Elizabeth L. Gunn
How Judge Gunn rules, drawn from 18 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Gunn
Elizabeth L. Gunn became a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Columbia in September 2020. Before joining the bench, she practiced bankruptcy law and served as an assistant attorney general in Virginia’s Division of Child Support Enforcement.
Judge Gunn's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Gunn, as published on the court's website (checked October 11, 2026). Judges revise these often, so confirm the current version on the court's site before you file.
Key rules
Conferences
Judge Gunn holds hearings in person and by Zoom unless ordered otherwise; trials and designated hearings are in person only.
“Unless otherwise ordered by the Court, all hearings scheduled on any matter, whether in a main case or adversary proceeding, and regardless of chapter, will be held in-person in Courtroom 1² and by Zoom for Government. All trials and any other hearing specifically ordered by the Court will only be held in-person in Courtroom 1.”
Conferences
For in-person-only hearings, seek remote access from the courtroom deputy or by motion at least two business days beforehand.
“remote access shall only be provided upon prior leave of Court by contacting the Courtroom Deputy or filing a motion at least two (2) business days prior to the hearing.”
Conferences
Request an exclusively in-person hearing through Judge Gunn’s hearing email.
“may contact Judge Gunn’s Courtroom Deputy via Judge Gunn’s hearing email ([email protected]) and request that any hearing be held exclusively in-person.”
Conferences
Counsel and parties using Zoom must appear by video unless instructed otherwise; voice-only appearances need advance approval.
“all counsel and parties participating by Zoom for Government shall appear by video. Telephonic/voice only appearances for counsel and parties must be approved prior to the hearing.”
Conferences
An individual debtor must appear at dispositive hearings unless excused in advance.
“In all individual debtor cases, the debtor(s) shall appear at all dispositive hearings unless otherwise”
Trial
Hearings with witness testimony or substantial evidence are in person absent a finding under the cited federal rules.
“all hearings requiring witness testimony and/or the introduction of substantial evidence shall be set for an in-person 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 11, 2026).
How Judge Gunn decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Bioconvergence LLC v. Attariwala, Gunn granted summary judgment in a trade-secret nondischargeability dispute. A prior judgment supplied issue-preclusive findings that entitled the plaintiff to judgment as a matter of law.
“the Plaintiff is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.”
Procedural preferences
A bad-faith Chapter 11 dismissal request must establish objective futility before the court reaches subjective intent.
“the Movants have failed to meet the first element of the Carolin Test, and the Motion to Dismiss must be denied.”
Cautions
At the pleading stage, count-specific defects may lead to dismissal with leave to amend while sufficiently pleaded counts remain.
“Grants the Motion to Dismiss as to Counts III, IV, and V, with leave to amend”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The Motion (ECF No. 61) is DENIED.”
“DECREED that the Motion for Sanctions (ECF No. 39) is DENIED.”
“the Motion is GRANTED and the Debtor’s case is DISMISSED.”
“the Motion to Dismiss filed by Developer RE1, LLC and 423 Kennedy St Holdings, LLC is DENIED.”
“The Welch Motion (ECF No. 88) is DENIED.”
“The Black Motion (ECF No. 90) is DENIED as MOOT.”
“For the reasons stated herein, the Court GRANTS the Motion.”
“Grants the Motion to Dismiss as to Counts III, IV, and V, with leave to amend”
“the Court grants Y&R’s Motion for Summary Judgment”
“denies NGRT’s Motion for Summary Judgment.”
“The request for approval of the Evergreen Provisions as reasonable under § 328(a) is DENIED.”
“The Capital Bank Partial Motion is granted, in part, as stated herein.”
“the Cornerstone Motion are DENIED because there are genuine issues of material fact”
“MEMORANDUM DECISION AND ORDER GRANTING IN PART AND DENYING IN PART APPLICATIONS FOR COMPENSATION”
“The Application for Allowance of Compensation (ECF No. 48) is GRANTED IN PART.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Five mature sampled matters closed in a median 1,172 days; five current matters were too new for duration analysis.
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Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Gunn, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
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