David E. Rice
How Judge Rice rules, drawn from 13 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Rice
David E. Rice is a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Maryland. He hears bankruptcy matters in Baltimore.
Judge Rice's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Rice, 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
Conferences
Connect to a videoconference hearing at least five minutes before its scheduled start.
“Each party must connect to the videoconference at least 5 minutes prior to the start time of the scheduled hearing.”
Conferences
Chapter 13 confirmation hearings take place in person at the courthouse.
“All Chapter 13 confirmation hearings will be in person at the Courthouse.”
Trial
File evidentiary hearing exhibits at least seven days before the hearing or by the deadline in the scheduling order.
“All exhibits must be filed on the docket at least seven (7) days before the hearing or by the exhibit submission deadline imposed by a scheduling order in the particular contested matter or proceeding.”
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 Rice decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
The court enforced the terms of a confirmed plan against parties that had notice and did not object.
“Because a confirmed plan is binding on the parties, the court concludes that in this case the condominium also should be granted relief from the stay, but only to pursue collection from the debtor of the post-petition assessments that accrued prior to confirmation of the Chapter 13 plan.”
Procedural preferences
A request to stay an order pending appeal must establish a meaningful likelihood of success and address the remaining equitable factors.
“Thus, I conclude that the Debtor has not demonstrated that he has a substantial possibility of success on the merits of his appeal.”
Cautions
Retroactive annulment of the automatic stay is reserved for unusual circumstances where the equities strongly favor validation.
“This case presents the sort of unusual and compelling circumstance in which it is appropriate to grant retroactive relief to validate action that might otherwise be void by reason of violation of the automatic stay.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
The court deferred lien-avoidance relief until the competing lien priorities could be adjudicated with all affected parties present.
“the court will enter a separate order consistent with this memorandum opinion that grants in part and denies in part the Motion for Relief from Automatic Stay filed by the Condominium.”
“grants in part and denies in part the Motion for Relief from Automatic Stay filed by the Condominium”
“denies the Debtor’s request for appointment of a person to sell the”
“ORDERED, that the Debtor’s Motion to Stay Order Granting Relief from Automatic Stay Pending Appeal should be, and it hereby is. DENIED.”
“the court will enter a separate order that denies with prejudice all relief sought in CEIC’s complaint.”
“For these reasons, I conclude that Harris does not preclude the court from directing Chapter 13 trustees to pay funds remaining in their possession to debtor’s counsel up to the amount of the attorney’s fee allowed in cases that are dismissed or converted prior to confirmation of a Chapter 13 plan.”
“the claim asserted by Donna Giordano against Todd Collins is not excepted from discharge under § 523(a)(2)(A) of the Bankruptcy Code.”
“grants the Motion to Annul Stay and annuls the automatic stay under 11 U.S.C. § 362 as to the Property and the Tax Sale Foreclosure”
“denies the Motion to Void Tax Sale as moot.”
“the claim asserted by Kovens against Goodwich is excepted from discharge under both § 523(a)(2)(A) and § 523(a)(2)(B) of the Bankruptcy Code.”
“grants in part and denies in part the relief sought in Daisy Phillip’s complaint filed in this adversary proceeding.”
“the United States Trustee’s Motion to Disgorge Excessive Bankruptcy Petition Preparer Fee should be granted”
“the United States Trustee’s Motion to Disgorge Excessive Bankruptcy Petition Preparer Fee should be granted”
Draft for Judge Rice with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Rice, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
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