Rule 1015 — Consolidating or Jointly Administering Cases Pending in the Same District

Fed. R. Bankr. P. 1015

• Source: Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure
• Rule: 1015
• PART X: [ABROGATED]
• Citation: Fed. R. Bankr. P. 1015

Text

(a) CONSOLIDATING CASES INVOLVING THE SAME DEBTOR. The
court may consolidate two or more cases that are regarding or
brought by or against the same debtor and that are pending in its
district.
(b) JOINTLY ADMINISTERING CASES INVOLVING RELATED DEBTORS;
EXEMPTIONS OF SPOUSES; PROTECTIVE ORDERS TO AVOID CONFLICTS
OFINTEREST.
(1) In General. The court may order joint administration of
the estates in a joint case or in two or more cases pending in
the court if they are brought by or against:
(A) spouses;
(B) a partnership and one or more of its general partners;
(C) two or more general partners; or
(D) a debtor and an affiliate.
(2) Potential Conflicts of Interest. Before issuing a joint-ad-
ministration order, the court must consider how to protect the
creditors of different estates against potential conflicts of in-
terest.
(3) Exemptions in Cases Involving Spouses. If spouses have filed
separate petitions—with one electing exemptions under
§522(b)(2) and the other under §522(b)(3)—and the court orders
joint administration, that order must:
(A) set a reasonable time for the debtors to elect the
same exemptions; and
(B) advise the debtors that if they fail to do so, they will
be considered to have elected exemptions under §522(b)(2).

(c) PROTECTIVE ORDERS TO AVOID UNNECESSARY COSTS AND
DELAY. When cases are consolidated or jointly administered, the
court may issue orders to avoid unnecessary costs and delay while
still protecting the parties’ rights under the Code.

Advisory Committee Notes

(As amended Mar. 30, 1987, eff. Aug. 1, 1987; Apr. 23, 2008, eff. Dec. 1, 2008; Apr. 28, 2010, eff. Dec. 1, 2010; Apr. 27, 2017, eff. Dec. 1, 2017; Apr. 2, 2024, eff. Dec. 1, 2024.)