Bankruptcy News

1. Robert Katzmann, Judge and Civics Advocate, Dies at 68

   Robert A. Katzmann, a former chief judge of the Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals and a tireless, impassioned advocate of civics education, died June 9. He was 68.

2. U.S. Judicial Conference Urges Senate to Back Security Funding

   Citing a growing danger to federal judges and courthouses, the Judicial Conference of the United States has asked the U.S. Senate to support a total of $182.5 million in supplemental funding to bolster security.

3. As COVID-19 Cases Fall, Juries Get Back to Work

   As coronavirus (COVID-19) case totals continue to decline in the United States, federal courts are rapidly expanding the number of jury trials and other in-person proceedings.

4. Judges Appreciate Jurors as Their Partners in Justice

   In a new, five-minute installment in the Court Shorts video series, 11 federal judges bring attention to the central role of citizens in maintaining public trust in the justice system.

5. Judges Learn Students’ Perspectives in Law Day Events

   Federal judges are creating opportunities throughout May for critical thinking and candid conversations with students about the rule of law, as part of the Judiciary’s annual observance of Law Day.

6. New Bankruptcy Filings Plummet 38.1 Percent

   Bankruptcy filings dropped 38.1 percent for the 12-month period ending March 31, 2021, a dramatic fall that coincided with the coronavirus (COVID-19), which first disrupted the economy in March 2020. 

7. Judges Focus on Diversity in Clerkship, Internship Hiring

   Federal judges are working to make highly sought-after law clerkships and judicial internships more accessible to a diverse pool of law students.

8. Judge Honors Mother’s Adversity, Sacrifice by Women

   In a highly personal talk, Judge Paula Xinis recounts how two women inspired her career in the law through their different battles with adversity: Sojourner Truth, an abolitionist who escaped from slavery, and Xinis’ mother.

9. Defenders Navigate Uncharted Territory During Pandemic

   Working on the front lines of justice amid the pandemic, federal defenders are navigating uncharted territory as they work to maintain virtual access to clients in detention facilities and participate in socially distanced trials and hearings.

10. Judiciary Releases Annual Report and Judicial Business 2020

    Along with the rest of America, the Judiciary confronted significant challenges in 2020, led by the need to meet its constitutional obligations amid a deadly global pandemic. Federal courts learned to keep operations going, despite restricted access to courth­ouses, with a quickly evolving reliance on technology and the resilience of a 30,000-strong workforce, according to the Annual Report of the Director Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AO).