Denise E. Barnett
How Judge Barnett rules, drawn from 22 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Barnett
Denise E. Barnett has served as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Tennessee since November 2021. Before her appointment, she clerked for a bankruptcy judge, practiced law in Jacksonville, and worked as a trial attorney in the United States Trustee Program from 2002 to 2021.
Judge Barnett's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Barnett, as published on the court's website (checked October 10, 2026). Judges revise these often, so confirm the current version on the court's site before you file.
- Judge Denise E. Barnett Chambers Information ↗
- Judge Denise E. Barnett: Changes and Reminders for Hearings ↗
- Judge Barnett’s Chambers Style Guide ↗
Key rules
Filing
Submit proposed Chapter 13 orders to the trustee assigned to the case.
“Proposed orders in Chapter 13 cases must be submitted to the Chapter 13 Trustee assigned to the Debtor’s case.”
Filing
Prepare one proposed order that addresses both a motion or objection and its response.
“parties shall prepare a single order addressing both the motion/objection and the response, citing to the record (ECF numbers) for the filed documents.”
Filing
Begin a proposed order’s first sentence with “THIS CASE” or “THIS PROCEEDING” and identify the papers by title, party, and docket number.
“The first sentence of the order should begin with ‘THIS CASE’ or ‘THIS PROCEEDING’ in all caps.”
Motions
File separate motions for distinct relief and do not combine motions with objections.
“Do not combine motions that seek different relief or combine motions with objections.”
Conferences
For Chapter 13 Tuesday hearings, tell the trustee about settlements and continuance requests by noon the preceding Thursday.
“counsel should communicate settlements and requests for continuances to the chapter 13 trustee no later than noon on Thursday (the week prior to your Tuesday hearing).”
Conferences
For Chapter 7 and 11 Tuesday hearings, tell the courtroom deputy about settlements and continuance requests by noon the preceding Thursday.
“counsel should communicate settlements and requests for continuances to Courtroom Deputy by no later than noon on Thursday (the week prior to your Tuesday hearing).”
Conferences
Do not appear before the court for matters on the 9 a.m. Chapter 13 trustee docket.
“Please do not appear before the Court for any matter set on the 9:00 a.m. Chapter 13 trustee’s docket.”
Conferences
Send last-minute Chapter 13 hearing announcements to the trustee by noon Monday.
“provide those last-minute announcements to the Chapter 13 Trustee no later than Monday (day before Court) at 12 PM”
Trial
Appear in person for trial, evidentiary hearings, or matters requiring more in-depth argument.
“Judge Barnett will allow attorneys to appear virtually, unless the matter requires trial, evidentiary hearing, or more in-depth arguments.”
Trial
Do not file trial exhibits in the case or with the clerk’s office.
“Please do not file trial exhibits in the case or with the Clerk's office.”
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 10, 2026).
How Judge Barnett decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Requires statutory authority before extending a Chapter 7 discharge to an obligation arising after the petition, even when an earlier order had allowed the debt to be added.
“After extensive legal research on the underlying issue, the Court finds no legal authority that would allow Debtor to add her post-petition debt in this chapter 7 case and have that debt discharged in this chapter 7 case.”
When evaluating voluntary dismissal or conversion, weighs whether liquidation would produce a meaningful distribution rather than relying on asset value alone.
“Ms. Jackson’s general unsecured creditors would likely receive nothing upon liquidation of Ms. Jackson’s home.”
Applies issue preclusion in dischargeability litigation only to issues actually resolved by the prior judgment and matching the federal statutory elements.
“The doctrine of collateral estoppel applies to bankruptcy proceedings and may be used to establish the nondischargeability of a debt.”
Procedural preferences
Favors resolving disputes on the merits when considering whether to set aside an entry of default.
“The Sixth Circuit favors judgments on the merits.”
Cautions
A summary-judgment movant must connect the undisputed record to each element of the asserted preclusion doctrine.
“Defendants failed to show how any of the undisputed facts support the requirements of judicial estoppel.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment is DENIED.”
“The Motion to Set Aside Order on Motion to Add Post-Petition Debt is GRANTED.”
“Debtor’s Motion for Reconsideration is DENIED.”
“Creditor’s Motion for Relief from the Automatic Stay is DENIED, without prejudice.”
“Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment (Adv. Proc. ECF No. 36) is GRANTED.”
“Mr. McKean’s Objection to Claim No. 11-1 of Whitney Nicole McKean is SUSTAINED, IN PART.”
“Creditor’s Motion to Annul the Automatic Stay Nunc Pro Tunc to the Petition Date is DENIED, without prejudice to Debtor taking appropriate action to bring the underlying issues before the court (unless the parties have resolved the issues).”
“The Motion to Terminate Automatic Stay and for Abandonment is DENIED.”
“The City of Memphis’s Motion for Order Determining Automatic Stay to be Inapplicable Pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 362(b)(4) and, in the Alternative, for Relief from the Automatic Stay is DENIED.”
“Clark and Company Investment LLC’s Motion to Terminate Automatic Stay for the Purpose of Transferring Real Estate Property to Satisfy the Receiver’s Lien Under the Tennessee Neighborhood Preservation Act and for Abandonment is DENIED.”
“Ms. Stinson’s Motion to Intervene is DENIED.”
“The Bank’s Objection to Confirmation, Motion for Relief from Stay, and Amended Objection to Confirmation are DENIED.”
“The Plaintiff’s Motion for Default Judgment is DENIED.”
“Ms. Craigen’s Motion to Set Aside the Default is GRANTED.”
“Towne Mortgage’s Motion for Reconsideration of Order Granting Debtor’s Motion Under Rule 3002.1 is GRANTED, IN PART.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The original five matters were terminated without a reviewed text order resolving a contested motion. The pending Scales matter supplied one dated disposition.
Draft for Judge Barnett with the record in hand
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