Russell A. Eisenberg

How Judge Eisenberg rules, drawn from 14 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

Judge Eisenberg no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.

Court
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
Position
bankruptcy
Status
Retired 2003
Signed orders read
14

How Judge Eisenberg decides

Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

What persuades

Strict doomsday provisions receive literal enforcement when the debtor misses an express condition and presents no new circumstances.

“If an order is to have any true meaning, if a party is to be able to place any justifiable reliance on an order, if a court is to have any credibility and command any respect, then it must enforce its own orders.”

Procedural preferences

Discovery disputes are evaluated in the context of the complete examination rather than isolated excerpts.

“It has never been the court’s practice to review deposition questions or answers in a vacuum.”

Cautions

Professional compensation must remain proportionate to the benefit delivered to the estate.

“When all is said and done, there is only one Rule for professionals: Be honest.”

Signed rulings

A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.

In re Malmgren
· 2002-05-16
Motion for relief from prior order (debtor in possession) Denied

“the Emergency Motion of the Debtor in Possession for Relief from the Court’s Order of May 13, 2002, is denied”

In re B-E Holdings, Inc.
· 1999-10-27
Motion to compel discovery (South Street Funds) Denied

“the Motion of South Street Funds to Compel Adequate Responses to Questions Put at Oral Examination shall be denied”

In re B-E Holdings, Inc.
· 1999-01-08
Objection to proof of claim (B-E Holdings, Inc.) Granted in part

“Proof of Claim No. 78 of Luis Veltze in B-E Holdings, Inc. shall be allowed in the sum of $213,040.99”

Objection to proof of claim (Bucyrus-Erie Company) Granted in part

“Proof of Claim No. 360 of Luis Veltze in Bucyrus-Erie Company shall be allowed in the sum of $213,040.99”

Matter of Gander Mountain, Inc.
· 1996-11-12

The court held that it could impose prospective fee caps on estate professionals, but the memorandum did not resolve a clearly identified motion.

Matter of Hutter Construction Co., Inc.
· 1991-05-13
Application for compensation (Michael, Best & Friedrich) Granted in part

“is entitled to total payment in the sum of $224,990.74”

Matter of Engineering Products Co., Inc.
· 1990-11-16
Motion to sell substantially all assets (debtor in possession) Granted

“EPC is authorized to attempt to sell substantially all of its assets pursuant to § 363(b)(1) and (f)(3)”

Request to prohibit asset sale outside plan (United States Trustee) Denied

“The request of the United States trustee for the court to prohibit any sale of substantially all of the assets of the debtor in possession other than pursuant to an approved disclosure statement and confirmed plan is denied”

Matter of Bilder
· 1989-12-28
Motion to reopen bankruptcy case (debtors) Granted

“an order will be entered granting the motion of the Bilders to reopen this case to add the New Creditors”

Matter of Patrick Cudahy Inc.
· 1989-03-13
Withdrawal of proof of claim (United Food and Commercial Workers Industry Pension Fund) Moot / procedural

“The claim of United Food and Commercial Workers Industry Pension Fund is deemed withdrawn”

Motion to compel production of documents (Local P-40 United Food and Commercial Workers Union) Moot / procedural

“The Union’s motion to withdraw its February 3, 1989, motion is granted, and that motion is now deemed withdrawn”

Request to estimate claims (debtor in possession) Granted

“This court will proceed to schedule hearings pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 502(c) to estimate for allowance the claims of the NLRB and the Union”

In re Shah International, Inc.
· 1988-12-16
Application to employ counsel with secured retainer (five involuntary debtors) Granted in part

“the debtors may retain their chosen counsel pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 328(a), and that such counsel may retain both real estate mortgages subject to the following terms and conditions”

Braun v. Zarling (In re Zarling)
· 1988-05-04
Demand for jury trial (all parties) Denied

“The causes of action pertaining to the denial of the defendant’s discharge shall proceed to trial in this court, and the trial shall be to the court”

Modification of automatic stay (all parties) Granted

“the automatic stay is modified to permit all parties to litigate those issues to conclusion in the State court action”

Matter of Patrick Cudahy Inc.
· 1988-06-30
Motion to appoint retiree committee as authorized representative (Official Retirees’ Committee) Granted

“The motion of the Official Retirees’ Committee is granted”

Laird v. Schauer (In re Newman Companies, Inc.)
· 1987-08-06
Demand for jury trial (defendants) Denied

“The demand for a jury trial is denied”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

All ten sampled matters were terminated and every entry stream was empty.

A historical record

Judge Eisenberg 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.