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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
In re: Administrative Orders of the Chief Judge Case No. 3:21-mc-1-TJC
ORDER OF REFERENCE OF CASES ARISING UNDER
TITLE 11, UNITED STATES CODE, AND DESIGNATING BANKRUPTCY
JUDGES TO CONDUCT JURY TRIALS AND ACT AS SETTLEMENT JUDGES1
Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 157(a), any or all cases under title 11 and any or all
proceedings arising under title 11 or arising in or related to a case under title 11 are
referred to the bankruptcy judges for this District.
If a bankruptcy judge or district judge determines that entry of a final order or
judgment by a bankruptcy judge would not be consistent with Article III of the United
States Constitution in a particular proceeding referred under this Order and determined
to be a core matter, the bankruptcy judge shall, unless otherwise ordered by the District
Court, hear the proceeding and submit proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law
to the District Court. The bankruptcy judge’s findings of fact and conclusions of law shall
be made in compliance with Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 52(a)(1) in the form of
findings and conclusions stated on the record or in an opinion or memorandum of
decision.
The District Court may treat any order of the Bankruptcy Court as proposed
findings of fact and conclusions of law if the District Court concludes that the bankruptcy
1 This Order amends and supersedes the Standing Order of Reference of Cases Arising Under
Title 11, United States Code, 12-MC-26-ORL-22, and the Standing Order re Designation of
Bankruptcy Judges to Conduct Jury Trials, 94-127-MISC-J-16.
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judge could not have entered a final order or judgment consistent with Article III of the
United States Constitution.
Additionally, this Court having considered the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1994,
enacted into law on October 22, 1994, finds that § 112 of the Reform Act added subclause
(e) to 28 U.S.C. § 157 to provide that if a jury trial applies in a proceeding that may be
heard by a bankruptcy judge, the bankruptcy judge may conduct a jury trial if specially
designated to exercise such jurisdiction with the express consent of all parties and may
thereafter enter a final judgment.
Finally, this Court authorizes bankruptcy judges, as part of the performance of
their judicial duties, to act as settlement judges. To the extent necessary or appropriate
to give effect to this aspect of the reference, all bankruptcy judges for the District are
designated as possible judicial neutrals pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 651-658.
DONE AND ORDERED in Jacksonville, Florida, the 29th day of October, 2024.
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