1
UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
Style Guide
I.
SHORT GUIDE TO BLUEBOOK (21ST EDITION) ......................................... 1
II.
FORMAT OF ORDERS ....................................................................................... 6
III.
EXAMPLE OF PROPOSED ORDER ............................................................... 10
I.
SHORT GUIDE TO BLUEBOOK (21ST EDITION)
This style guide provides a brief summary of commonly used Bluebook rules
and the Court’s modifications to those rules. The Bluebook must be used for all
citations in legal documents unless this style guide provides for a modification
used by the Court.
The Bluepages of the Bluebook provide permissible deviations from the
Whitepages for citations in court documents. The corresponding Whitepages
should be used to supplement the Bluepages when they are unclear or lacking
information. Citations to Florida specific materials should conform to the
Florida Style Manual found at www.floridastylemanual.com.
THE COURT WILL NOT CONSIDER PLEADINGS THAT EXCEED
FIFTY (50) PAGES UNLESS THE FILER COMPLIES WITH N.D. FLA. LBR
9013-1(E).
A.
Citations in Court Documents
1.
Cases (Bluebook (“BB”) Rules B10 and 10)
Law v. Siegal
, 571 U.S. 415, 420–22 (2014).
Thompkins v. Lil’ Joe Records
, 476 F.3d 1294, 1315 (11th Cir. 2007).
Harvard v. Inch,
408 F. Supp. 3d 1255, 1261 (N.D. Fla. 2019).
Melon Acres, Inc. v. Villa (In re Villa)
, 625 B.R. 111, 121 (Bankr. N.D. Fla.
2021)
.
In re Thacker,
Case No. 12-50370-KKS, 2020 WL 4000864, at *4 (Bankr. N.D.
Fla. May 28, 2020).
Souffrant v. State of Fla. Dep’t of Child. & Fam. Benefit Recovery/Off. of Pub.
Benefits Integrity (In re Souffrant)
, Case No. 18-40550-KKS, Adv. No. 19-
04041-KKS, 2021 WL 1713265 (Bankr. N.D. Fla. Apr. 2, 2021).
Biscayne Boulevard Props., Inc. v. Graham
, 65 So. 2d 858, 859 (Fla. 1953).
a. If the opinion was issued in the context of the main bankruptcy case, cite
the case name as the last name of the debtor prefaced by “
In re
.” Phrases
2
such as “in the matter of” or “petition of” are always abbreviated as “
In re
.”
Example:
In re Harrison
, 599 B.R. 173 (Bankr. N.D. Fla. 2019),
In re
Hamrick
, 551 B.R. 860 (Bankr. N.D. Fla. 2016).
b. Phrases such as “on the relation of” or “on behalf of” are abbreviated “ex
rel.”
Example:
U.S. ex rel. Clausen v. Lab Corp of Am.,
290 F.3d 1301 (11th
Cir. 2002).
c. If the opinion was issued in the context of an adversary proceeding, list the
adversary names on either side of a “v.” and the administrative case name
in parentheses.
Example:
Spence v. Hintze (In re Hintze)
, 570 B.R. 369 (Bankr. N.D. Fla.
2017).
2.
Order of Authorities (BB Rule 1.4)
Modification: The Court adheres to the 20th Edition’s Rule 1.4, which requires
cases to be cited in order of highest court first then in reverse chronological
order.
3.
Statutes (BB Rules B12 and 12)
The year is not required for citations to the official or unofficial versions of the
United States Code. Citations to all other statutes, including state statutes,
must include the year of the code edition, whether official or unofficial.
28 U.S.C. § 157(b).
11 U.S.C. §§ 544–548.
7 C.F.R. § 45.45 (2021).
Fla. Stat. § 95.11(3) (2021).
4.
Federal and Local Rules (BB Rules B12.1.3 and 12.9.3, Local Rule 1001-1(A))
This Court’s Local Rules should be cited as follows: “N.D. Fla. LBR 1001-1(A)”
or “Bankr. N.D. Fla. Loc. R. 1001-1(A).”
Fed. R. Bankr. P. 6003.
Fed. R. Civ. P. 8.
Fed. R. Evid. 410.
N.D. Fla. Loc. R. 1.1.
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5.
Books, Treatises, and Other Nonperiodic Materials (BB Rules B15 and R15)
10
Collier on Bankruptcy
¶ 6003.02[2] (16th ed. 2020).
Good-Faith Bargaining
,
Black’s Law Dictionary
(10th ed. 2014).
6.
Court/Litigation Documents (BB Rules 10.8.3, B17, and Table BT.1, with
modifications)
Modification: Citations to court or litigation documents must include a
reference to the CM/ECF document number. The full title of the document
must be cited the first time it is used, either in-text or in a citation, but may be
later referred to by a defined, shortened name. The full title of court or
litigation documents must be italicized in-text and in citations. Defined,
shortened names should be capitalized, but not italicized.
In-Text Example: This case is before the Court on
Trustee’s Motion for
Authority to Sell Real Property of the Estate Pursuant to 11 U.S.C.
