John A. Dorsey Jr.
How Judge Dorsey rules, drawn from 3 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Dorsey
John A. Dorsey Jr. has served as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Rhode Island since September 9, 2025. Before his appointment, he practiced civil litigation involving receiverships, insolvency, and distressed properties in Rhode Island. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2007 and a law degree from Roger Williams University School of Law in 2010.
Judge Dorsey's practices and standing orders
The court's website lists no individual practices or standing orders of Judge Dorsey's own (checked October 11, 2026), so the court's local rules and general orders are the place to look (court page ↗).
How Judge Dorsey decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Chapter 15 recognition follows when the foreign representatives satisfy the statutory eligibility and filing requirements.
“the Foreign Representatives of the Mauritius and BVI Proceedings satisfied all requirements of § 1517 and § 1515”
Procedural preferences
Equitable authority does not excuse repeated failures to comply with statutory debtor obligations.
“the Court declines to use its equitable powers to exempt the Debtor from the multiple duties and obligations with which she has been unable to comply.”
Cautions
In an adversary trial, the court declined punitive damages where the nondischargeable compensatory award itself served a deterrent purpose.
“In this case, the damages awarded are nondischargeable, which on its own serves as a significant deterrent to the type of conduct found in this case.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Accordingly, the Trustee’s Motion is GRANTED and the parties’ remaining motions are DENIED as moot.”
“For the aforementioned reasons, the Petitions are GRANTED.”
After a one-day adversary trial, the court found the injury debt nondischargeable and awarded compensatory damages. This trial decision adjudicated a complaint, not a motion.
Draft for Judge Dorsey with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Dorsey, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
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