James D. Gregg

How Judge Gregg rules, drawn from 29 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

Judge Gregg 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 Michigan
Position
bankruptcy
Status
Retired 2014
Served
1987–2014
Commissioned
1987-01-01
Signed orders read
29

How Judge Gregg decides

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

What persuades

Substantial participation in earlier litigation supported issue preclusion even though the state judgment was ultimately entered by default.

“filed an answer, participated in discovery, attended mediation, and filed two motions for summary disposition”

A mortgage describing the wrong platted lot did not give constructive notice sufficient to defeat the trustee's bona-fide-purchaser powers.

“Neither of the indices disclose that the Bank has a mortgage on the Debtor’s real property, Lot 5”

Procedural preferences

Reconsideration requires genuinely new evidence and due diligence; it is not a vehicle to supplement a record that could have been developed earlier.

“the Debtor and his counsel did not exercise due diligence to obtain the documents prior to entry of the court’s order”

Plan confirmation binds parties that received adequate notice, while a failure to serve the operative amended plan can preserve their outside remedies.

“failure to substantially comply with a court order regarding requisite notice is fatal”

Cautions

A conversion request may be denied when the record shows manipulation of the bankruptcy process rather than a good-faith effort to repay creditors.

“The Debtor’s actions in this case present sufficient indicia of bad faith and abuses of the bankruptcy process to justify denial of his motion to convert.”

A complaint that lacks plausible support under the governing sale and confirmation orders may be dismissed without requiring an amended pleading.

“there is nothing ‘plausible’ to support the Trustee’s position”

Signed rulings

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

In re Ernest J. Desilets
99-90364 · 2000-04-17

The motion sought several forms of relief that were handled differently and is retained without reducing the mixed remedies to one motion outcome. Grounding: “the court’s judgment will direct Rittenhouse to disgorge to the Desilets and Lampi estates $72 and $800, respectively.”

In re Ronald L. Goos and Christine L. Goos
97-10672 · 2000-09-28
Motion for postconfirmation plan modification (Debtors) Denied

“The Debtors' requested postconfirmation plan modification is denied.”

Objection to proof of claim (Debtors) Denied

“GMAC's amended secured claim is allowed over the Debtors' objection.”

First Bank, Upper Michigan v. North Country Bank & Trust (In re Superior Used Cars, Inc.)
Adv. Pro. 99-99055 · 2001-02-12
Summary judgment (First Bank, Upper Michigan) Granted in part

“First Bank’s Motion for Summary Judgment is therefore granted in part and denied in part.”

Summary judgment (North Country Bank & Trust) Granted in part

“North Country’s Motion for Summary Judgment is granted in part and denied in part.”

In re Jimmy Doyle Hudson and Peggy Lee Hudson
99-05365 · 2001-03-30
Objection to proof of claim (Debtors) Granted

“The Debtors' objection to the claim of the Bank is sustained.”

In re Quality Stores, Inc.
01-10662 · 2002-01-11
Motion for reconsideration (Retail Team, LLC) Denied

“this court denies Retail Team’s Motion for Reconsideration.”

Motion to stay sale (Retail Team, LLC) Denied

“The court also denies Retail Team’s request that the closing of the sale be stayed.”

Corradini v. Corradini (In re Corradini)
01-02443 · 2002-04-19

After trial, the complaint was dismissed. Grounding: “The complaint shall be dismissed for no cause of action.”

In re Donald Davis and William Bell
02-05934 · 2002-05-24

The court dismissed an abusive involuntary petition on its own initiative. Grounding: “The court determines the proper disposition of this involuntary bankruptcy petition is to dismiss the case with prejudice.”

In re Lupe R. Brown
02-11640
Motion to convert chapter 7 to chapter 13 (Debtor) Denied

“the Debtor’s motion to convert his chapter 7 case to chapter 13 is denied.”

Geno Enterprises, Inc. v. Newstar Energy U.S.A., Inc. (In re Newstar Energy of Texas, LLC)
Adv. Pro. 01-88111 · 2002-07-15

The decision declared the parties' rights rather than resolving a party motion. Grounding: “Geno is not bound by the Order Confirming Fourth Amended Joint Plan Of Reorganization.”

In re CommonPoint Mortgage Company
98-09338 · 2002-09-19
Motion to certify class (Claimants) Granted

“the court finds that certification of the class proof of claim is appropriate in this contested matter.”

In re Quality Stores, Inc.
01-10662 · 2003-01-31
Request for administrative priority for reclamation claims (Reclamation Claimants) Denied

“all claims of the Reclamation Claimants shall be relegated to general unsecured claims and be treated as such under the confirmed Plan.”

Word Investments, Inc. v. Bruinsma (In re TML, Inc.)
Adv. Pro. 98-88283 · 2003-03-26

After trial, the trustee prevailed on a constructive-fraud claim after offsets. Grounding: “the Trustee shall retain the funds in the escrow account and Word shall pay the Trustee $7,784.38.”

A historical record

Judge Gregg 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.