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Chambers' Bulletins

New Electronic Notices for Previously Entered Orders (Judge Waites)
Thu, 12/03/2020 - 2:53 pm

Judge Waites is undertaking a project over the next sixty days to designate historical opinions for placement on the U.S. Government Publishing Office’s United States Courts Opinions webpage, which provides a free searchable database of select opinions from Federal courts for the general public and is available here.

As part of this project, when Chambers designates a prior opinion for distribution to the U.S. Government Publishing Office, CM/ECF may send counsel a new electronic notice for the historic opinion. Therefore, counsel may be receiving electronic notices for opinions entered several months or years ago. Counsel may disregard these particular notices as there has been no modification to these previously entered orders. If you have any questions regarding these notices, please contact Andrew Powell at Andrew_Powell@scb.uscourts.gov.

Chambers Guidelines for Judge Waites
Thu, 11/12/2020 - 3:09 pm

Judge Waites has reformatted and updated his Chambers Guidelines. A copy of the updated guidelines is available here.

Operating Order 20-13: Conduit Procedure for Cases Assigned to Judge Waites
Thu, 9/17/2020 - 4:07 pm

Judge Waites has entered Operating Order 20-13, a copy of which is available here.

Operating Order 20-13 modifies the Conduit Procedure to reflect the COVID-19-related changes in procedure stated in Amended Operating Order 20-07, including permitting, but not requiring, the suspension of Trustee disbursements to the Mortgage Creditor upon the filing of a Motion for LM/MM; allowing additional options for proposing a cure of missed payments resulting from a moratorium order; and removing any dismissal conditions upon the entry of an order granting an exception to the Conduit Procedure. Please note that for cases assigned to Judge Waites, the form Motion to Modify Plan to Allow a Moratorium of Payments (Conduit Plan) and form Order Modifying Plan to Allow a Moratorium of Payments (Conduit Plan) have been modified to reflect this repayment flexibility and are available in Microsoft Word format on the Court’s local forms webpage.

The forms and procedures of Operating Order 20-13 may be used by parties immediately and will be required in all chapter 13 cases assigned to Judge Waites beginning on October 1, 2020.

Amended Operating Order 20-07 (Judge Waites)
Thu, 9/10/2020 - 3:51 pm

As the result of the continuing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Judge Waites has amended Operating Order 20-07 to provide more flexible procedures in Chapter 13 cases. The Amended Order addresses:

  • Motions for Moratoriums in both Conduit and Non-Conduit Cases;
  • Modification of Plans due to COVID-19;
  • LM/MM Procedures in Conduit Cases;
  • More Lenient Dismissal Procedures;
  • Exceptions from the Mandatory Conduit Procedure.

A copy of the Amended Operating Order 20-07 is available here. Please note that Amended Operating Order 20-07 applies only to the chapter 13 cases assigned to Judge John E. Waites.

Guidelines on the Claim Objection Process (Judge Waites)
Thu, 9/03/2020 - 3:28 pm

Judge Waites’ chambers has produced guidelines to assist counsel in effectively raising objections to claim under the requirements of the Bankruptcy Code, Rules and applicable case law. The guidelines are available here. The guidelines apply only to the cases assigned to Judge Waites.

Updated Forms and Chapter 13 Guidance (Judge Waites)
Thu, 5/07/2020 - 11:37 am

Guidelines on Post-Petition Payments of Arrearage and Fees in Chapter 13 Cases (Judge Waites)

Judge Waites’ chambers has produced guidelines to assist counsel in considering a debtor’s options in the payment of post-petition arrearage and the payment of post-petition fees, charges and expenses under Fed. R. Bankr. P. 3002.1. The guidelines are available here. The guidelines have been reviewed and approved by Trustees Wyman and Stephenson and apply only to the chapter 13 cases assigned to Judge Waites.

Revised Form 362 Settlement Orders

Due to court-wide sunset of standard language in stay relief orders and due to the recent public health crisis, Judge Waites has updated the form 362 settlement orders which will allow for expedited consideration without a hearing. Copies of the form 362 settlement orders in Microsoft Word format are available here.

Hearing Procedures for Judge Waites
Mon, 4/27/2020 - 2:49 pm

During the COVID 19 public health crisis and based on the extension of the provisions limiting in-person hearings provided by Operating Order 20-03, the majority of hearings in cases assigned to Judge Waites will be held by teleconference. Contested hearings that require significant time for the presentation of argument, testimony and documentary evidence will be held by videoconference with all the participating counsel appearing in that fashion.

In order to provide the necessary support for these remote appearances by counsel and parties, the Court must know the status of matters scheduled for hearing as early as possible. Therefore, effective May 1, 2020, the deadline for filing of Joint or Separate Statements of Dispute and requests for continuances, settlements or withdrawals shall be 10:00 am, three (3) business days prior to the date of the hearing unless otherwise ordered by the Court.

Further, in order to avoid delay and complications on the day of the scheduled hearing, matters designated to be held by videoconference will require a test of the videoconference system in advance of the hearing  to be attended by all counsel, witnesses and parties intending to appear at the scheduled hearing. The Courtroom Deputy will schedule the videoconference test and will notify counsel of the deadline for the presentation of exhibits at these contested hearings.

Furthermore, counsel and parties planning to attend hearings by telephone shall advise the Courtroom Deputy no later than one (1) business day prior to the hearing and call in ten (10) minutes before the scheduled start of the hearings.

