U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Louisiana
8 judges profiled from their own signed orders: how each rules on motions, with the orders quoted. Court-wide standing orders ↓
Gerald H. SchiffRetired
Bankruptcy judge
Henley A. HunterRetired 2015
Bankruptcy judge
Robert Rees SummerhaysElevated to a higher court
Bankruptcy judge
Jeffrey P. NormanLeft this court 2018
Bankruptcy judge
Stephen V. CallawayRetired 2014
Bankruptcy judge
John W. Kolwe
Bankruptcy judge
Stephen D. Wheelis
Bankruptcy judge
John S. Hodge
Bankruptcy judge
Standing orders for every case in this court
Orders the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Louisiana applies to all of its cases, whichever judge has them, as published on the court's website (checked October 10, 2026). Courts revise these, so confirm the current version before you file. The court's local rules ↗
Filing
For Chapter 13 cases filed from April 1, 2025, the fixed attorney fee is $5,025, capped at $2,825 when the order’s defined plan pay-in is $9,050 or less.
“The fixed fee payable to the debtor’s attorney in Chapter 13 cases filed on or after April 1, 2025, is $5,025, except in cases in which the total amount to be paid-in to the Trustee by the debtor under a confirmed Chapter 13 plan is $9,050 or less, in which case the fixed fee is capped at $2,825.”
Filing
An attorney taking the Chapter 13 fixed fee must disclose it in a Rule 2016(b) application signed by attorney and debtor when filing the debtor’s schedules.
“If the debtor’s attorney elects to accept the fixed fee, it must be disclosed in the Bankruptcy Rule 2016(b) Disclosure and Application for Approval of Fixed Fee Agreement, which must be signed by both the attorney and the debtor and filed at the time the debtor’s schedules are filed”
Sealing
Represented parties must move to designate a highly sensitive document but must keep the proposed document out of electronic filing.
“A represented party shall file a motion to treat a document as an HSD and a proposed order electronically under Fed. R. Bankr. 9018, except that a copy of the proposed HSD shall not be filed electronically.”
Sealing
Submit an authorized highly sensitive document or secure device in a sealed envelope marked “HIGHLY SENSITIVE DOCUMENT.”
“The required documents, unfolded, or the secure electronic device shall be submitted to the clerk’s office in a sealed envelope marked ‘HIGHLY SENSITIVE DOCUMENT.’”