Paul E. Singleton
How Judge Singleton rules, drawn from 24 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Singleton
Paul E. Singleton became a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Indiana in July 2021. He previously worked in legal services and private practice and served as a magistrate judge of the St. Joseph Superior Court.
Judge Singleton's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Singleton, 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.
- Judge Paul E. Singleton: Procedures ↗
- Report of the Parties Planning ↗
- Adversary Proceeding: Proposed Pre-trial Order ↗
- Bankruptcy: Proposed Pre-trial Order ↗
- Sample Automatic Stay Scheduling Order ↗
Key rules
Contacting chambers
For case-related procedural contact, prefer a motion; if emailing chambers copy the appropriate parties.
“The options, listing in order of the Court’s preferences are as follows: write a motion; email to chambers, carbon copying the appropriate parties; call chambers, conferencing the appropriate parties on the conference call;”
Motions
For a stay motion, file an agreement or request to convert the evidentiary hearing to a status conference at least three days before the hearing.
“If the parties have an agreement or wish to modify the hearing to a status conference they must file that agreement/request at least three (3) days prior to the hearing.”
Motions
Put “emergency” in the title of an emergency-hearing motion, explain the urgency, and include efforts to contact the opposition and its response.
“Motions requesting emergency hearings must have ‘emergency’ written in the title. In addition, the motion must: explain why an emergency hearing is necessary; show efforts made to call and email the opposition; and include the opposition’s response.”
Discovery
In the parties’ planning report, address every bold issue; mark inapplicable sections rather than leaving them blank.
“The following is a template, and the parties may revise as necessary, so long as each of the issues in bold are addressed. Please do not leave any sections blank. Use ‘not applicable’ if appropriate”
Conferences
If a scheduled hearing will need more than five minutes, move to set it at a different time.
“If counsel anticipate needing more than five minutes, they must file a motion to have the hearing heard at a different time.”
Conferences
File a notice at least 24 hours before a routine hearing to request video participation by Microsoft Teams.
“Any lawyer or party wishing to participate by Teams, must file a notice at least 24 hours in advance.”
Conferences
Appear in person for trials, evidentiary hearings, summary judgment motions, and other lengthy hearings unless the court orders otherwise.
“Unless the Court orders otherwise, trials, evidentiary hearings, summary judgment motions, and other lengthy hearings are always in person.”
Conferences
File Chapter 13 confirmation orders or agreements to remove a case from the calendar at least 24 hours before the hearing.
“Beginning January 1, 2022, all confirmations or agreements to remove cases from the calendar must be filed twenty-four (24) hours before the hearing date.”
Conferences
For a Chapter 11 case-management conference, the debtor or an authorized representative must attend in person and be able to make binding decisions.
“Debtors, or their authorized representatives, must appear in person. Authorized representatives must have the authority to act on behalf of the debtors and make binding decisions.”
Trial
Bring six copies of exhibits for trials, contested matters, and Chapter 11 first-day motions; bind, tab, divide, and index first-day exhibits.
“Parties must have six (6) copies of exhibits for trials, contested matters, and first-day motions in chapter 11 cases. Exhibits for first-day motions must be in a binder. The exhibits must be tabbed, divided, and indexed.”
Trial
Under Judge Singleton’s bankruptcy pretrial form, exchange exhibits 14 days before the hearing, file them seven days before, and bring two copies.
“The parties must exchange exhibits at least fourteen (14) days before the hearing. The Court may decline to consider exhibits not previously disclosed to the opposing party. Filing exhibits: The parties must file their exhibits seven (7) days before the hearing. Hard copies of exhibits: The parties must bring two (2) copies of their exhibits to the 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 10, 2026).
How Judge Singleton decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Procedural preferences
A default request still must establish a prima facie case and comply with briefing and military-status requirements.
“Plaintiff did not: (1) put forth a prima facie case in its motion; (2) include a supporting brief, as N.D. Ind. L.B.R. B-9023-1(a) requires; or (3) include information about its search on the SCRA database.”
Cautions
Agreed shortcuts cannot replace procedures required by the Bankruptcy Code and Rules.
“Shortcuts that attempt to save Court resources should not come at the expense of following the Bankruptcy Code and Rules.”
In a settlement-order amendment request, he declined the parties’ proposed nunc pro tunc wording because it would add provisions the court had not previously ordered; he reserved the motion itself for further action.
“Their motion does not correct a clerical or ministerial error.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The Court determines a $750.00 judgment in Maxie’s favor is an appropriate sanction.”
The court required supplementation before deciding whether to set aside the default judgment.
“The parties’ form of order is approved.”
“Thus, this case is remanded to the St. Joseph Superior Court, Small Claims Division.”
“Thus, the Court overrules the Trustee’s Objection to Claim 1-2 as moot.”
“The Trustee’s Objection is DENIED to the extent it seeks to reclassify Claim 6-2. (2) The Court SUSTAINS the objection as modified in the Trustee’s brief.”
“The Court denies the Debtor’s motion for additional time to file a certificate of compliance concerning the Debtor’s tax returns.”
“Accordingly, the Court grants the motion but orders Elam to give the Trustee a copy of her tax returns by January 7, 2024.”
“Therefore, the Court: (1) SUSTAINS the Objection to the Amended Plan and (2) DENIES confirmation of the Amended Plan.”
“Thus, the Court overrules the objection [Doc 28] and allows Claim 6-2 as an unsecured claim and will enter a separate order stating the same.”
“Therefore, the Court denies, without prejudice, Creditor’s Motion for Relief from Automatic Stay and Abandonment.”
“The Court denies Plaintiff’s motion without prejudice.”
Draft for Judge Singleton with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Singleton, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
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