U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
4 judges profiled from their own signed orders: how each rules on motions, with the orders quoted. Court-wide standing orders ↓
Thomas S. UtschigRetired 2012
Bankruptcy judge
William H. FrawleyRetired 1986
Bankruptcy judge
Robert D. MartinRetired 2016
Bankruptcy judge
Catherine J. Furay
Bankruptcy judge
Standing orders for every case in this court
Orders the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Wisconsin 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 2026-1: Access and Management of Sealed Documents ↗
- Amended General Order 2026-2: Reopening and Closing Bankruptcy Cases for Dischargeability Adversary Cases ↗
- General Order 2024-1: Chapter 13 Pre-Confirmation Payments and Filing Fees ↗
Filing
When a debtor files a student-loan dischargeability complaint after the bankruptcy case has closed, the court administratively reopens the case and closes it again after final disposition.
“the Court will sua sponte administratively reopen any closed bankruptcy case of a debtor who files a complaint requesting a judgment declaring a student loan to be dischargeable under 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(8), and the Court will administratively re-close the case upon entry of a judgment or final order in the adversary proceeding.”
Filing
A Chapter 13 plan may provide for filing-fee installment payments before confirmation, with the trustee paying as the plan provides.
“The Chapter 13 plan proposed and filed by the debtor may provide for pre-confirmation payment of the filing fees based on an Application to Pay the Filing Fee in Installments as provided in Fed. R. Bankr. P. 1006(b). The trustee shall pay such payments pre-confirmation as provided in the plan.”
Sealing
Sealed documents remain electronically filed but are viewable in the filing system only by judges and designated court staff.
“Sealed documents will continue to be filed in CM/ECF under existing procedures but will no longer be accessible or viewable by electronic means; only court users (judges and designated staff) can access sealed documents via CM/ECF.”
Sealing
Parties must serve sealed documents outside the electronic filing system and comply with service-certificate requirements.
“Parties will have to serve sealed documents by other appropriate means and adhere to certificate of service requirements as provided by the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure.”
Sealing
A person entitled to a sealed filing must request a copy from the filing party; copies of court-issued sealed documents come from the clerk.
“Any party or person who has the right to access a sealed document and who requires a copy of a sealed document must request a copy from the filing party. For court-issued documents, contact the clerk’s office to request a copy.”