U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Washington
4 judges profiled from their own signed orders: how each rules on motions, with the orders quoted. Court-wide standing orders ↓
Marc L. BarrecaRetired
Bankruptcy judge
Christopher M. Alston
Bankruptcy judge, appointed by Merit selection
Mary Jo Heston
Bankruptcy judge, appointed by Merit selection
Philip H. BrandtRetired
Bankruptcy judge
Standing orders for every case in this court
Orders the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Washington applies to all of its cases, whichever judge has them, as published on the court's website (checked October 11, 2026). Courts revise these, so confirm the current version before you file. The court's local rules ↗
- General Order 2026-2: Sealed Documents ↗
- General Order 2025-2: Highly Sensitive Documents ↗
- General Order 2025-3: Chapter 13 Filing Fee Installments ↗
Filing
Chapter 13 trustees may pay outstanding filing fees from a debtor’s plan payments before or after confirmation.
“The Chapter 13 Trustees are authorized to pay outstanding filing fees from a 22 debtor’s pre- or post-confirmation plan payments.”
Sealing
A party seeking access to a sealed document must obtain a court order; sealed documents are no longer viewable through CM/ECF.
“documents filed under seal will no longer be accessible or 24 viewable in CM/ECF or by electronic means. Only select members of the judicial chambers 25 GENERAL ORDER NO. 2026-2 - 1 Case 14-00100-CMA Doc 63 Filed 04/22/26 Ent. 04/22/26 09:46:19 Pg. 1 of 2 1 assigned to the case and a limited number of Deputy Clerks will have access to a sealed 2 document. A party in a particular case who desires access to a sealed document must obtain a 3 Court order authorizing that access.”
Sealing
Before filing a highly sensitive document, move for leave and present the motion, proposed order, and material in a marked sealed envelope to the clerk.
“A party seeking to file an HSD must, before filing, obtain leave of Court as 7 provided below. 8 b. Leave of court must be sought by motion. The motion, a proposed order, and the 9 proposed HSD material shall be presented to the Clerk’s office in a sealed 10 envelope with the case caption, case number, and ‘HIGHLY SENSITIVE 11 DOCUMENT’ clearly marked on the outside of the envelope.”