Brett J. Dorian

How Judge Dorian rules, drawn from 19 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

Judge Dorian no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.

Court
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of California
Position
bankruptcy
Status
No longer serving
Education
University of California, Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall)
Signed orders read
19

How Judge Dorian decides

Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

What persuades

A fee claimant's secured position did not excuse duplicative staffing or excessive professional costs.

“A creditor who fails to heed § 506(b)’s warning that only reasonable costs can be recovered does so at substantial risk.”

Procedural preferences

A party invoking issue preclusion had to identify precisely what the earlier judgment actually decided.

“the party asserting preclusion bears the burden of showing with clarity and certainty what was determined by the prior judgment.”

Cautions

Ordinary-course analysis did not turn on a mechanical comparison of payment days; the creditor's expectations and surrounding business context mattered.

“common sense dictates that a rule which arbitrarily and exclusively looks to intervening days simply is unworkable. Accordingly, other factors must be considered and in the court’s view the expectations of the creditor are a major factor.”

Signed rulings

A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.

Ortiz v. Household Finance Corp. (In re Ortiz)
· 1999-11-03
Complaint to determine secured status (the Chapter 13 debtors) Denied

“IT IS ORDERED that judgment is granted in favor of the defendant. The parties shall bear their own costs.”

In re Irick
· 1997-09-29
Objection to attorney fee claim (Roy and Elaine Irick) Granted in part

“IT IS ORDERED that Chequers Investment Associates is allowed costs pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 506(b) in the amount of $28,-651.09.”

In re Sunridge Associates
· 1996-11-15
Rule 2004 application (Sunridge Associates) Denied

“IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that the application is denied.”

Jauregui v. Ricci (In re Jauregui)
· 1996-06-18
Summary judgment (Michael Ricci) Granted

“Defendant’s motion will be granted.”

Rodriguez v. Madera County Federal Credit Union (In re Rodriguez)
· 1993-08-04
Objection to claim (the debtor) Denied

“A separate order overruling the objection and allowing the claim as filed will issue.”

In re Sidco, Inc.
· 1993-12-17
Application to employ counsel (Sidco, Inc.) Granted

“There being no other objections to the employment of Mr. Lazaro and the court finding that Mr. Lazaro is qualified to represent the debtor-in-possession, an order authorizing his employment will issue.”

Objection to employment of counsel (United States Trustee) Denied
In re Mouradick
· 1993-03-08
Application for professional fees (Irwin-Jackson & Co.) Granted in part

“As the sum of the adjustments totals $7,723.50, $5,763.30 will be awarded for fees and $437.55 for reimbursement of costs pursuant to the present application.”

Southern Pacific Land Co. v. Kuhr (In re Kuhr)
· 1991-07-19
Complaint to determine dischargeability (Southern Pacific Land Co.) Denied

“it is the decision of the court that plaintiff’s claim against defendant is discharged.”

Mutual Insurance Co. of New York v. County of Fresno (In re D. Papagni Fruit Co.)
· 1991-09-30
Complaint for declaratory relief (Mutual Insurance Company of New York) Moot / procedural

“the request of the plaintiff for determination that a claim against the estate should be accorded unsecured status has been rendered moot.”

In re R.G. Fisher Constructors
· 1990-03-05
Summary judgment (Chapter 7 trustee) Granted

“IT IS ORDERED that the motion of the trustee for summary judgment is granted and that the claim of IRS filed herein on December 13, 1989, is disallowed.”

In re Edmonston
· 1988-10-19
Motion to dismiss chapter 13 (United States Small Business Administration) Denied

“The motion of SBA to dismiss this case is denied.”

In re Renfrow
· 1996-07-01
Motion to overrule trustee election (Cleo M. Foran) Denied

“IT IS ORDERED that the motion is denied.”

A historical record

Judge Dorian no longer hears cases. This profile stays available as a record of how they ruled. If you're preparing for a matter, start from the court's current bench.