Judge A. Benjamin Goldgar

Location and Contact Information
Courtroom 642 Chambers: (312) 435-5642 Courtroom Deputy: (312) 435-5531	Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse 219 South Dearborn Street Chambers 638 Chicago, IL 60604

Staff Information

Courtroom Deputy	Law Clerks
Nancy Castellano	Kim Krawczyk Dina Kostrow

Judge Goldgar's Lake County motion call currently scheduled for July 5, 2024, has been rescheduled to June 28, 2024. Motions should be noticed for presentment on June 28 rather than July 5. All motion, plan confirmation, and set matter times remain the same.

Judge Tabs

Chicago Schedule

Chapter 7 hearings on Trustee Final Reports are to be set for Mondays at 10:00 a.m

Chapter 13 Trustee Motions
Tuesday at 9:15 a.m.

Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 Motions
Monday at 9:30 a.m.

Chapter 13 Original Motions
Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.

Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 Set Matters and Adversary Return Date
Monday at 10:00 a.m.

Chapter 13 Set Matters and Chapter 13 Adversary Return Date
Tuesday at 9:45 a.m.

Check Megacases tab for dates

Chapter 13 Confirmations
Tuesday at 10:00 a.m.

Involuntary Petition Summons Return Date
Monday at 10:00 a.m

Noticing Motions for Set Matter Time
If a case or adversary proceeding is already on the set matter call for a particular day, a motion may be noticed for the set matter time on that day to be heard with the set matter. The motion need not be noticed for the original motion time.

Rulings in Chambers
When appropriate, Judge Goldgar will rule on original motions in chambers in advance, and orders will be entered on those motions. If a motion has been ruled on in chambers, the case will NOT be called unless a party asks the Courtroom Deputy before the motion call begins to call the case. Rulings in chambers will be posted on the “court calendar” portion of Judge Goldgar’s web site.

Notes:
If you will be setting more than ten (10) adversary status hearing dates on a bankruptcy matter, please contact the Judge's chambers for the day and time of the hearing.

Court Calendar

Opinions

Judge Goldgar's Opinions

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Biography

Judge A. Benjamin Goldgar's Biography
Appointed Appointed to a 14-year term pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 152 on February 3, 2003. Reappointed to a second 14-year term, effective February 3, 2017. Served as Chief Bankruptcy Judge (2020-23).
Education Brown University, A.B., magna cum laude, 1979; Northwestern University School of Law, J.D., 1982.
Prior Employment Keck, Mahin & Cate, 1982-1995.
Other Government Service Assistant Attorney General, 1995-2003, and Supervising Attorney, 1997-2003, Civil Appeals Division, Office of the Illinois Attorney General.
Professional Activities Member, Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy Rules, Judicial Conference of the United States (2014-20); Member (2012-14, 2023-present) and Chair (2012-14), Federal Rules Advisory Committee, National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges; Associate Editor, American Bankruptcy Law Journal (2008-09).
Professional Organizations American Bar Association; Illinois State Bar Association; Chicago Bar Association; Seventh Circuit Bar Association; Federal Bar Association; Appellate Lawyers Association of Illinois (President, 2001-2002); National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges; Scribes: The American Society of Legal Writers.
Publications 15 Ways to Botch a Bench Trial, 37 Chi. Bar Rec. 24 (Jan.-Feb. 2023); How Magistrate Judges Can Encounter Bankruptcy – and What to Do, Fed. Mag. J. Ass’n, FMJA Bulletin (April 2012); Writing to Convince a Judge: Some Tips from Your Audience, 20 Chi. Bar Rec. 53 (May 2006); Explaining Yourself, 87 Ill. B. J. 54 (Jan. 1999).

Remote/Zoom Information

The court uses a hybrid in-person/electronic system for appearances on motion calls. Parties and their attorneys with matters on the motion call may appear either in person in the courtroom or remotely using the Zoom for Government platform. Only parties and their attorneys may appear for a motion call remotely using Zoom. The public may not. Members of the public who want to observe must do so in person in the courtroom.

