D. Sims Crawford
How Judge Crawford rules, drawn from 4 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Crawford
D. Sims Crawford is a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Alabama. He has served on the court since September 2016.
Judge Crawford's practices and standing orders
The court's website lists no individual practices or standing orders of Judge Crawford's own (checked October 10, 2026), so the court's local rules and general orders are the place to look (court page ↗).
Standing orders for every case in this court
Orders the court applies to all of its cases, whichever judge has them, as published on the court's website (checked October 10, 2026).
How Judge Crawford decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Final bankruptcy sales are disturbed only when compelling equities outweigh finality.
“confirmed sales may be vacated only when compelling equities outweigh the interest in finality.”
A proposed settlement must be fair and fall within the range of reasonableness; an objecting creditor's higher offer for property outside the estate does not displace that analysis.
“a settlement agreement must, at a minimum, be fair and ‘not fall below the lowest point in the range of reasonableness,’”
Cautions
For the willful-and-malicious-injury exception, proof of gross negligence or recklessness alone does not establish the required intent and malice.
“an act in reckless disregard of the rights of others is insufficient to constitute ‘willful and malicious’ conduct for purposes of § 523(a)(6).”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“the Motion for Relief (doc. 198) is hereby DENIED.”
“The State Court Judgment against Leader is hereby dischargeable pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 524(a) and the Discharge Order entered in Leader’s chapter 7 case.”
“the Trustee and Debtor’s Joint Motion to Approve Compromise and/or Settlement (doc. 71) is GRANTED, and the proposed settlement is APPROVED.”
“Wheeler’s Objection is OVERRULED, and his Motion is DENIED as moot.”
“to Amended Claim No. 13-3 is SUSTAINED in part.”
“16 is OVERRULED and this claim is allowed as filed.”
“GRANTED in part and DENIED in part.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
One sampled matter terminated after 921 days; four remained pending at the sampling boundary.
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