James J. Robinson
How Judge Robinson rules, drawn from 6 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Robinson
James J. Robinson is a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Alabama. He has served on the court since February 2006.
Judge Robinson's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Robinson, as published on the court's website (checked October 10, 2026). Judges revise these often, so confirm the current version on the court's site before you file.
- Judge Robinson’s courtroom appearance instructions ↗
- Report of Parties’ Planning Meeting ↗
- Instructions for Mortgage Modifications and Motions to Incur Debt ↗
Key rules
Motions
A represented party’s motion to modify an existing secured home mortgage generally must use negative notice unless it concerns a reverse mortgage.
“These motions MUST be sent out on negative notice UNLESS the proposed modification concerns a reverse mortgage OR the filer is acting pro se.”
Motions
For a vehicle-loan or home-mortgage modification motion, give parties 21 days to object under the posted notice instructions.
“The Motion must be served with a Notice and Opportunity for Hearing providing that any party who wishes to object must file an objection within 21 days.”
Discovery
Complete Judge Robinson’s planning-meeting report during the Rule 26(f) conference, file it, and email a Word copy to chambers.
“Please complete this Report during the Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(f) conference of parties. File the completed Report with the Clerk of Court, and e-mail a copy in Microsoft Word format to [email protected].”
Conferences
Judge Robinson is holding in-person hearings; counsel seeking to appear by phone must email a reason and callback number by noon two days before the hearing.
“Telephone appearance by counsel will be considered on a case-by-case basis, upon email request to [email protected] no later than noon two days prior to the hearing, setting out the reason for the request and the number where counsel may be reached if the request is granted.”
Conferences
Unless specifically authorized for exigent circumstances, telephone participants may only announce and monitor, not argue, present evidence, or question witnesses.
“Unless the court expressly authorizes otherwise due to exigent circumstances described in a written request, counsel appearing by phone may not argue the law, present evidence, or question witnesses but may make announcements and monitor proceedings.”
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 Robinson decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Notice sent to a creditor's designated business address can satisfy the applicable bankruptcy notice rules.
“The Debtors did what the Code and Rules required by scheduling Citizens at its business address, and all notices were so directed.”
In Porter’s claim-objection case, he held that basement waterproofing became ordinary building material and could not support the creditor’s asserted security interest.
“waterproofing is best understood to be an ordinary building material.”
Cautions
A secured creditor should review and, when necessary, object to a proposed Chapter 13 plan because confirmation can bind creditors even when the plan conflicts with statutory protections.
“a creditor ignores a plan’s provisions that are contrary to the Code at its peril.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Based upon the foregoing, the Motion (Doc. 70) is DENIED.”
“the attorney’s fees included in Carrington’s Postpetition Fee Notice (doc. filed 8-31-17, claim 8) incurred in respect to the instant case, are allowed as proper postpetition expenses to the extent of $300; all amounts claimed in the Postpetition Fee Notice exceeding $300 are disallowed.”
“Morris’s request for dismissal of this adversary proceeding with prejudice as a sanction (AP Doc. 214) is due to be granted.”
“Xia’s Motion to Request Approval of Substituting Exhibits (AP Doc. 235) is due to be denied.”
“the Debtor’s Motion to Reinstate Case (Doc 56) is DENIED.”
Robinson construed an ambiguous mortgage note as accruing simple interest at four percent with monthly payments applied to interest before principal. The claim objection, confirmation objection, and stay-relief motion remained set for a later hearing; this opinion supplies no final motion outcome.
“The objection (Doc. 35) is therefore SUSTAINED, the response in opposition (Doc. 58) is OVERRULED, and the claim”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
All seven sampled matters remained pending at the sampling boundary, so no completed-case duration is reported.
Draft for Judge Robinson with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Robinson, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
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