Sean H. Lane
How Judge Lane rules, drawn from 22 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Lane
Sean H. Lane is Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Southern District of New York and has served on the court since September 7, 2010. He earned a B.A. and a J.D. from New York University. Before joining the bench, he served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York, including as chief of its Tax and Bankruptcy Unit.
Judge Lane's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Lane, 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.
- Chambers' Rules ↗
- Transcript Restrictions & Redaction Guidelines ↗
- Order Voiding A Wholly Undersecured Mortgage (In Re Pond, 252 F.3d 122) (2d Cir. 2001) ↗
- Scheduling And Pre-Trial Order ↗
- Order Directing Correction Of The Debtor's Social Security Number ↗
- Order On Rule 2004 Application ↗
- Loss Mitigation Order ↗
- Order Approving Trial Loan Modification ↗
- Order Approving Loan Modification Agreement ↗
- Loss Mitigation Adjournment Order ↗
- Order Lifting Automatic Stay ↗
- Order Lifting Automatic Stay After Default Under Conditional Order ↗
- Order Confirming That Automatic Stay Does Not Apply ↗
- Order Granting In Rem Relief From The Automatic Stay ↗
- Order Extending Automatic Stay ↗
- Order Approving Amended Plan Pursuant to CARES Act ↗
Key rules
Contacting chambers
Request hearing dates from Lane’s courtroom deputy by email.
“All scheduling requests should be directed to Courtroom Deputy Liza Ebanks at [email protected].”
Filing
Send two sets of hearing binders to the White Plains divisional office two days before a hearing.
“Two sets of hearing binders should be provided two days prior to a scheduled hearing. Hearing binders should be sent to the White Plains Divisional Office.”
Motions
Limit moving and responsive briefs to 40 pages and reply briefs to 20 pages unless the court permits otherwise.
“Except as otherwise permitted by the Court, moving and responsive briefs shall be no more than forty (40) pages in length. Reply briefs shall be no more than twenty (20) pages exclusive of the table of contents and table of authorities.”
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).
- Procedures for the Filing, Signing, and Verification of Documents by Electronic Means ↗
- General Order 633: Procedures for the Filing, Service, and Management of Highly Sensitive Documents ↗
- Amended Guidelines for Fees and Disbursements for Professionals ↗
- Procedures for Monthly Compensation and Reimbursement of Expenses of Professionals ↗
- Procedural Guidelines for Prepackaged Chapter 11 Cases ↗
- Procedures Governing Mediation of Matters and the Use of Early Neutral Evaluation and Mediation/Voluntary Arbitration in Bankruptcy Cases and Adversary Proceedings ↗
- General Order 634: Guidelines for Combined Disclosure Statement and Plan, Combined Hearings, and Conditional Approval ↗
How Judge Lane decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Cautions
The court favored dismissal where a state-law assignment was already far advanced and the person responsible for the debtors’ collapse sought to control the federal liquidation.
“Nussbaum’s criminal conduct precipitated the Debtors’ need to cease operations, it is problematic for him to dictate how best to compensate creditors, particularly in light of the significant progress the Assignee had already made in the ABC Proceeding.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“For the forgoing reasons, the Assignee’s Motion to Dismiss is granted, and the UST Motion is denied as moot.”
“For the reasons stated below, the Motion is denied.”
“For the foregoing reasons, the complaint against the Defendant is dismissed.”
“For the reasons stated above, the Court denies the Motions and does not approve the Settlement or the Plan Support Agreement.”
“For all of the reasons set forth above, the Plaintiffs’ Renewed Motion is granted. Judgment of non-dischargeability shall be entered pursuant to Section 523(a)(6) of the Bankruptcy Code.”
“For the foregoing reasons, therefore, the Court denies Plaintiffs' Motion for leave to file the January 2019 Complaint.”
“For the reasons set forth below, the Court denies the Motion.”
“The Defendant’s Motion is therefore granted and Counts I and II are dismissed.”
“For the reasons set forth above, the motions to dismiss are denied as to the avoidance causes of action and granted as to the claim disallowance cause of action in Count LXXXI of the Complaint for all defendants except Reliable.”
“Based on the foregoing, the Court denies the Motion.”
“For the reasons above, the Court grants the Plaintiffs motion for summary judgment.”
“For the reasons discussed above, the Court dismisses the Debtor’s Chapter 13 case based on the totality of the circumstances under 11 U.S.C. § 1307(c).”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
All six sampled matters were pending when reviewed. Nussbaum Lowinger supplied two express contested outcomes; the five other sampled matters supplied no separate readable ruling suitable for classification.
Draft for Judge Lane with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Lane, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
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