Joseph M. Meier

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

Judge Meier no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.

Court
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Idaho
Position
bankruptcy
Status
Deceased
Served
2018–2023
Appointed by
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Commissioned
2018-03-23
Education
University of Oregon, B.A. in history and economics, 1981; Willamette University School of Law, J.D., 1984
Signed orders read
20

How Judge Meier decides

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

What persuades

A focused summary-judgment record can resolve contract status and the resulting bankruptcy-law consequences as a matter of law.

“whether the Agreement is an executory contract for purposes of § 365 and whether Trustee was required to assume the Agreement pursuant to § 365.”

Procedural preferences

When a potentially viable claim is not clearly articulated, the court may allow a short, specific amendment period rather than foreclose it immediately.

“Plaintiffs shall have 21 days from the date of this decision in which to amend their complaint to articulate this claim.”

Cautions

Sanctions requests are assessed remedy by remedy; proven disclosure and filing failures did not automatically establish every alleged conflict, fee violation, or civil penalty.

“The Court will not find that the Disclosure created a conflict of interest, that the bifurcated fee is unreasonable on the evidence presented, nor will it impose a civil penalty.”

Signed rulings

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

Brokens v. Intermountain Industries, Inc.
23-08005-JMM · 2023-06-13
Motions to dismiss (Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc.) Granted

“the motion to dismiss filed by MERS will be granted on that basis”

Gout v. Garner (In re Garner)
21-08028-JMM · 2022-08-12
Nondischargeability claim section 523 a 2 a (Beverly Gout) Denied

“Accordingly, the Court finds in favor of Defendant on Counts I and II.”

Nondischargeability claim section 523 a 2 b (Beverly Gout) Denied
Nondischargeability claim section 523 a 4 (Beverly Gout) Denied

“At the conclusion of trial, the Court dismissed Count Three of Plaintiff’s complaint, which sought recovery of funds under § 523(a)(4).”

Nondischargeability claim sections 523 a 5 and a 15 (Beverly Gout) Moot / procedural

“At trial, Plaintiff voluntarily withdrew Count Four of her complaint, which sought recovery of funds under §§ 523(a)(5) and (a)(15).”

Hopkins v. Martinez
21-08027-JMM · 2022-12-06
Avoidance claim section 544 a 3 (chapter 7 trustee) Denied

“the bankruptcy estate has no interest in the House and Trustee cannot avoid Defendant’s interest under § 544(a)(3)”

In re Jardine
18-40936-JMM · 2022-11-01
Motion for relief from automatic stay (Crista Jardine) Granted in part

“The Court will grant Creditor’s motion for relief from the automatic stay to permit the parties to return to state court to resolve these issues but will deny the stay relief motion as to the dischargeability of the property not turned over, as well as the omitted and unallocated debts.”

In re Jones
19-40665-JMM · 2022-06-27
Objection to proof of claim (Michael Von Jones) Granted in part

“Debtor’s Amended Objection to Claim Number 1 will be sustained in part, WBLO’s claim will be allowed in the unsecured amount of $33,093.60”

Motion for turnover (Wright Brothers Law Offices, PLLC) Denied

“Safaris’ objection will be sustained, and WBLO’s motion for turnover will be denied.”

In re Larson
20-40001-JMM · 2022-05-04
Motion for monetary and injunctive sanctions (United States Trustee) Granted in part

“any employment contract between Youngblood and Debtor should be cancelled and all fees paid by Debtor to Youngblood should be disgorged, with the exception of the filing fee”

In re Pratt
19-40401-JMM · 2023-01-23
Motion to modify confirmed chapter 13 plan (chapter 13 trustee) Granted in part

“Trustee’s Motion to Modify the Confirmed Plan will be granted in part.”

In re Reis
22-00517-JMM · 2023-05-02
Objection to subchapter v election (United States Trustee) Granted

“Debtor is not an eligible debtor under Sub V, and the UST's objection to Debtor’s election will be sustained.”

Chapter 11 plan confirmation (Laura T. Reis) Denied

“Therefore, confirmation of Debtor’s plan is denied.”

In re Smith
21-40540-JMM · 2022-05-05
Motion for monetary and injunctive sanctions (United States Trustee) Granted in part

“Finding merit in some of the allegations raised in the UST’s motion for sanctions, the Court will 1) cancel the attorney/client contract between Youngblood and the Debtors; 2) order disgorgement of the $1,910 in fees Debtors paid to Youngblood for his services in this case, and 3) impose injunctive relief”

In re Thomason
21-40435-JMM · 2022-06-13
Motions to dismiss (chapter 13 trustee) Granted

“this case will be dismissed pursuant to § 1307(c)(5). The Court will not grant Debtor leave to amend her plan any further, as doing so appears fruitless.”

In re Thomason
21-40435-JMM · 2022-08-05
Motion for reconsideration (Marilynn Thomason) Denied

“Debtor’s motion for reconsideration will be denied by separate order.”

In re Thomason
21-40435-JMM; 22-40460-JMM · 2022-12-06
Motion to extend credit counseling deadline (Marilynn Thomason) Denied

“Debtor’s motion for extension of the deadline to complete credit counseling is denied.”

Motion to dismiss with refiling bar (chapter 13 trustee) Granted in part

“there is an adequate basis on which to grant Trustee’s motion to dismiss, joined in by Trust. The Court declines, however, to impose a bar to refiling on the Debtor.”

Motion to extend or reimpose automatic stay (Marilynn Thomason) Denied

“there is no basis upon which to reimpose or extend the automatic stay in either of Debtor’s bankruptcy cases and therefore her motion to extend the stay is denied.”

A historical record

Judge Meier no longer hears cases. This profile stays available as a record of how they ruled. If you're preparing for a matter, start from the court's current bench.