Carl L. Bucki
How Judge Bucki rules, drawn from 24 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Bucki
Carl L. Bucki has served as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of New York since December 1993 and as chief judge since January 2007. He earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Cornell University and practiced law in Buffalo before joining the bench.
Judge Bucki's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Bucki, as published on the court's website (checked October 11, 2026). Judges revise these often, so confirm the current version on the court's site before you file.
- Chief Judge Bucki Motion Practice and Chambers Information ↗
- Practice Changes for Calendars in Buffalo, Batavia, Mayville, Niagara Falls, and Olean ↗
- Chapter 13 Case Management Order, Buffalo ↗
Key rules
Filing
File the notice and motion together as the main CM/ECF document, with exhibits, affidavits, and service certificates as attachments.
“Motions shall be filed in CM/ECF as follows: the Notice of Motion and Motion shall be filed as the main document; all other documents (exhibits, affidavits, certificates of service) shall be filed as attachments to the main document.”
Filing
Submit chambers copies of all motion papers within two days of filing, including discretionary responses.
“Chambers copies of all motion papers must be submitted to the court not more than two days following the filing of the motion in CM/ECF. This includes discretionary responses to motions.”
Filing
Omit tax returns from Bucki’s chambers copies, especially those showing Social Security numbers.
“Do Not include Tax Returns, especially with Social Security Numbers on them.”
Motions
Serve and electronically file motion notices and supporting papers at least ten days before the hearing unless a rule or order provides otherwise.
“Except as otherwise provided by Rule or ordered by the Court, Notices of Motion along with supporting affidavits and memoranda shall be served on the parties and filed electronically within CM/ECF at least ten (10) days prior to the hearing date of the motion.”
Motions
Adjourn a motion only with all appropriate parties’ consent and file a confirming letter before the original hearing date.
“Motions may be adjourned only with consent of all appropriate parties. A letter confirming the adjournment must be filed with the Court before the original hearing date of motion.”
Motions
Under the posted Buffalo Chapter 13 case management order, a request to value a secured claim generally requires a stand-alone motion under § 506.
“Except as indicated hereafter, all requests to determine the value of a secured claim must be brought by stand−alone motion under 11 U.S.C. § 506.”
Conferences
Appear in person or by telephone for Chief Judge Bucki’s hearings unless the court orders otherwise.
“Effective May 12, 2023, appearances scheduled before Chief Judge Bucki in all counties have the option to appear in-person at the Robert H. Jackson U.S. Courthouse or telephonically, unless ordered otherwise.”
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 11, 2026).
How Judge Bucki decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Filed financial disclosures controlled household size when the debtors excluded their adult children's income and expenses from the household budget.
“the debtors will be held to the representations of their filed schedules and Official Form 122C-1, all of which were filed under penalty of perjury.”
The source and purpose of charitable gifts determined whether sale proceeds remained restricted after liquidation.
“Now that the property has been liquidated, any proceeds will be traced to their source.”
Procedural preferences
A Rule 2004 request must identify likely repositories of relevant information and remain reasonably confined to the demonstrated need.
“A showing of good cause requires both a demonstration of need for information and some reason to believe that the respondent might possess that information.”
Broader bankruptcy injunctions must be pursued through an adversary complaint rather than ordinary motion practice.
“the trustees will need to commence an adversary proceeding by the filing of an appropriate complaint.”
Cautions
A creditor's silence or failure to opt out did not establish consent to a third-party release.
“Consent and failure to object are not synonymous.”
A request to extend extraordinary nondebtor protection required current evidence of progress, not merely the existence of a long-running mediation.
“to extend the stay for no more than about two months after the last scheduled mediation session.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Accordingly, the motion and cross motion for summary judgment are denied.”
“For the reasons stated herein, the Court treats this motion as a request for abandonment and as so characterized, this motion is granted. The requested documents are abandoned to Weiss Construction.”
“The motions for reconsideration of the Decision and Order of February 27, 2026, are denied.”
“For the reasons stated herein, the trustee is directed to disburse the funds in her possession to Stacey Elizabeth Pynn, less only any unpaid claim that might be allowed under 11 U.S.C. § 503(b).”
“Being financially independent, the adult children will here be excluded from the household for purposes of satisfying the means test of 11 U.S.C. § 1325(b)(1). Accordingly, the trustee shall calculate the applicable commitment period based on a household of two individuals.”
“The motion of the Diocese of Buffalo is granted in part and denied in part, all in accord with the following allocation.”
“The seventeen motions for stay relief are granted, to the effect that the movants may resume litigation in state court to determine liability and damages, but not for purposes of enforcing any judgment or to impose a lien on assets of the debtor.”
“Both the motion for appointment of additional mediators and the motion to compel disclosures under Bankruptcy Rule 2019 are denied without prejudice.”
“For the reasons stated herein, the motion of the Diocese of Buffalo is denied.”
“The request of Tonawanda Coke Corporation to approve the Second Amended Disclosure Statement is denied, but without prejudice to presenting a further amended plan and disclosure statement that conforms with the guidelines recited herein.”
“Altogether, the request for compensation will be reduced by $100,192.94. Accordingly for the period from August 1, 2023, to February 29, 2024, Jones Day is allowed interim fees of $135,021.06.”
“This breach of trust creates a debt that is a larceny under New York law and is therefore non-dischargeable under 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(4).”
“Nor do these consequential damages qualify as debts ‘for money, property, services, or an extension, renewal, or refinancing of credit’ under 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2).”
“Accordingly, the debtors’ objection is sustained and the claim is disallowed.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
All five sampled matters were recorded as terminated. Two streams expressly stated four outcomes; the remaining streams contained routine administration or incomplete historical entries.
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