Mike K. Nakagawa
How Judge Nakagawa rules, drawn from 21 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Nakagawa
Mike K. Nakagawa joined the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Nevada in September 2006 and was reappointed in 2020. He served as chief bankruptcy judge from October 2008 through September 2015. He earned a law degree from the University of California, Davis, in 1980.
Judge Nakagawa's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Nakagawa, 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
Filing
Accompany each amended document with a redlined version identifying the changes.
“Any amended document must be accompanied by a redlined version (in red or blue) that identifies the amended language.”
Filing
Send courtesy copies, with tabbed exhibits, for documents exceeding 30 pages.
“Courtesy copies in all matters required for each document (including attached exhibits) that exceed 30 pages. Attached exhibits must be separated by tabs.”
Motions
A notice withdrawing a contested motion does not cancel its hearing; a signed stipulation and court order are required.
“If a motion is contested, filing a notice withdrawing the motion will not vacate the scheduled hearing; rather, only a stipulation signed by the opposing party and a court order approving the stipulation will vacate a contested hearing.”
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 Nakagawa decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Detailed compliance with professional-compensation disclosure duties matters; explanations offered after prolonged noncompliance did not prevent disgorgement.
“The court strictly construes the disclosure requirements and simply cannot permit extensive delay in filing the compensation application.”
A dismissal theory must account for whether the plaintiff has creditor standing under the operative state-court judgment.
“Because Larson did not have a claim against the Debtor, he was not and still is not a creditor under bankruptcy law.”
Procedural preferences
Privilege claims should identify facts showing why each communication is protected; conclusory log entries were insufficient.
“there simply is not enough information in the Cash Cloud Privilege Log to sustain the privilege claimed for each of the documents withheld.”
Cautions
A stay pending appeal requires concrete proof of likely success and irreparable harm.
“Because T-Shack also has not demonstrated a likelihood of success as to the substantive merits of the Renewed Motion, nor that it will suffer irreparable injury, a stay of the Annulment Order is unwarranted.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“the Motion for Review and Return of Attorney’s Fees brought by U.S. Trustee ... is, GRANTED.”
“the Motion for Disgorgement and Payment of Fees ... is, GRANTED.”
“the Motion for Leave to File Proof of Claim After Bar Date ... is, GRANTED.”
“the Motion ... for an Order Dismissing the Purported Debtors’ Chapter 11 Cases ... is, DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.”
“the Motion ... Authorizing Debtors to ... Employ and Retain Force Ten Partners, LLC ... is, GRANTED.”
“the Motion to Convert Chapter 11 Case to Chapter 7 ... is GRANTED.”
“the Motion for Stay Pending Appeal of the Order Annulling the Automatic Stay ... is, DENIED.”
“the Motion to Dismiss in Part First Amended and Supplemental Complaint ... is, DENIED.”
“the Amended Motion for Review and Disgorgement of Attorney Fees ... hereby DENIED.”
“the Emergency Motion to Vest Title to Surrendered Property ... is, DENIED.”
“the Application for Payment of Unclaimed Funds ... is treated as withdrawn and therefore DENIED.”
“An extension of time to object to discharge under 11 U.S.C. §727 is denied”
“An extension of time to determine dischargeability of debt under 11 U.S.C. §523(a) is granted.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The five oldest exact-name matters were terminated metadata shells with zero archived entries. No docket outcome or latency was inferred.
Draft for Judge Nakagawa with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Nakagawa, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
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