§ 363(b)(1)
(“Motion,” ECF No. 21).
Footnote/Citation Example:
Debtor’s Objection to Plaintiff’s
Motion for
Relief from Automatic Stay (ECF No. 30)
, ECF No. 35 (“Objection”).
Modification: Court or litigation documents from cases other than the case at
issue or in another court should be cited as follows: document name, pincite,
case citation, and the CM/ECF docket number.
Example:
Debtor’s Response to Motion to Dismiss (ECF No. 15)
,
In re
Smith
, Case No. 21-00001-KKS (Bankr. N.D. Fla. Jan. 1, 2021), ECF No.
20, p. 3.
Modification: After the court document is cited in full the first time, it may be
short cited in the following forms, including “
id.
”:
1. Motion, ECF No. 21, p. 3 or ECF No. 21, p. 3.
2. Objection, ECF No. 35, ¶ 5 or ECF No. 35, ¶ 5.
Modification: All page references should be preceded by “p.” (or “pp.” for
multiple pages). All paragraph references should be preceded by “¶” (or “¶¶”
for multiple paragraphs). All short form citations should also use “p.” or to “¶”
prevent confusion.
Example:
1. ECF No. 18, pp. 4–6.
2.
Id.
at p. 5.
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7.
Short Form Citation and “Id.” (BB Rules B4 and 4)
a. The first time any authority is cited, it must be cited in full. After the first
citation, if the reference is clear, a short form should be used. The following
are all proper short forms of
In re Harrison
, 599 B.R. 173 (Bankr. N.D. Fla.
2019):
In re Harrison
, 599 B.R. at 188.
599 B.R. at 188.
Id
. at 188.
b. Short forms for adversary proceedings in bankruptcy cases should cite the
name of one of the parties on either cite of the “v.” The following are all
proper short forms of
Spence v. Hintze (In re Hintze)
, 570 B.R. 369 (Bankr.
N.D. Fla. 2017):
Hintze
, 570 B.R. at 369.
570 B.R. at 369.
Id.
at 369.
c. The short form “
id
.” is used to refer to the immediately preceding authority
and
may
be used as a short form for all types of authorities. “
Id.
” may
only
be used when the preceding citation contains only
one
source. For the
purposes of this rule, ignore sources identified in explanatory
parentheticals, explanatory phrases, or prior/subsequent history.
Example:
1.
Law v. Siegal
, 571 U.S. 415, 421 (2014) (citing
Degen v. United
States
, 517 U.S. 820, 823 (1996)).
2.
Id.
at 422.
d.
Supra
may be used to cite to a previously cited group of authorities, such as
a lengthy string cite of cases.
Example:
1.
Law v. Siegal
, 571 U.S. 415, 420–22 (2014);
Thompkins v. Lil’ Joe
Records
, 476 F.3d 1294, 1315 (11th Cir. 2007);
Silva v. Swift
, No.
4:19-cv-286-RH/MJF, 2020 WL 5523400, at *7 (N.D. Fla. June 1,
2020);
Harvard v. Inch,
408 F. Supp. 3d 1255, 1261 (N.D. Fla. 2019);
Melon Acres, Inc. v. Villa (In re Villa)
, 625 B.R. 111, 121 (Bankr. N.D.
Fla. 2021);
In re Campbellton-Graceville Hosp. Corp.,
616 B.R. 177,
183–85 (Bankr. N.D. Fla. 2019).
2.
In re Harrison
, 599 B.R. 173, 188 (Bankr. N.D. Fla. 2019).
3. Cases cited
supra
note 1.
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8.
Capitalization (BB Rules B17.3 and 8)
a.
The word “court” should be capitalized when naming any court in full or
when referring to the U.S. Supreme Court. For instance, the “Eleventh
Circuit Court of Appeals” would be capitalized, but not “the courts of
appeals.”
b.
The word “court” is also capitalized in a court document when it is referring
to the court issuing or receiving that document. For instance, “the Court
has considered the evidence in this case,” but, “bankruptcy courts disagree
on this issue.”
c.
Likewise, capitalize “plaintiff,” “defendant,” “debtor,” “trustee” or
“creditor” when referring to the party in the case that is the subject of the
order. For example, “The U.S. Trustee has objected to the Debtor’s claim of
exemptions,” but, “The trustee in
Shoopman
objected, although the debtors
had chosen to surrender their homes.” The “U.S. Trustee” is always
capitalized.
d.
The title of court documents should be capitalized only if 1) the document
was filed in the same case or proceeding in which you are filing your
document and 2) the actual title or a shortened form is used. Do not
capitalize generic document names. For instance, “In Debtor’s
Objection to
Claim Number 5
,” is the name of the document as filed, but, “this Court’s
orders are ignored to your peril,” is a generic name referring to orders
generally.
9.
Proper Usage of Legal Terms
a.
Motions are either “granted” or “denied.” Applications are either
“approved” or “disapproved.” Objections are either “sustained” or
“overruled.” Claims are either “allowed” or “disallowed.”
b.
