Alan C. Stout

How Judge Stout rules, drawn from 17 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

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

Court
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Kentucky
Position
bankruptcy
Status
Retired 2025
Signed orders read
17

How Judge Stout decides

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

What persuades

A settlement may be approved when its prompt, lower-risk recovery outweighs a speculative chance of a larger result after prolonged litigation.

“The benefits of the Settlement outweigh the attenuated possibility of a significantly increased net recovery after years of complex and protracted litigation.”

Procedural preferences

Professional employment is evaluated through a fact-driven inquiry into actual conflicts rather than disqualification based only on a possible future conflict.

“Along those lines, the Court will only disqualify professionals if an actual conflict of interest arises, as opposed to a potential conflict of interest.”

Cautions

Delay can defeat a sanctions request even when the movant invokes the automatic stay.

“Under the doctrines of laches, this Motion for Sanctions must be denied as untimely.”

Lien avoidance depends first on a valid exemption; without one, there is no exemption for the lien to impair.

“Without a proper exemption, there cannot be an impairment to that exemption.”

Signed rulings

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

Savage v. Murphy (In Re Murphy)
· 2012-06-05
Summary judgment (Cedric Savage) Granted

“In consideration of all the foregoing, the Plaintiffs Motion for Summary Judgment will be granted.”

In Re Gordon
· 2012-03-21
Motions to dismiss (United States Trustee) Granted

“IT IS ORDERED that the UST’s Motion to Dismiss and Amended Motion to Dismiss are GRANTED.”

Motion to appear other than in person (Debtor) Denied

“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Debtor’s Expedited Motion for Debtor to Appear for Chapter 11 Hearings Other than in Person is DENIED.”

In Re Kaplan
· 2012-03-26
Objection to exemption (Gary Wade Puckett) Granted

“IT IS ORDERED that Gary Wade Puckett’s Objection to Exemption (Doc. No. 14) is SUSTAINED.”

Motion to avoid lien (Debtor) Denied

“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Debtor’s Motion to Avoid Lien (Doc. No. 51) is DENIED.”

In Re Lee
· 2012-02-08
Motion for sanctions (Debtor) Denied

“Under the doctrines of laches, this Motion for Sanctions must be denied as untimely.”

Motion to dismiss sanctions motion (Jill Lee Stanley) Granted

“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the motion to dismiss the motions for sanctions is GRANTED.”

In Re Smith
· 2012-03-13
Motions to dismiss (Republic Bank & Trust Company) Denied

“IT IS ORDERED that the Motion to Dismiss filed by Republic Bank & Trust is Denied.”

Request for costs (Debtor) Denied

“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Debtor’s request for costs is DENIED.”

Bank of Henderson v. O'Nan (In re O'Nan)
· 2012-01-24
Nondischargeability claim after trial (Bank of Henderson) Denied

“IT IS ORDERED that judgment be entered in favor of the Defendant and against the Plaintiff and the complaint filed by the Plaintiff is DISMISSED.”

In re Hettinger
· 2011-12-09
Motion to avoid lien (Debtor) Granted in part

“IT IS ORDERED that, pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 522(f), $102,214.88 of the $124,287.57 judgment lien held by Republic Bank & Trust Company, of record in Encumbrance Book 86, Page 458, in the property located at 6406 Westwind Way, Crestwood Kentucky 40014 is AVOIDED. Republic retains a lien in this property in the amount of $22,072.69.”

In re Ashby
· 2013-01-23
Objection to confirmation (Deanna Ashby) Granted

“It is hereby ORDERED that the objection to confirmation filed by Deanna Ashby is sustained and confirmation of the Debt- or’s Plan of Reorganization is DENIED.”

Motion for relief from automatic stay (Deanna Ashby) Granted

“It is further ORDERED that the automatic stay is terminated for the purpose of enforcing the domestic support obligation in the Henderson Family Court pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 362(b)(2)(B) and (C).”

In re Schwartz
· 2012-10-17
Motion to approve settlement (Chapter 7 trustee) Granted

“It is hereby ORDERED that the Motion to Approve Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release Pursuant to Bankruptcy Rule 9019 is APPROVED.”

Objection to settlement (Debtor) Denied

“It is further ORDERED that the Debt- or’s Objection to the Motion to Approve Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release Pursuant to Bankruptcy Rule 9019 is OVERRULED.”

In re M&P Collections, Inc.
· 2019-04-30
Application to employ attorneys (M & P Collections, Inc. and F & M Law Firm, P.S.C.) Granted

“A separate order will be entered approving the Application.”

Objection to employment application (United States Trustee) Denied

“The Court is going to overrule the UST's objection to the Application, without prejudice to the UST raising the objection again at a future date should an actual conflict materialize.”

Apperson ex rel. Estate of Batt v. Bleckner (In re Batt)
· 2013-01-10
Motions to dismiss (Scott J. Savage Revocable Living Trust and Peter P. Pilliod Revocable Living Trust) Granted

“IT IS ORDERED that the Motion to Dismiss filed by Defendants Scott J. Savage Revocable Living Trust and Peter P. Pilliod Revocable Living Trust is GRANTED this complaint is dismissed without prejudice.”

Coslow v. Reisz (In re Coslow)
· 2017-07-28
Summary judgment (Carl Frederick Coslow) Granted

“IT IS ORDERED that Plaintiff-Debt- or’s Motion for Summary Judgment (DN 12) be, and is, GRANTED.”

Summary judgment (William Stephen Reisz, Chapter 7 Trustee) Denied

“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Chapter 7 Trustee’s Motion for Summary Judgment (DN 14) be, and is, DENIED.”

A historical record

Judge Stout 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.