Michael E. Romero
How Judge Romero rules, drawn from 20 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Romero
Michael E. Romero is a United States bankruptcy judge for the District of Colorado. His published judicial decisions date back to 2004.
Judge Romero's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Romero, 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.
- No Written Discovery Motions ↗
- Motions for Injunctions and Other Forthwith Hearings ↗
- Hearing Procedures ↗
- Vacating Hearings ↗
Key rules
Motions
For expedited relief outside the first 20 days of a Chapter 11 case, alert chambers as soon as possible and be ready with a realistic hearing date and time estimate.
“please contact Chambers at 720-904-7413 as soon as possible to alert the Court of the need for any expedited relief”
Discovery
Except for protective-order motions, written discovery motions are denied; use the procedure in Local Bankruptcy Rule 7026-1(d).
“written discovery motions will be denied and parties will be required to follow the procedure set forth in the Rule”
Conferences
Monday Chapter 13 confirmation hearings are held by telephone only.
“All Monday confirmation hearings are now held by telephone only.”
Conferences
A settlement does not vacate a hearing unless the parties file a stipulation by the preceding day or at least one party appears and states the agreement on the record.
“hearings will be vacated only upon (1) receipt of a stipulation or agreement of the parties filed no later than the day before the scheduled hearing, or (2) appearance by at least one of the parties at the hearing”
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 Romero decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
For relief from stay, inaccurate schedules, unauthorized payments, and improper cash-collateral use supplied additional cause beyond the property's financial condition.
“the Court finds additional ‘cause’ to lift the automatic stay based on the Debtor's post-petition conduct”
A creditor seeking more time to investigate dischargeability showed cause through diligence even without completing every possible discovery step.
“this Court concludes that CBT has acted diligently, and in so doing, satisfied its burden to establish cause for the requested extension.”
Procedural preferences
Where statutory language sets a firm small-business plan deadline, general equitable and rule-based enlargement powers do not override it.
“The language of 11 U.S.C. § 1121(e) is clear and plain”
Cautions
A proposed financing arrangement must satisfy the Bankruptcy Code's substantive protections even if managerial authority is disputed.
“the proposed Motion to Borrow may not be approved on substantive grounds”
Bankruptcy does not enlarge an expired contractual purchase option when the statutory extension does not apply to the act required to exercise it.
“The Court is not willing, or able, to re-write the terms of the Repurchase Agreement to give the Debtor greater rights under that document than it would have if it had not filed for bankruptcy.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“grants the Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgment based on the following discussion.”
“Trustee’s Motion to Compel Turnover of Property of the Estate is DENIED with respect to the Lexus.”
“Trustee’s Motion to Compel Turnover of Property of the Estate is GRANTED with respect to the Audi and the Debtor shall immediately turn over to the Trustee the Audi or the $245 in equity.”
“the Court finds the proposed Motion to Borrow may not be approved on substantive grounds”
“the Consolidation Loan owed to ECMC is nondischargeable, and judgment shall enter in favor of ECMC and against Brown.”
“the Debtors’ request for confirmation of their Chapter 13 plan is DENIED.”
“filed by each of the three jointly administered Debtors is GRANTED.”
“the Motion for Protective Order Re: Written Discovery of Medical Information filed by the Defendant is GRANTED.”
“Pollack’s allowed claim in this case is determined to be $282,064.70”
“Wilson’s Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED, as conceded by the IRS, for tax years 1988, 1989,1990,1991, and 1993.”
“the IRS’s Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED as to tax years 1994 through 2003”
“the Trustee’s Objection to confirmation of the Debtors’ Second Amended Plan dated August 28, 2008, is DENIED.”
“confirmation of the Debtor’s Second Amended Plan dated August 28, 2008, is GRANTED”
“the Receivership Proceeding is hereby recognized as a foreign main proceeding”
“the Debtor’s Motion for Relief from the Requirements of 11 U.S.C. § 333 that a Patient Care Ombudsman be Appointed is GRANTED.”
Draft for Judge Romero with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Romero, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
Opens in Ezel Pro.
- Grounded in Judge Romero's own signed orders
- Cites every source it relies on, so you can verify it
- Chat, drafting and research in one workspace