The main bankruptcy case is a “case.” A motion or other document seeking
relief in the main case commences a contested matter. An adversary
proceeding is a “proceeding.” The Court conducts “final evidentiary
hearings” in “contested matters” and “trials” in adversary proceedings.
Final evidentiary hearings may also be referred to as “trials.”
c.
When specifying a deadline, using “through” and not “to” a specific date
will avoid the possibly unintended consequence of shortening the period
by one day.
d.
For clarity, the use of defined terms is recommended.
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II.
FORMAT OF ORDERS
Proposed order guidelines are located on the Court’s website:
https://www.flnb.uscourts.gov/proposed-order-guidelines. Proposed orders
should be double spaced, include page numbers, and use the same font type
and size (14-pt) throughout the body of the order.
A.
Caption
1.
The caption of orders entered in the main bankruptcy case should match the
following format:
UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
DIVISION
IN RE: CASE NO.: 13-12345-KKS
CHAPTER 13
JOHN DOE
Debtor.
/
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2.
The caption of orders entered in adversary proceedings should match the
following format:
UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
DIVISION
IN RE: CASE NO.: 11-54321-KKS
CHAPTER 11
UNFORTUNATE COMPANY, LLC.,
Debtor.
/
UNFORTUNATE COMPANY, LLC., ADV. NO.: 11-08765-KKS
Plaintiff,
v.
LIABILITY, LTD.,
Defendant.
/
B.
The Case/Adversary Proceeding Number
1.
The case number should conform to the following: Case No.: 13-12345-KKS. An
adversary proceeding number should conform to the following:
Adv. No.: 11-04321-KKS.
2.
The three uppercase letters signify the judge to whom the case is assigned:
KKS = Karen K. Specie; HAC = Henry A. Callaway; JCO = Jerry C. Oldshue
C.
Title of Order
1.
The title follows the caption, is centered, in all caps, bold, and underlined.
2.
The title of the order should be a full, descriptive title containing the exact
name and CM/ECF number of the paper ruled upon, and the proper
disposition.
3.
Only one filing document shall be addressed per order unless the Court directs
otherwise.
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D.
Body
1.
The body of the order should be double-spaced, justified, and laid out in
unnumbered paragraphs, each beginning with a single indent. All pages,
except the first page, must be paginated.
2.
The first sentence of the order should begin with “THIS CASE” or “THIS
MATTER” in all caps. The sentence should recite the papers and events that
resulted in the entry of the order. Orders entered “after a hearing” should
include the hearing date. Papers should be identified by title, party, and
CM/ECF number.
3.
The opening paragraph of the proposed order should contain the CM/ECF
number of the motion or document to which the order is related.
4.
Any proposed order involving real property should, and for a Mortgage Modification
Mediation motion must, contain the address of the real property as provided in
the related motion, application, or objection and include as an attachment the
full and complete legal description.
E.
Ordered Paragraphs
1.
Before the Court’s decree should be the phrase “it is ORDERED” and
“ORDERED” should be in all caps.
2.
The decree is presented in either multiple numbered paragraphs or in a single
unnumbered paragraph.
3.
The following date and judge signature block format shall come at the
completion of the ordered paragraphs:
[Indent] DONE AND ORDERED on .
[Tab Right] ____________________________
[Tab Right] KAREN K. SPECIE
[Tab Right] Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge
4.
Every page must contain text of the order. No page can begin with
“ORDERED,” the date, or the judge’s signature block.
1” space
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F.
Preparation and Service
1.
The name of the attorney who prepared the proposed order is to be indicated
at the end of the document and in 11-point in the following format: Order
prepared by [Attorney’s Name].
2.
Proposed orders shall include the following statement located after the judge’s
signature block:
[Name of submitting attorney] is directed to serve a copy of this Order on
interested parties who are non-CM/ECF users and file a proof of service
within three (3) business days of entry of the Order.
3.
Proposed orders must be submitted in Word (.doc or .docx) or Rich Text Format
(.rtf). PDF files will not be accepted. Use the electronic submission link through
CM/ECF only to submit proposed orders. Exhibits can be attached as a PDF.
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UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
DIVISION
IN RE: CASE NO.: 13-12345-KKS
CHAPTER 13
JOHN DOE,
Debtor.
/
TITLE CENTERED IN ALL CAPS, BOLDED, AND UNDERLINED
THIS CASE came on for consideration without a hearing on the
Court’s own
Motion for Uniformity
(ECF No. 1). Paragraphs in the body
of this Order begin with a single tab indent and are unnumbered, double-
spaced and justified. This Order is written in 14-point font.
For this reason, it is
ORDERED: The decree of the Court may be presented in a single
unnumbered paragraph.
DONE and ORDERED on _________________________.
KAREN K. SPECIE
Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge
Order prepared by Joe Attorney.
Joe Attorney is directed to serve a copy of this Order on interested parties who are non-
CM/ECF users and file a proof of service within three (3) days of entry of the order.
