Hon. Michael B. Kaplan

Hon. Michael B. Kaplan is Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the District of New Jersey in Trenton, initially appointed on Oct. 3, 2006, and named Chief Judge on May 1, 2020. Prior to taking the bench, Judge Kaplan served as a standing chapter 13 bankruptcy trustee, as well as a member of the chapter 7 panel of bankruptcy trustees, where he received case appointments as both a chapter 11 and chapter 12 trustee. His private practice included the representation of institutional lenders consumer debtors (under both chapters 7 and 13), business debtors and individuals undergoing reorganization pursuant to chapter 11. Judge Kaplan is a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy and has been appointed by the director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AOUSC) to a term as the Third Circuit representative to the Bankruptcy Judges Advisory Group, in addition to appointments as the bankruptcy judge representative for the Risk and Finance Management Advisory Council, Human Resources Advisory Council and Budget & Finance Advisory Council to the AOUSC. As a member of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, Judge Kaplan has served as treasurer and executive board member. He serves currently as a member of the Judiciary Advisory Council for the Rabiej Litigation Law Center. Over the past 30 years, he has spoken to numerous bar associations and business organizations, and since 2009 he has taught as an adjunct professor at Rutgers University School of Law. Judge Kaplan has authored several articles relating to bankruptcy issues and is a co-author of West?s Consumer Bankruptcy Manual and Consumer Bankruptcy Handbook. He received the NCBJ President?s Award for Excellence, the Conrad B. Duberstein Memorial Award given by the New York Institute of Credit, the Judicial Service Award from the Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors, the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees? 2006 Distinguished Service Award and New Jersey State Bar Association?s 1999 Legislative Recognition Award. Prior to taking the bench, Judge Kaplan served as mayor and councilman for the Borough of Norwood, N.J., and as a member of the Norwood Planning Board. He received his A.B. from Georgetown University in 1984 and his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law in 1987.