William T. Thurman
How Judge Thurman rules, drawn from 5 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Thurman no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Thurman decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
For perfection of a security interest in a registered organization's assets, Thurman looked to the debtor's state of organization rather than its principal place of business.
“With an unperfected security interest, SFS is an unsecured creditor with a subordinate security interest to that of the Debtor’s.”
In Chapter 13 lien avoidance, Thurman used a two-step approach that allowed immediate plan treatment while preserving reinstatement if the case were dismissed before completion.
“the lien impairing the Debtors’ homestead exemption may be avoided immediately for plan consummation only.”
Procedural preferences
At preliminary hearings, detailed offers of proof were expected, but live witnesses were reserved for a final evidentiary hearing after a genuine factual dispute was shown.
“At this preliminary hearing, detailed offers of proof should be used but no live witnesses.”
Cautions
A debtor's records must be understandable to creditors, the trustee, and the court; the debtor's own ability to navigate an informal system is insufficient.
“A debtor cannot claim compliance with § 727(a)(3) on the basis that he can make sense of his own records.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Accordingly, this Court will grant the Debtor’s Motion for Sanctions and finds damages in the amount of appropriate attorney’s fees incurred.”
“For the foregoing reasons, the Court denies the Movant’s Motion for Adequate Protection, or in the Alternative, Motion for Relief from the Automatic Stay.”
“Accordingly, the Motion should be granted and the lien impairing the Debtors’ homestead exemption may be avoided immediately for plan consummation only.”
“confirmation of the Plan is denied pursuant to § 1325(b)(1)(B), with leave to amend.”
“The motion of KSUE to dismiss or convert is denied without prejudice.”
“The Court grants the Plaintiff’s Motion to Strike and Motion for Partial Summary Judgment, but denies the Defendant’s Renewed Motion.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The ten terminated sampled matters ranged from 76 to 733 days. Five additional sampled matters remained pending; this small, outcome-bearing cohort is descriptive only.
A historical record
Judge Thurman no longer hears cases. This profile stays available as a record of how they ruled. If you're preparing for a matter, start from the court's current bench.