Bankruptcy News

1. Judge Joel M. Flaum Receives 2024 Devitt Award

   Judge Joel M. Flaum, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, is the 2024 recipient of the Edward J. Devitt Distinguished Service to Justice Award. Flaum received the award in a Nov. 13 ceremony.

2. Judiciary Releases First Annual Report on the Workplace

   All federal courts have put in place an effective dispute resolution plan giving employees multiple pathways to report and address workplace concerns, and an increasing number of them are opting to use the new processes.

3. The Need for Additional Judgeships: Litigants Suffer When Cases Linger

   With a worsening shortage of Article III judges to resolve critical copyright, trademark, patent, and contract disputes, judges across the nation are faced with increasingly complex litigation and growing caseloads. 

4. Judge and Intern Forge Lasting Bond Through Shared Native Heritage

   In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, a new video explores the deep connection that formed between U.S. District Judge Sunshine S. Sykes and Rose Saubel, her former intern, through their shared Native American heritage.

5. Bankruptcy Filings Rise 16.2 Percent

   Personal and business bankruptcy filings rose 16.2 percent in the twelve-month period ending Sept. 30, 2024, compared with the previous year. 

6. Electronic Filing Scam Targets Attorneys

   Attorneys across the country are being targeted with fake electronic filing notifications, in which emails purporting to come from the federal Judiciary’s Case Management/Electronic Case Files (CM/ECF) system lead recipients to a malicious website with computer viruses.

7. Judges Make Classroom Visits to Speak with Students About Life and the Law

   Judges are engaging with students to teach them valuable legal and life skills through the Judiciary’s Candid Conversations program.

8. Chief Justice Names Conference Committee Chairs

   Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., has named five new chairs of Judicial Conference committees and extended the term of five current chairs by one year. The appointments took effect Oct. 1.

9. Mendez v. Westminster: How a Young Girl’s Courage Transformed Schools

   Sylvia Mendez was just eight when she became part of a landmark school desegregation case that helped pave the way for the famous Brown v. Board ruling a decade later. The story of Mendez v. Westminster is told in a new Moments in History video.

10. Judicial Conference Briefed on the Need for Continued Vigilance on Cybersecurity and Workplace Conduct

    The Judiciary has strengthened its IT defenses against cyberattacks, a meeting of the Judicial Conference of the United States was told on Tuesday. But the threat is growing in scale and sophistication, requiring even greater vigilance against attacks from individuals and unfriendly nations.