To ensure remote access is limited, parties and attorneys appearing remotely will not be admitted automatically to the motion call but will first be placed in the Zoom “waiting room.” Staff will then admit parties and attorneys from the waiting room after confirming they have a matter on the call. To be admitted, parties and attorneys must identify themselves by first and last name. No one will be admitted unless identified by name.

Once admitted, parties and attorneys must keep their audio on “mute” and only unmute when their matter is called.

Zoom for Government can be accessed at www.zoomgov.com. Depending on the motion call, use these Zoom Meeting IDs and Passcodes:

All Monday Chapter 7 and 11 Calls
Meeting ID: 161 500 0972
Passcode: 726993

All Tuesday Chapter 13 Calls
Meeting ID: 161 319 7225
Passcode: 584922

All Lake County Calls
Meeting ID: 160 817 7512
Passcode: 623389

All trials will be conducted in court.

Megacases

Caesars Entertainment Operating Co., Inc., No. 15 B 01145

Megacase Information
Amended Case Management Procedures
Order Confirming Debtors' Third Amended Joint Plan of Reorganization
Notice of Occurrence of Effective Date of the Debtors' Third Amended Joint Plan of Reorganization

Omnibus Hearing Dates

Hearing time is 10:30 a.m. for each of the following dates:

Lake County Schedule

LOCATION: The Lake County call is no longer held physically in Lake County. Attorneys and parties with matters on the Lake County call should appear either in person in the courtroom (Courtroom 642, Dirksen Federal Courthouse, 219 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago) or by video using Zoom for Government. Zoom for Government can be accessed at www.zoomgov.com. Use this Meeting ID and Passcode for the Lake County call:

Meeting ID: 160 817 7512
Passcode: 623389

Chapter 7 trustee final reports should be set for 11:15 a.m.

Chapter 13 Trustee Motions

9:15 a.m.

Chapter 13 Original Motions

9:30 a.m.

Chapter 13 Set Matters and Adversary Return Date

10:00 a.m.

Chapter 13 Confirmations

10:30 a.m.

Chapter 7 Original Motions

11:00 a.m.

Chapter 7 Set Matters and Adversary Return Date

11:15 a.m.

Involuntary Petition Summons Return Date

11:15 a.m.

Reaffirmations

11:30 a.m.

You may also view the Lake County Chapter 13 call at www.Lisle13.com

Notes:
If you will be setting more than ten (10) adversary status hearing dates on a bankruptcy matter, please contact the Judge's chambers for the day and time of the hearing.

Not Sitting

Procedures

Chicago
Hearings on Motions:

PLEASE SEE NOT SITTING TAB FOR DATES JUDGE NOT SITTING

Motions and Confirmation Hearings in Chapter 13 Cases:

Trustee Motions:

Tuesdays at 9:15 a.m.

Original (New) Motions:

Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m.

Set Matters and Chapter 13 Adversary Return Dates:

Tuesdays at 9:45 a.m.

Confirmation Hearings:

Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m.

Motions in Chapter 7 and 11 Cases:

Original (New) Motions:

Mondays at 9:30 a.m.

Set Matters and Adversary Return Dates:

Mondays at 10:00 a.m.

Return Dates

Adversary Proceedings:

Mondays at 10:00 a.m.

Involuntary Petitions:

Mondays at 10:00 a.m.

Noticing Motions for Set Matter Time: If a case or adversary proceeding is already on the set matter call for a particular day, a motion may be noticed for the set matter time on that day to be heard with the set matter. The motion need not be noticed for the original motion time.

Lake County
Hearings on Motions:

JUDGE GOLDGAR'S LAKE COUNTY CALL IS APPROXIMATELY EVERY THIRD FRIDAY. PLEASE SEE FOR LAKE COUNTY DATES.

Motions and Confirmation Hearings in Chapter 13 Cases:

Trustee Motions:

Fridays (as scheduled) at 9:15 a.m.

