Suzana Krstevski Koch

How Judge Koch rules, drawn from 15 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

Court
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Ohio
Position
bankruptcy
Signed orders read
15

How Judge Koch decides

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

What persuades

When intent turns on competing inferences, the court reserves the issue for trial and credibility assessment even if many underlying facts are undisputed.

“without an assessment of Kopanski’s demeanor and credibility, the Court construes the evidence in favor of the non-movant and determines that genuine issues of material fact remain”

A bare assertion that a proof of claim lacks documentation does not overcome its presumptive validity without evidence calling the claim into question.

“Debtor’s bare statement that there is lack of documentation is insufficient to overcome Proof of Claim 11-1’s presumption of prima facie validity.”

Procedural preferences

When late admission responses threaten to decide the case on legal conclusions rather than the merits, the court distinguishes factual admissions from requests that seek pure legal conclusions.

“Requests for Admission numbers 18, 19, and 20 are pure requests for opinions of law (admissions that the debt is nondischargeable under 11 U.S.C. §§ 523(a)(2), (4), and (6)), so they are deemed withdrawn.”

Signed rulings

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

Rumizen & Weisman Co., Ltd. v. Kopanski
25-01080 · 2026-05-12
Summary judgment (Rumizen & Weisman Co., Ltd.) Denied

“Therefore, the Motion for Summary Judgment is denied.”

In re Daniel J. Sattler and Dianne D. Sattler
23-13616 · 2024-03-26
Motion to vacate discharge (Daniel J. Sattler and Dianne D. Sattler) Denied

“Accordingly, the Motion to Vacate Discharge is denied.”

Vara v. Crump (In re Crump)
23-01021 · 2024-04-26
Summary judgment (United States Trustee) Denied

“For the foregoing reasons, the United States Trustee’s Motion for Summary Judgment is denied.”

In re Errol L. Jarrett
23-12429 · 2024-09-18
Objection to proof of claim (Errol L. Jarrett) Granted in part

“For the reasons above, Debtor’s Objection to Nunoo’s Proof of Claim No. 1 is sustained in part and overruled in part.”

Hemme v. Hakli (In re Hakli)
24-01001 · 2024-10-01
Summary judgment (Daniel Hemme) Granted in part

“For the foregoing reasons, the Motion for Summary Judgment of Daniel Hemme is granted in part and denied in part as follows:”

In re Gary T. Stewart
22-10064 · 2025-03-11
Objection to proof of claim (Gary T. Stewart) Denied

“For these reasons, Debtor’s Objection to Claim Number 2 is overruled.”

Castillo v. Berkley (In re Berkley)
24-01074 · 2025-05-15
Motions to dismiss (Thomas R. Berkley) Granted in part

“Berkley’s 12(b)(6) Motion to Dismiss the § 523(a)(2)(A) claim and § 523(a)(4) claim under the embezzlement provision is denied. Berkley’s Motion to Dismiss the Plaintiffs’ § 523(a)(4) claim under the fraud or defalcation while acting in a fiduciary capacity provision and larceny provision is granted.”

Motion for more definite statement (Thomas R. Berkley) Denied

“The Rule 12(e) Motion for More Definite Statement is denied.”

Rewak v. Catanzarite (In re Catanzarite)
24-01006 · 2025-06-18
Nondischargeability claim (John Rewak) Granted

“the debt of Catanzarite to Rewak is hereby determined to be nondischargeable in the amount of $46,845.87.”

In re Stephanie A. Griffin
24-15172 · 2025-08-21
Objection to proof of claim (Stephanie A. Griffin) Denied

“The Objection is overruled.”

Vara v. Crawford (In re Crawford)
24-01066 · 2025-08-29
Summary judgment (United States Trustee) Granted

“IT IS ORDERED that Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 26) be, and hereby is, GRANTED.”

Fuller v. Meehan (In re Meehan)
25-01021 · 2026-01-21
Motion to deem requests for admission admitted (Jonathan E. Fuller and Lee Fuller) Denied

“The Motion to Deem is denied.”

Motion for leave to file late objection (Michael P. Meehan) Granted

“The Motion for Leave is granted.”

Motion to withdraw admissions (Michael P. Meehan) Granted in part

“The Motion to Withdraw pursuant to Civil Rule 36(b) is granted in part and denied in part.”

Helbling v. Six Brothers Mega Lot Inc. (In re Howard)
25-01056 · 2026-01-22
Summary judgment (Lauren A. Helbling, Chapter 13 trustee) Granted

“Six Brothers has not established the existence of an affirmative defense; therefore the Trustee’s Motion for Summary Judgment is granted.”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

Four sampled matters were recorded as terminated and one remained pending. One adversary stream supplied an express mixed summary-judgment disposition.

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