Derek J. Baker

How Judge Baker rules, drawn from 4 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

Court
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Position
bankruptcy
Commissioned
2025-02-19
Education
B.A., Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania; J.D., University of Dayton School of Law
Signed orders read
4

How Judge Baker decides

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

What persuades

An unrejected personal-property lease continued to impose the performance obligations stated in the statute, even where the debtor no longer wanted or used the property.

“The statute imposes an unequivocal performance obligation on the Debtor.”

Cautions

A request for an indemnification judgment needs proof that the indemnitor clearly and unconditionally repudiated its obligations; equivocal correspondence and an open invitation to continue discussions did not suffice.

“SeeCubic’s objection to entry of the judgment is sustained, without prejudice to the Trustee seeking similar relief in the future based on new facts and circumstances.”

Signed rulings

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

In re Tarani A. Johnson
26-10372-djb · 2026-05-29
Motion for stay violation relief (Tarani A. Johnson) Denied

“As a result of the foregoing, the Court hereby DENIES the Motion as it relates to the Municipal Court Action and VACATES the Status Quo Order.”

In re Good Works Housing LLC
25-12224-djb · 2026-03-13
Motion for administrative expense (Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA, LLC) Granted

“For the foregoing reasons, the Court concludes that MBFS is entitled to an administrative expense claim for $18,022.05”

In re Christine C. Heasley
25-12073-djb · 2025-11-03
Motion for sanctions (Christine C. Heasley) Granted

“We Care violated Rule 9011 when it filed and unreasonably litigated its Discharge Objection, and appropriate sanctions will be imposed.”

Request for stay violation damages (Christine C. Heasley) Denied

“the Court finds that the Debtor failed to substantiate any damages resulting from any stay violation and therefore no relief will be granted pursuant to § 362(k) of the Bankruptcy Code.”

In re Stream TV Networks, Inc.
23-10763-djb · 2025-10-31
Motion to approve settlement agreement (William A. Homony, Chapter 11 trustee) Granted

“VSI’s objection is overruled and the Settlement Agreement is approved.”

Objection to settlement approval (Visual Semiconductor, Inc.) Denied
Request for indemnification judgment (William A. Homony, Chapter 11 trustee) Denied

“relief will be denied in this respect without prejudice to the Trustee filing a new action, here or elsewhere, to pursue such a judgment.”

Objection to indemnification judgment (SeeCubic, Inc.) Granted

“SeeCubic’s objection to entry of the judgment is sustained, without prejudice to the Trustee seeking similar relief in the future based on new facts and circumstances.”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

Three sampled matters were terminated within 52 to 113 days; eleven remained pending in the public metadata.

Draft for Judge Baker with the record in hand

Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Baker, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.

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