Original (New) Motions:

Fridays (as scheduled) at 9:30 a.m.

Set Matters and Adversary Return Date:

Fridays (as scheduled) at 10:00 a.m.

Confirmation Hearings:

Fridays (as scheduled) at 10:30 a.m.

Motions in Chapter 7 Cases:

Original (New) Motions

Fridays (as scheduled) at 11:00 a.m.

Set Matters and Adversary Return Date

Fridays (as scheduled) at 11:15 a.m.

Involuntary Petition Summons Return Date:

Fridays (as scheduled) at 11:15 a.m.

Reaffirmations

Fridays (as scheduled) at 11:30 a.m.

Motions in Lake County cases must be noticed for an appropriate Lake County date and time.

Return dates: Return dates in adversary proceedings in Lake County cases are treated as set matters and should be scheduled for the appropriate Lake County set matter time.

Motions for Relief from Automatic Stay:

Motions for relief from the automatic stay must be accompanied by a properly completed Required Statement to Accompany All Motions for Relief From Stay.

Motions to Extend or Impose Automatic Stay:

Motions to extend the automatic stay in effect pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 362(c)(3) or to impose the automatic stay under 11 U.S.C. § 362(c)(4) must:

state the docket number of previous cases dismissed within one year of the filing of the current case;
include copies of the Schedules I and J from previous cases dismissed within one year of the filing of the present case and Schedules I and J from the current case; and
state in detail the reasons why the stay should either be extended or imposed.

Applications for Awards of Attorneys’ Fees:

Cases filed under Chapters 7, 11 and 12:
Attorneys or other professionals filing applications for compensation in cases under Chapters 7, 11, and 12 must submit an itemization of their time in tenths of an hour and in the format required under Local Rule 5082-1.
Cases filed under Chapter 13:
Attorneys filing applications for compensation in cases under Chapter 13 must comply with Local Rule 5082-2 and must attach an executed copy of the Court-Approved Retention Agreement.

Discovery Motions:

Strict compliance with Local Rule 7037-1 is required for all discovery motions.

Summary Judgment Motions:

Strict compliance with Local Rules 7056-1 and 7056-2 is required for all summary judgment motions.

Emergency Motions:

See Local Rule 9013-2.

Service of Motions:

In contested matters (as defined in Bankruptcy Rule 9014), service of motions must comply with Rule 7004. Corporations must be served in accordance with Rule 7004(b)(3) by serving an officer, a managing or general agent, or an agent authorized by appointment or by law to receive service of process. Service on a corporation at a P.O. Box is not sufficient.

Oral Argument and Ruling Dates on Contested Motions:

Motions that have been briefed will be decided on the briefs. Oral argument on motions will not be entertained unless specially set or specifically requested for good cause shown. When a briefing schedule is set, a ruling date will also be set.

Pretrial Procedures:

Status Hearings and Discovery: Each adversary proceeding is set for an initial status hearing and for periodic status hearings thereafter. At the initial status hearing, a discovery cutoff will be set. Discovery cutoffs will generally be extended for cause until a final discovery cutoff is set. At the status hearing following the final cutoff and the close of discovery, a trial date will be set.
Final Pretrial Order: The trial date will appear in a final pretrial order. The final pretrial order will also contain deadlines for the filing and exchanging of witness lists, exhibit lists, stipulations of fact, and trial briefs, a deadline for the exchange of the exhibits themselves, and a deadline for objections to exhibits. Strict compliance with the final pretrial order is required. Failure to comply with the final pretrial order will result in sanctions. See, e.g., Michael v. Khan (In re Khan), 321 B.R. 709, 711 (Bankr. N.D. Ill. 2005).

Trial Procedures:

Opening statements are discouraged and will be allowed only if specially requested by the court or requested by counsel for good cause shown.

United States Bankruptcy Court

Northern District of Illinois

Jacqueline P. Cox, Chief Judge | Jeffrey P. Allsteadt, Clerk of the Court

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Judge A. Benjamin Goldgar

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