Paul W. Bonapfel
How Judge Bonapfel rules, drawn from 16 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Bonapfel
Paul W. Bonapfel has served as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Georgia since 2002. Before his appointment, he practiced bankruptcy law in Atlanta and clerked for District Judge Wilbur D. Owens Jr. He earned his law degree from the University of Georgia.
Judge Bonapfel's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Bonapfel, 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 12:00p.m. ET the business day prior to the scheduled hearing.”
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 Bonapfel decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
A future-claimants representative must bring independence and a demonstrated commitment to protecting people who cannot participate in the case themselves.
“the individual must be not only disinterested and qualified, but also objective, independent, and loyally committed to protecting the interests of future claimants”
Procedural preferences
A party seeking to expand a closed evidentiary record must identify admissible new evidence and explain why it could not have been presented earlier.
“The Court denies the Plaintiffs motion to supplement the record.”
Cautions
Intent-dependent discharge claims are not suitable for summary judgment when material factual disputes remain.
“existence of disputed material facts prevent entry of summary judgment for either party on the § 523(a)(2) claim”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“ORDERED that James L. Patton is appointed as the future claimants' representative in this case.”
“ORDERED that the Debtor’s motion to dismiss is denied.”
“Oppenheimer’s Second Motion for Summary Judgment be, and the same hereby is,. GRANTED.”
“GDHS’s motion for summary judgment is denied”
“the Debtor’s motion for summary judgment is denied in part and granted in part.”
“the Chapter 13 Trustee’s objection be, and it hereby is, OVERRULED”
“the Debtor’s Second Amended Chapter 13 Plan [26] be confirmed.”
“The Abstention Motion [Doc. 17] is DENIED.”
“Debtor’s Motion to Dismiss the Abstention Motion [Doc. 25] is DISMISSED.”
“The Plaintiffs’ Motion to Strike Defendant’s Response to the Abstention Motion [Doc. 31] is DISMISSED.”
“The Plaintiffs’ Motion to Strike the Debtor’s Motion to Dismiss the Abstention Motion [Doc. 32] is DISMISSED.”
“the Debtor’s Motion for Summary Judgment [Doc. 33] are both GRANTED.”
“The Plaintiffs’ Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment [Doe. 19] is DENIED.”
“none of Ms. Allen’s indebtedness to American Express is. excepted from discharge under 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2).”
“The Court will, therefore, grant the Trustee’s motions to compel the Parkers to produce their tax returns for the years 2007 and 2008.”
“ORDERED that the Plaintiffs motion for summary judgment is granted.”
“ORDERED that in each proceeding the motion to dismiss is granted.”
“The automatic stay of 11 U.S.C. § 362(a) is modified for cause under 11 U.S.C. § 362(d)”
“The Bank’s objection to the Debtor’s claim of an exemption in prepetition employment wages that are subject to the Bank’s garnishment and its independent claim against the Employer is sustained.”
“The motion is granted to the extent that the Bank’s lien attaches to any wages received by the Debtor or that the Bank claims that its lien attaches to any other property of the Debtor on account of his receipt of any wages.”
“The Court will enter judgment avoiding the lien of the Creditor with regard to all of the Debtor’s property except the Real Property, denying the Debtor’s motion to avoid the lien with regard to the Real Property”
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Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Bonapfel, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
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