Barbara Ellis-Monro
How Judge Ellis-Monro rules, drawn from 22 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Ellis-Monro
Barbara Ellis-Monro has served as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Georgia since June 2012. She became the court's chief judge in October 2022. Before her appointment, she practiced bankruptcy law in Atlanta.
Judge Ellis-Monro's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Ellis-Monro, 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.
Key rules
Contacting chambers
For regular calendar matters, make announcements in person or email [email protected] before noon ET on the business day before the hearing.
“Announcements must be made (a) in person at the call of the calendar or (b) via email to [email protected] prior to 12:00 p.m. ET the business day prior to the scheduled hearing.”
Motions
Request an emergency or expedited hearing only for a true emergency where denial of a hearing would cause irreparable harm.
“A party may seek an emergency hearing or expedited hearing involving a true emergency (i.e. a situation in which denial of a hearing would cause a party to suffer irreparable harm).”
Conferences
For regular calendar hearings, obtain court permission before appearing by telephone or Zoom.
“Parties/attorneys may not appear for calendar calls or hearings via telephone or Zoom without specific permission from the Court”
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).
- General Order 53-2026: Applications for Admission Pro Hac Vice ↗
- Fifth Amended and Restated General Order 24-2018: Voluntary Notice Procedures ↗
- General Order 51-2025: Loan Modification Management Program ↗
- General Order 50-2025: Procedures for Mediation Referrals ↗
- General Order 49-2025: Pleadings by Unrepresented Individual Debtors ↗
How Judge Ellis-Monro decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
A creditor communication is assessed as a whole, including its purpose, disclaimers, timing, and whether it seeks personal payment.
“The Court finds that the entire correspondence from Defendant to Plaintiff did not constitute an attempt to collect a debt personally from Plaintiff.”
Procedural preferences
Competing summary-judgment requests are denied when intent remains genuinely disputed and the supporting record is inadequate.
“The Court lacks sufficient facts to grant Summary Judgment to either party.”
In a Chapter 11 lease-rejection dispute, Ellis-Monro held that the tenant had to choose between retaining its lease rights and treating the lease as terminated at rejection, and gave it 45 days to make that election.
“ORDERED that EDJ shall determine whether to retain its rights under the Lease or treat the Lease as terminated within 45 days of the date of entry of this order;”
Cautions
In Najarian Capital, LLC v. Cunningham, she denied a self-represented movant’s post-remand requests and explained that liberal construction of his filings did not require the court to supply missing facts or act as his counsel.
“This generous pleading standard does not require the Court to re-write a deficient pleading or otherwise act as de facto counsel for the pro se plaintiff.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED as to Counts I and III of the Complaint;”
“The Motion is GRANTED as to the 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(6) claim and The Motion is DENIED as to the remaining claims.”
“the Collateral Motion is DENIED.”
“the Motion to Amend Doc. 40 is DENIED.”
“the Motion to Amend DJ Order is DENIED.”
“Plaintiff, holds a claim in the amount of $77,000 but is not entitled to a judgment that the claim is excepted from discharge under 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2)(A) or (a)(6).”
“The Court further concludes the Plaintiff is not entitled to a judgment sustaining its objection to Defendants’ discharge under 11 U.S.C. § 727(a)(4)(A).”
“Counts I and II of the Complaint, and claims under § 727(a)(2)(A), (a)(4)(D), and (a)(6) of Count VI of the Complaint are DISMISSED;”
“Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss, construed as a Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings, is DENIED;”
“Plaintiffs Motion for Summary Judgment is DENIED;”
“the Trustee’s Objection to Debtor’s claimed exemption is SUSTAINED;”
“The Department’s mailing of the Final Statement, Letter and Guidelines did not amount to an attempt to collect a debt and no violation of the automatic stay occurred when the Bankruptcy Package was sent to Plaintiff.”
“Accordingly, Plaintiffs tax liabilities for 1993 to 1998 are dischargeable.”
“Defendants’ Motion is DENIED.”
Draft for Judge Ellis-Monro with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Ellis-Monro, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
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