Don't like your bankruptcy court judge? Act now, or wait 14 years.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit is seeking public comment on whether to reappoint four U.S. Bankruptcy Court judges, including Judges Laurel Isicoff and John Olson in South Florida. Four judges are serving 14-year terms expiring early next year and are up for another 14-year term.

Isicoff in Miami is chief bankruptcy judge in the Southern District of Florida and became the first woman on the district's bankruptcy bench when she was appointed in 2006 after practicing at Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton.

Olson in Fort Lauderdale joined the court at the same time from Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson.

“Upon reappointment, the incumbent would continue to exercise the jurisdiction of a bankruptcy judge as specified in United States Code title 28, United States Code title 11, and the Bankruptcy Amendment and Federal Judgeship Act of 1984,” the Eleventh Circuit said Friday. “In bankruptcy cases and proceedings referred by the district court, the incumbent would continue to perform the duties of a bankruptcy judge that might include holding status conferences, conducting hearings and trials, making final determinations, entering orders and judgments, and submitting proposed finding of fact and conclusions of law to the district court.”

The Eleventh Circuit invited members of the bar and the public to submit written comments “for consideration by the Court of Appeals concerning the reappointment.” Comments must be sent by July 22 to Circuit Executive James Gerstenlauer at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, 56 Forsyth St., N.W. Atlanta, GA 30303.

“If requested, the identity of a respondent to this solicitation will not be divulged without prior consent,” the court said. However, the judge “will be provided with a general description of the source and nature of any comments.”

The other judges being considered for reappointment are:

  • Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge James Robinson for the Northern District of Alabama in Anniston,
  • U. S. Bankruptcy Judge Tamara Mitchell for the Northern District of Alabama in Birmingham,
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Judge John Olson for the Southern District of Florida at Fort Lauderdale, and
  • Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Laurel Myerson Isicoff for the Southern District of Florida at Miami.

The salary of a bankruptcy judge is approximately $194,000, or 92% of the district judge's salary.