The failure to timely file a joint or separate statement of dispute, to otherwise timely respond to Chambers’ request for a status update, to participate in the videoconference testing, or timely submit exhibits may be considered a failure to prosecute the parties’ positions resulting in the ex parte denial of relief or position requested by that party.

Any questions regarding these matters may be addressed by email to Courtroom Deputy Nicole Stalvey (Nicole_Stalvey@scb.uscourts.gov), and Judge Waites’ law clerks, Andrew Powell (Andrew_Powell@scb.uscourts.gov), and Sarah Kistler (Sarah_Kistler@scb.uscourts.gov).

Order Continuing Charleston Chapter 13 Hearings before Judge Waites
Fri, 3/27/2020 - 12:22 pm

After consultation with Chapter 13 Trustee Jimmy Wyman, the chapter 13 hearings scheduled for April 2, 2020 and April 16, 2020 in cases assigned to Judge Waites in the Charleston Division have been continued to April 30, 2020 (with confirmation matters scheduled for 10:00 AM and section 362 motions scheduled for 11:00 AM that day).  A copy of this global order of continuance is attached to this announcement.  

This continuance order applies only to chapter 13 cases before Judge Waites in the Charleston Division.  This continuance order does not apply to hearings: (1) before the other Bankruptcy Judges (including Judge Duncan’s chapter 13 hearings scheduled in the Charleston Division), (2) in chapter 13 cases assigned to Judge Waites in the Columbia Division, or (3) in cases assigned to Judge Waites in all other chapters of the Bankruptcy Code (including those matters in the Charleston Division).

Any questions regarding this continuance order should be sent to Andrew Powell (Andrew_Powell@scb.uscourts.gov) and Sarah Kistler (Sarah_Kistler@scb.uscourts.gov) by email.

Reminder: Upcoming Hearing Before Judge Waites
Fri, 3/20/2020 - 10:58 am

Please be reminded that Judge Waites’ hearings for next week (scheduled for March 24, 25, and 26, 2020) remain on the docket as scheduled. Judge Waites will be liberally granting requests to appear by telephone/video conference at these hearings.

Pursuant to Judge Waites’ announcement on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, which is available here, those seeking to appear by telephone/video conference at next week’s hearing should, after consulting with opposing counsel/parties, contact the following people to make this request:

When requesting to appear by telephone/video conference, please advise of the following information:

  • That you have consulted with the opposing parties/counsel and that there is no objection to appearing by telephone/video conference;
  • That the matter is not contested or is contested but requires only argument and/or stipulated exhibits; and
  • That you will not be examining/cross-examining any witnesses or presenting any unstipulated exhibits at the hearing.

In contested matters involving the presentation of testimony and/or unstipulated exhibits, counsel/parties should contact the following people well in advance of the hearing in order to determine any possible changes in the scheduling or manner of the contested hearing:

Any questions by counsel should be addressed to Andrew Powell (Andrew_Powell@scb.uscourts.gov) and Sarah Kistler (Sarah_Kistler@scb.uscourts.gov).

Upcoming Hearings Before Judge Waites
Wed, 3/18/2020 - 12:43 pm

In an effort to preserve parties’ rights, for the present time, Judge Waites’ court hearings will remain scheduled as previously noticed. However, the goal will be to limit in-person attendance at hearings through the use of telephone and video conference appearances.

  • In Chapter 13 cases, Trustees Stephenson and Wyman currently expect to appear in person or by telephone to make announcements and recommendations at their scheduled hearings and may address other matters, so please continue to timely work with their offices to resolve any scheduled hearings on these dockets.

  • In chapter 7 or 11 cases, counsel should contact chambers directly for any hearing related matters or changes.

  • Pro se parties in all chapters should contact the Courtroom Deputy, Nicole Stalvey (Nicole_Stalvey@scb.uscourts.gov, 803-765-5436), regarding upcoming hearings.

Currently, all chamber guideline requirements remain in force, including the timely filing of requests for continuances, withdrawals, and reports of settlement and the need for filing joint statements of disputes.

  • Upon timely request, Judge Waites intends to liberally grant continuances (through the timely filing of a Request for Continuance event in CM/ECF) or appearances by telephone or video conference (requested by timely email correspondence sent to Chambers) in uncontested matters or contested matters with argument only.

  • For lengthy hearings or contested matters in which a party intends to offer testimony or unstipulated exhibits, counsel should consult with each other and contact chambers well in advance of the scheduled hearing to request a continuance or to determine any changes in the scheduling or the manner of hearing.   

Please also be aware that individuals who display virus symptoms or who report contact with others displaying symptoms or those who have travelled to high volume virus areas will not be allowed entry to the courthouse or courtroom by court security officers pursuant to the standing order of the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina. Therefore, for in person hearings at which, parties and witnesses would ordinarily be expected to attend in person, counsel should contact their clients and witnesses in advance to inquire whether each person meets the entry requirements of the courthouse and certify that neither counsel nor any other necessary attendee has a condition prohibiting entry to the courthouse to chambers by email correspondence no later than 10:00 AM one business day before the hearing.

Any questions by counsel should be addressed to Andrew Powell (Andrew_Powell@scb.uscourts.gov) and Sarah Kistler (Sarah_Kistler@scb.uscourts.gov).

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