Brenda T. Rhoades
How Judge Rhoades rules, drawn from 16 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Rhoades
Brenda T. Rhoades is Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern District of Texas. Before joining the bench, she practiced at Akin Gump and Baker Botts. She earned degrees from Texas A&M University and Arizona State University College of Law.
Judge Rhoades's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Rhoades, 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
Send case-related telephone inquiries to courtroom deputies or the case manager, rather than the law clerk or judge.
“Case-related telephone inquiries should be made to the courtroom deputies or the appropriate case manager, not to the law clerk or to the Judge.”
Contacting chambers
Do not raise substantive issues in letters, which are not docketed or included in the appellate record.
“Substantive issues should not be raised in letter form because letters are not docketed or included in the appellate record.”
Conferences
For Plano telephone appearances, submit the request at least 48 hours before the hearing and appear in person unless the court confirms approval.
“REQUEST MUST BE MADE AT LEAST 48 HOURS PRIOR TO THE HEARING AND SHOULD CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: Case Number and/or Adversary Proceeding Number Hearing Date and Time Name of party or attorney requesting the telephonic appearance Direct telephone number where the party or its attorney can be reached. YOU WILL RECEIVE CONFIRMATION AND THE CALL-IN INFORMATION OR LINK FROM THE COURT IF YOUR REQUEST FOR TELEPHONIC APPEARANCE IS GRANTED. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE CONFIRMATION FROM THE COURT, YOU MUST PERSONALLY APPEAR.”
Conferences
Advise the courtroom deputy in advance when a Docket Day hearing is expected to last more than an hour.
“Parties must advise the Courtroom Deputy Clerk in advance if the hearing scheduled on a Docket Day is estimated to last more than one hour.”
Conferences
On a telephonic Chapter 13 docket, contested matters needing evidence move to the in-person docket the same day at 2 p.m.
“For Chapter 13 Dockets set as telephonic hearings, (you may find the docket here) any contested matters announced on the record as requiring an evidentiary hearing will be continued to the in-person docket on the same date at 2:00 pm.”
Trial
Provide opposing parties copies of exhibits at least 14 days before trial.
“Copies of all exhibits must be provided to each party not less than 14 days prior to 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 Rhoades decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
A totality-of-conduct showing can establish willful tax evasion when the evidence extends beyond mere nonpayment.
“The totality of Acker’s conduct distinguishes him from the ‘honest, but unfortunate’ taxpayer for whom the bankruptcy discharge is reserved.”
A resulting trust can defeat a proposed co-owner sale when the estate holds only legal title and would receive no economic benefit.
“Consequently, the debtors’ estate would derive no benefit from a § 363(h) sale of the defendant’s home.”
Procedural preferences
An unopposed summary-judgment request still must establish entitlement to judgment on the record.
“Nevertheless, the U.S. Trustee has the burden of establishing the absence of a genuine issue of material fact and, unless he has done so,”
A properly completed claim receives prima facie effect, leaving the objector to produce contrary evidence rather than rely on a documentation request alone.
“It is, therefore, prima facie evidence of the amount and validity of the claim.”
Cautions
A plan that returns only part of a secured creditor's collateral may fail when it shifts sale costs and downside risk to that creditor.
“Golgart Plan provides a great risk to the Pourchot Parties that they will end up with less than their claim amounts by receiving only a portion of their collateral.”
Missing the deadline to object to an exemption can waive a later attempt to bring the exempt property into the estate.
“The chapter 7 trustee has waived any objection to the withdrawal of Howard’s interest in the IRA from the bankruptcy estate.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Therefore, those tax liabilities are excepted from discharge pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(1)(C).”
“IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that the IPFS Corporation’s Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. No. 5) is GRANTED as set forth herein.”
“IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that the IPFS Corporation’s Motion for Summary Judgment Regarding Counterclaim (Doc. No. 23) is GRANTED as set forth herein.”
“The Pourchot Parties’ Plan meets all of the requirements of § 1129, Golgart’s objections to confirmation of the Pourchot Parties’ Plan will be OVERRULED as set forth in these findings and conclusions.”
“The Pourchot Parties objections to confirmation of the Golgart Plan will be SUSTAINED as set forth in these findings and conclusions, and confirmation of the Golgart Plan will be DENIED.”
“The Court concludes that the Second Motion to Determine Claim Amounts (for Voting and Distribution Purposes) [Doc. No. 357] filed by the Pourchot Parties, as amended at the hearing, will be GRANTED.”
“Golgart’s Motion to Allow Taxing Authority to Amend Their Ballot for Purposes of Voting on the Proposed Chapter 11 Plans of Reorganization [Doc. No. 363] will be GRANTED.”
“The Expedited Motion of the Phillip M. Pourchot Revocable Trust and Starside, LLC to Clarify and/or Reclassify Claim [Doc. No. 412] will be GRANTED and the Normandy Estates HOA’s claim is clarified to be a secured claim under Class 2.3 of the Golgart Plan.”
“Golgart’s Expedited Motion to Strike or Designate Ballot of Normandy Estates Homeowners’ Association [Doc. No. 454] will be DENIED.”
“The Pourchot Parties’ Motion to Designate the Ballot of Wyndsor Pointe Homeowners Association [Doc. No. 443] will be DENIED.”
“The Court, therefore, concludes that the U.S. Trustee has established that he is entitled to a summary judgment requiring the immediate turnover of the $3,000 fee to the U.S. Trustee. ... the U.S. Trustee has failed to establish that he is entitled to the requested permanent injunction as a matter of law. ... the U.S. Trustee has established grounds for a narrower injunction pursuant to § 110(j)(2)(A)”
“For the foregoing reasons, the Debtor’s request for a continuance of this adversary proceeding is DENIED and AT&T’s motion for summary judgment is GRANTED.”
“The Court will enter a separate order denying the motions to disqualify the Firm consistent with these Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law.”
“For the forgoing reasons, it is hereby ORDERED that the Debtor's ‘Objection to Proof of Claim No. 8’ is OVERRULED and the claim is ALLOWED as filed.”
“The Plaintiffs’ objection to the Defendant’s proof of claim shall be sustained in part and overruled in part for the reasons stated in these Findings of Fact and Conclusions of law.”
“Thrasher is hereby awarded compensatory damages in the total amount of $1,000,000 for these claims.”
“Coleman is hereby awarded compensatory damages in the total amount of $400,000 for these claims.”
“White Nile is hereby awarded compensatory damages in the amount of $300,000.”
“Accordingly the Court will enter a separate judgment granting the motion for summary judgment filed by the defendant and imposing a resulting trust on the defendant’s home for the benefit of the defendant.”
“For the foregoing reasons, the Defendants’ motion to dismiss the Plaintiff’s Third Amended Complaint will be granted in part and denied in part.”
“The Plaintiff’s motion to amend her Third Amended Complaint will be denied.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
All six matters were terminated. The Acker adversary supplied one express mixed summary-judgment outcome.
Draft for Judge Rhoades with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Rhoades, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
Opens in Ezel Pro.
- Grounded in Judge Rhoades's own signed orders
- Cites every source it relies on, so you can verify it
- Chat, drafting and research in one workspace