Bianca M. Rucker
How Judge Rucker rules, drawn from 13 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
How Judge Rucker decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Collateral estoppel supported partial summary judgment where the state-court record established liability while leaving damages unresolved.
“the Court finds that collateral estoppel applies to establish the debtor’s liability under § 523(a)(6)”
A rural homestead claim prevailed where agricultural zoning, actual agricultural use, lot size, and surrounding open land outweighed urban services and city limits.
“the Court finds that there is simply more evidence that the Oak Property is rural in nature.”
Procedural preferences
Professional-retention applications must disclose all required connections even when the court otherwise finds the professional disinterested.
“neither the Application nor Ms. Jackson’s affidavit strictly complied with the requirements of Rule 2014(a)”
Lien avoidance required proof of an actual judgment creating a judicial lien; the parties' description of a state order as a judgment was not enough.
“there is no judicial lien because there was no underlying judgment entered in Circuit Court.”
Cautions
Intentional and egregious collection activity after a limited stay-relief order supported both emotional-distress and punitive damages.
“the Court finds a punitive damage award of $3000 is sufficient to deter these creditors from such behavior in the future.”
A trustee could not set aside a deed after trial where the record did not establish incapacity, undue influence, mistake, unjust enrichment, or another asserted basis for relief.
“the Court finds there was no undue influence placed on the debtor by Hernandez.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“For these reasons, the Court finds that the only proper relief is dismissal.”
“For all of the above-stated reasons, the Court grants summary judgment to GPB as to the debtor’s liability under § 523(a)(2)(A) and finds that such debt is nondischargeable.”
“the Court strikes the affirmative defense of equitable subrogation from the defendants’ answer”
“Therefore, the Court denies the relief sought by the trustee.”
“the Court finds that the creditors willfully violated the automatic stay and the debtor is entitled to actual damages in the amount of $1800 and punitive damages in the amount of $3000.”
“the Court finds that Kibby lacked the requisite intent for a finding in Simmons’s favor under any of the three grounds in § 523(a)(2)(A)”
“the claim for relief under § 523(a)(6) is denied.”
“the Court approves the debtor’s Application to employ Ms. Jackson with an effective date of March 5, 2021, on the condition that the debtor file an amended affidavit”
“Court sustains the objection to Claim Number 13”
“The Court also sustains the objection to the related application (Dkt. No. 111) and denies the application (Dkt. No. 98).”
“the Court disallows Claim Number 14”
“denies the application for administrative expense filed at docket entry 96”
“Therefore, the Court grants both of FFB’s motions for relief from stay.”
“the Court denies Wasniewski’s motion for judgment on partial findings”
“DENYING VERBAL MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT”
“the Motion before the Court must be denied.”
“the Court grants the trustee’s motion for summary judgment under § 548(a)(1)(A) and orders turnover of the properties”
“the Court overrules the trustee’s objection to the debtor’s exemptions.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Nine terminated matters in the ten-case sample lasted from 73 to 1,205 days, with a median of 123 days. One sampled matter remained pending. The sample is descriptive and is not a complete caseload census.
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