Madeleine C. Wanslee
How Judge Wanslee rules, drawn from 2 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Wanslee
Madeleine C. Wanslee has served as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Arizona since March 2014 and became its chief judge in March 2026. Before joining the court, she practiced bankruptcy and creditors’ rights law at Gust Rosenfeld for more than 23 years.
Judge Wanslee's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Wanslee, 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-specific chambers procedures ↗
- MCW_PRELIM_ORDER v2_0.pdf ↗
- MCW_BRIEFING_SCHEDULE_ORDER.pdf ↗
- MCW Exhibit List.pdf ↗
- Procedures in Stay Relief Matters ↗
- Procedures on Motion for Summary Judgment ↗
- Preferred Form of Order Avoiding a Second Lien on Real Property (Chapter 13) ↗
Key rules
Conferences
Appear in person before Judge Wanslee unless she orders otherwise in the particular case.
“Unless Judge Wanslee orders otherwise in a particular case or proceeding, parties, their attorneys, and their witnesses must appear in person.”
Conferences
Obtain prior authorization for ZoomGov video attendance in matters before Judge Wanslee.
“ZoomGov video attendance will be permitted, in certain matters, only with prior authorization.”
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).
- General Order 26-3: Procedures for Access and Management of Sealed Documents ↗
- General Order 26-1: Chapter 7 Attorney Requirements ↗
- General Order 25-1: Prohibition of Covert Recording Devices in Bankruptcy Courts ↗
- General Order 23-3: Procedure for the Redaction of Personal Identifiers ↗
- General Order 23-2: Mortgage Modification Mediation Program for Individual Bankruptcy Cases ↗
How Judge Wanslee decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
A creditor seeking nondischargeability must prove the statutory elements against the debtor herself; a marital relationship alone does not impute another person's fraud.
“The marital relationship, without more, cannot”
Procedural preferences
In In re Shatia Ronishe Feacher, Wanslee denied relief from a three-year-old discharge-revocation judgment because the finality interests that had attached to it outweighed the debtor’s belated compliance.
“interests attached to this three-year-old final Judgment overwhelmingly outweigh”
Cautions
Belated compliance with a turnover obligation does not by itself justify vacating a discharge-revocation judgment.
“subsequent, untimely performance does not justify setting that Judgment aside.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Bankruptcy Procedure 9024, is DENIED.”
“judgment is entered in favor of the Debtor, Nicole Musikantow,”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The ten terminated sampled matters ranged from 95 to 1,680 days, with a median of 129.5 days. The fixed sample combines early post-appointment cases with the recent opinion dockets and is descriptive only.
Draft for Judge Wanslee with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Wanslee, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
Opens in Ezel Pro.
- Grounded in Judge Wanslee's own signed orders
- Cites every source it relies on, so you can verify it
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