Steven W. Rhodes
How Judge Rhodes rules, drawn from 20 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Rhodes no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Rhodes decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
A confirmable restructuring plan required evidence that its investments and settlements served the statutory purpose in good faith.
“The Court finds that the City’s plan, particularly the RRIs and the settlements, demonstrates a good faith effort to achieve the purposes of chapter 9.”
Substantive testimony outweighed unchanged corporate paperwork when the court assessed actual operational control.
“the great weight of the witness testimony is consistent and overwhelmingly supports a finding that the debtor did not have control over PC Landscaping after February 2007”
Procedural preferences
A stay while another court considers withdrawing the reference is treated as an exception requiring affirmative justification.
“the granting of a stay should be the exception—not the general rule”
Cautions
A creditor with actual knowledge of a bankruptcy must act diligently to preserve a dischargeability claim.
“Because he had actual notice of the bankruptcy, Davis is not entitled to equitable tolling of the deadline.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
The court completed the statutory reasonableness review of professional fees without deciding a party motion.
“Accordingly, the Court confirms the City’s eighth amended plan of adjustment.”
“For these reasons, the Court approves the proposed exit financing.”
“the Court denied the plaintiffs’ motion for a temporary restraining order and to set a hearing for a preliminary injunction”
“granted the City’s motion to dismiss the adversary complaint”
“The plaintiffs’ several motions for reconsideration and their motion to file a second amended complaint will be denied.”
The memorandum certified public importance but recommended against direct interlocutory appeals and expedited review.
“the petition is not subject to dismissal under 11 U.S.C. § 921(c)”
“The Court will enter an order for relief forthwith, as required by 11 U.S.C. § 921(d).”
“the NAACP plaintiffs’ motion for relief from the stay is denied”
“the motion for relief from the stay as to the Phillips suit should be granted”
“Committee’s motion for a stay pending the district court’s determination of the motion to withdraw the reference is denied”
“the amended complaint is DISMISSED”
“CTMD’s motion for sanctions is granted”
“the amended complaint is DISMISSED”
“the trustee’s objection is overruled”
“For the reason stated herein, the motion is granted.”
A historical record
Judge Rhodes 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.