services in Human Capital, Information Technology, and Space and Facilities were offered to court units on a cost-reimbursable basis established through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).