John T. Laney III

How Judge Laney rules, drawn from 20 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

Court
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Georgia
Position
bankruptcy
Appointed by
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
Commissioned
1986-10-01
Signed orders read
20

How Judge Laney decides

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

What persuades

When statutory text is clear, the court will not use legislative history to rewrite an omission.

“it would be inappropriate for the Court to consider the legislative history when the text of the statute is otherwise clear.”

Procedural preferences

Reconsideration requires an extraordinary basis and cannot be used simply to relitigate a settled matter.

“Rule 9023 incorporating Rule 59 is an ‘extraordinary remedy’ and not a tool to relitigate settled matters.”

Cautions

Fraud allegations must satisfy the heightened pleading rule, although a curable deficiency may receive a short amendment period.

“The Court finds that the Plaintiff’s complaint does not comply with Rule 7009.”

Signed rulings

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

In re Mark Arden Casto
19-40800-JTL · 2026-07-23
Motion for court direction to continue case administration (Estate of Tim T. Rovig) Denied

“the Court DENIES the Movant’s motion.”

W. Carl Reynolds, PC v. Boyd
25-51694-JTL; 26-5002-JTL · 2026-07-20
Renewed motion to dismiss (Timothy Joseph Boyd) Granted in part

“the Court DENIES the Plaintiff’s motion as to Count I and GRANTS the motion as to Count III and DISMISSES the claim with prejudice.”

W. Carl Reynolds, PC v. Boyd
25-51694-JTL; 26-5002-JTL · 2026-04-21
Motions to dismiss (Timothy Joseph Boyd) Granted in part

“the Court GRANTS the Defendant’s motion as to Counts I and III unless otherwise amended. The Court DENIES the Defendant’s motion as to Counts II and IV.”

In re Barry Simmons
25-40429-JTL · 2025-12-22
Objection to confirmation (Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB) Denied

“the Court overrules the Creditor’s objection.”

In re Sharrmaine V'Nell Lucille Curtis
24-40459-JTL · 2025-12-19
Motion for reconsideration or to vacate (Sharrmaine V'Nell Lucille Curtis) Denied

“the Court denies the Debtor’s Motion to Reconsider or Vacate Judgement.”

McCormick v. Mortgage Research Center, LLC
25-70188-JTL; 25-7004-JTL · 2025-06-09
Motion to dismiss adversary proceeding (Mortgage Research Center, LLC) Granted

“The Court grants the Defendant’s motion to dismiss”

Walker v. CFG Merchant Solutions, LLC and VOX Funding, LLC
23-40451-JTL; 24-4004-JTL; 24-4005-JTL · 2024-09-06
Motion to dismiss for improper venue (CFG Merchant Solutions, LLC) Denied

“The Court denies the Defendants’ motions as to their arguments under Rule 12(b)(3)”

Motion to dismiss for improper venue (VOX Funding, LLC) Denied
In re Trimax Medical Management, Inc.
23-51628-JTL · 2024-05-20
Objection to confirmation (David Field) Denied

“overrules the outstanding objections.”

Objection to confirmation (Jenny Walker, Subchapter V trustee) Denied

“overrules her outstanding objection.”

Request for confirmation of subchapter v plan (Trimax Medical Management, Inc.) Granted

“the Court approves its plan for confirmation.”

Clay, et al. v. Ward
22-70600-JTL; 22-7012 through 22-7018-JTL · 2024-02-12
Nondischargeability claim sections 523 a 2 a and a 6 (Katie Clay and Chris Clay) Denied

“The Court finds the Plaintiffs failed to meet their burdens of proof and finds the Plaintiffs’ debts are dischargeable.”

Nondischargeability claim sections 523 a 2 a and a 6 (Rachel Anderson and Daniel Anderson) Denied
Nondischargeability claim sections 523 a 2 a and a 6 (Melissa Rineer and John Rineer) Denied
Nondischargeability claim sections 523 a 2 a and a 6 (Melissa Hardy and David Hardy) Denied
Nondischargeability claim sections 523 a 2 a and a 6 (Melissa Dixon and Mark Dixon) Denied
Nondischargeability claim sections 523 a 2 a and a 6 (Christopher M. Davis and Rachel Davis) Denied
In re Patricia Benton Lee
19-71337-JTL · 2024-02-07
Motion to sell property (Patricia Benton Lee) Granted

“the Court orally granted the Debtor’s motion to sell.”

Objection to motion to sell (U.S. Bank) Denied

“The Court overruled U.S. Bank’s objections”

Faridani v. Smith
23-70648-JTL; 23-7013-JTL · 2024-01-19
Motions to dismiss (Barbara Joyce Reeves Smith) Granted in part

“GRANTS the Defendant’s motion in part as to Rule 7009 and orders the Plaintiff to amend his complaint within fourteen days.”

United States Trustee v. Brewer
22-40530-JTL; 23-4001-JTL · 2023-11-17
Objection to discharge (United States Trustee) Granted

“The Debtors’ discharge is, therefore, denied.”

Draft for Judge Laney with the record in hand

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