Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure

For many years, such proceedings were governed by the General Orders and Forms in Bankruptcy promulgated by the Supreme Court. By order dated April 24, 1973, effective October 1, 1973, the Supreme Court prescribed, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2075, the Bankruptcy Rules and Official Bankruptcy Forms, which abrogated previous rules and forms. The Bankruptcy Rules and Official Forms were last amended in 2023.

• Read the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure (pdf)

Interim Bankruptcy Rule 1007-I

The National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Act of 2008, Pub. L. No. 110-438, as amended by Public Law No. 118-24, provides a temporary exclusion from the bankruptcy means test for certain reservists and members of the National Guard. At the request of the Judicial Conference's Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy Rules, Interim Rule 1007-I (pdf) was transmitted to the courts for adoption as a local rule to implement the temporary exclusion. The temporary exclusion originally went into effect for three years on December 19, 2008. It has been extended several times by Congress, most recently until December 19, 2027.

The Bankruptcy Threshold and Technical Corrections Act (BTATC Act), Pub. L. 117-151 reinstates the total debt limit for determining eligibility of a debtor to proceed under subchapter V of chapter 11 to $7,500,000 – the amount previously in effect under the CARES Act. Interim Bankruptcy Rule 1020 (pdf) was revised to implement the CARES Act debt limit from March 27, 2020 to March 27, 2022, when the relevant CARES Act provisions expired. The BTATC Act restores the $7,500,000 limit retroactively for cases commenced on or after March 27, 2020 through June 21, 2024 (two years after the date of enactment of the BTATC Act), and Interim Rule 1020 is amended accordingly. The Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy Rules recommends that courts adopt Interim Rule 1020 as a local rule while the BTATC Act subchapter V limit is in effect.

Bankruptcy Rules (rules 1001 to 9037)

Refer to the United States Code, Title 11, Bankruptcy.

Rule 1001. Scope of Rules and Forms; Short Title

Part I—Commencement of Case; Proceedings Relating To Petition And Order For Relief (rules 1002 to 1021)

Part II—Officers And Administration; Notices; Meetings; Examinations; Elections; Attorneys And Accountants (rules 2001 to 2020)

Part III—Claims And Distribution To Creditors And Equity Interest Holders; Plans (rules 3001 to 3022)

Part IV—The Debtor: Duties And Benefits (rules 4001 to 4008)

Part V—Courts And Clerks (rules 5001 to 5012)

Part VI—Collection And Liquidation Of The Estate (rules 6001 to 6011)

Part VII—Adversary Proceedings (rule 7001 to 7087

Part VIII—Appeals To District Court Or Bankruptcy Appellate Panel (rules 8001 to 8028)

Part IX—General Provisions (rules 9001 to 9037)

Part X—United States Trustees [Abrogated (Apr. 30, 1991, eff. Aug. 1, 1991).]