Henry W. Van Eck
How Judge Eck rules, drawn from 20 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Eck
Henry W. Van Eck has served as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania since April 2017 and currently serves as chief judge. He earned degrees from Susquehanna University and Widener University School of Law.
Judge Eck's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Eck, 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.
Key rules
Contacting chambers
Do not submit documents to Judge Van Eck by fax without his prior approval.
“Documents may not be submitted by facsimile unless previously approved by Judge Van Eck.”
Filing
Do not send paper courtesy copies unless chambers requests them.
“Courtesy hard copies of documents should not be provided unless requested by chambers.”
Filing
Leave at least two inches at the bottom of a proposed order for the electronic signature and date, with at least one line of text on that page.
“At least two inches should be left at the bottom of the proposed order for the insertion of the electronic signature and order date. At least one line of text must be included on the page that will bear Judge Van Eck’s signature and the date of the order.”
Motions
Submit a stipulation and a separate proposed order approving it rather than a proposed consent order.
“The Court does not enter or approve proposed ‘Consent Orders.’ When parties resolve a contested matter by agreement, they shall submit a stipulation setting forth their agreed terms, together with a separate proposed order stating only that the stipulation is approved.”
Conferences
Request and receive permission by close of business the day before a hearing or conference to appear remotely, unless the court order or a listed exception permits it.
“Except as otherwise noted below, counsel and pro se parties may not appear remotely at hearings and conferences unless: (1) they have requested and received permission to do so no later than close of business the day before the hearing or conference; or (2) the Court has issued an order indicating that appearance by remote means is permitted.”
Conferences
For an agreed continuance, file Local Bankruptcy Form 9013-4 at least 24 hours before the hearing; if agreement comes later, a party must appear to request it.
“If parties wish to cancel a hearing because they have agreed to continue the matter in advance of the hearing, they may file a completed version of Local Bankruptcy Form 9013-4 no later than 24 hours before the hearing. If an agreement to continue the matter is reached within 24 hours of the hearing, one of the parties must appear at the hearing either in person or remotely to make the continuance request.”
Conferences
For a settlement reached within 24 hours of the hearing, a party must appear to announce it.
“If a settlement is reached within 24 hours of the hearing, one of the parties must appear at the hearing either in person or remotely to announce the settlement.”
Conferences
If the court has set a hearing, appear unless an order granting the requested relief is entered before the hearing, even when no response was filed.
“if an order granting the relief requested in a motion or application is not entered before the hearing date, counsel is expected to appear at the scheduled hearing.”
Trial
Exchange all exhibits with opposing counsel at least 72 hours, described as three full business days, before a hearing or trial.
“All exhibits must be exchanged with opposing counsel no less than 72 hours (3 full business days) prior to any hearing or trial.”
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 Eck decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In the Kimmel’s Coal bankruptcy dispute, he denied Fulton Bank’s contempt motion because the stipulated order did not clearly direct the conduct the bank sought to enforce.
“Ambiguity or reasonable uncertainty regarding the scope of the order precludes a finding of contempt.”
In In re GVM, Van Eck denied the debtors’ request to pay selected prepetition critical vendors. The testimony showed those vendors would continue supplying the debtors without payment of old balances, and the record did not show that other creditors would benefit.
“The Debtors in this case did not prove either of these elements. As a result, this court need not decide whether § 363(b)(1) could support payment of some prepetition debts because the relief requested here is not supported by the record.”
Procedural preferences
In the Mulkerin bankruptcy, he conditionally approved the trustee’s proposed settlement because the record supported its reasonableness, while requiring an executed agreement that materially conformed to the terms presented.
“The Trustee’s Motion to Approve the Settlement is therefore GRANTED on a conditional basis, consistent with the terms of this Opinion.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The Motion to Compel will be granted in part and denied in part.”
“The Motion for Contempt will be denied, as will Fulton Bank’s request for damages.”
“For the foregoing reasons, the Court will grant JMG’s Motion for Summary Judgment.”
“Accordingly, the Motion for Derivative Standing is GRANTED.”
“IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT: the application for compensation and expenses, Doc. 81, is DENIED without prejudice for the reasons stated on the record.”
“However, the Court will not hold Respondents in contempt as requested by the Debtor.”
“Stated succinctly, Harris and Colbert must immediately cease collection activities for any discharged debt as set forth in this opinion.”
“Whiteley’s Motion Seeking Leave to Object to the Claims of Hildebrand and Keefer, though unnecessary in view of these findings, will be granted for purposes of clarity.”
“They seek dismissal with prejudice, which includes a bar against refiling for a period of 180 days. Since the remedy requested would place the Movants and the Debtors in substantially the same position they would have been in but for the filing of this case, which is found to be lacking in good faith, it is hereby ORDERED that the Motion is Granted.”
“ORDERED that Defendant’s Motion is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART; and it is FURTHER ORDERED that Counts III, IV, and V are dismissed for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted; and it is FURTHER ORDERED that the Motion is denied with respect to Counts I and II; and it is FURTHER ORDERED that the Plaintiff shall have thirty (30) days from the date of this Order to amend her Complaint.”
“Even if § 363(b)(1) allows critical vendors orders in principle, preferential payments to a class of creditors are proper only if the record shows the prospect of benefit to the other creditors. The record here does not. The Motion is therefore denied.”
“For all the foregoing reasons, the Debtors’ Motion for an Order Pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 363 to Permit Use of Cash Collateral and Provide Adequate Protection to Parties with Interest in Cash Collateral will be granted. The Motion is therefore granted.”
“Accordingly, the Motion to Dismiss is denied and the Objection to Second Amended Plan is overruled.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Three of the five sampled matters were terminated; two remained pending in the public record.
Draft for Judge Eck with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Eck, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
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