Dennis D. O'Brien

How Judge O'Brien rules, drawn from 20 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

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

Court
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Minnesota
Position
bankruptcy
Status
Retired 2013
Served
1984–2013
Commissioned
1984-01-01
Signed orders read
20

How Judge O'Brien decides

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

What persuades

A Chapter 13 plan addressing significant prepetition tax debt also had to show that taxes arising during the plan would be paid when due.

“federal tax liabilities that come due for tax years ending while the case is pending must be paid when due.”

The annuity exemption turned on concrete evidence that the settlement funds were reasonably necessary for the debtor's support.

“The settlement annuity funds are reasonably necessary for Meyer’s support.”

Procedural preferences

The court declined abstention when retaining the proceeding promised a faster and less costly resolution that materially affected plan administration.

“The proceeding is substantially related to the bankruptcy case in that resolution will significantly impact consummation of the confirmed plan.”

Signed rulings

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

In re Lauwagie
· 2012-05-15
Objection to claim of exemption (Chapter 7 trustee) Granted

“the trustee’s objection to the debtor’s claimed exemption in insurance proceeds, in the amount of $6,167.48, paid for pre-petition damage to his residence is SUSTAINED, and the exemption is DISALLOWED.”

Velde v. Border State Bank (In re Hovdebray Enterprises)
· 2012-05-04

The signed preference trial judgment is retained for reasoning but excluded from motion statistics.

In re Reitberger
· 2011-09-20
Objection to plan confirmation (Internal Revenue Service) Granted

“The Court sustains the objections and denies confirmation.”

Plan confirmation (Debtors) Denied

“confirmation of the debtors’ Modified Chapter 13 Plan dated June 6, 2011, is DENIED.”

Motion to dismiss chapter 13 case (Internal Revenue Service) Denied

“the IRS motion to dismiss the case is also DENIED.”

In re Hager
· 2011-04-13
Plan confirmation (Debtors) Denied

“Confirmation of the debtors’ Fifth Modified Plan is DENIED”

Motion to dismiss chapter 13 case (First State Bank of Alexandria) Granted

“the case is DISMISSED.”

Tompkins v. Rogowski (In re Rogowski)
· 2011-08-19

The signed dischargeability trial judgment is retained for reasoning but excluded from motion statistics.

Sullivan v. Gergen (In re Lacina)
· 2011-06-16
Summary judgment (Chapter 7 trustee) Granted

“the trustee is entitled to avoid the transfer and recover the transferred funds from Gergen, the initial transferee.”

Guzick v. Nyberg (In re Nyberg)
· 2011-10-12
Summary judgment (Plaintiff) Denied

“On plaintiffs motion for summary judgment, the Court ruled in favor of the defendants on the claim under 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(4).”

In re Bailey
· 2010-03-30
Motion to modify chapter 13 plan (Chapter 13 trustee) Denied

“Confirmation of the trustee’s proposed modified plan to restore a 60 month payment period to the debtors’ payment obligations is DENIED.”

SJI, Inc. v. Staehnke (In re SJI, Inc.)
· 2010-12-29
Motion for abstention (Defendants) Denied

“the defendants’ motion for abstention is denied.”

In re John
· 2010-09-13
Motion to dismiss chapter 7 case (United States Trustee) Granted

“The debtors’ case shall be dismissed as an abusive filing under 11 U.S.C. § 707(b)(1), unless they voluntarily convert to Chapter 13 within thirty days of the entry of this order.”

In re Hofer
· 2010-10-21
Objection to plan confirmation (Former spouse) Granted

“The Court denies confirmation and dismisses the case.”

Plan confirmation (Debtor) Denied

“Confirmation of debtor’s amended plane dated March 19, 2010, is DENIED”

In re Loban
· 2010-04-02
Objection to proof of claim (Debtor) Denied

“The debtor’s objection to claim # 13 of BAC Home Loans Servicing, L.P. is overruled”

Plan confirmation (Debtor) Denied

“Confirmation of the debtor’s plan is DENIED.”

A historical record

Judge O'Brien 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.