Section 01Composition
Under 28 U.S.C. § 158(b)(1)(A), the 8th Cir. BAP is composed of bankruptcy judges drawn from districts within the Eighth Circuit. Each appeal is decided by a three-judge panel constituted ad hoc from the pool of designated members, subject to the same-district disqualification rule of 28 U.S.C. § 158(b)(5).
Brian S. Kruse
Barry S. Schermer
Thad J. Collins
Cynthia A. Norton
Anita L. Shodeen
Bianca M. Rucker
Michael E. Ridgway
Section 02Constituent Districts
The 8th Cir. BAP hears appeals from the bankruptcy courts of the following districts within the Eighth Circuit. Each constituent district may, by majority vote of its district judges under 28 U.S.C. § 158(b)(6), decline to authorize BAP service for appeals from that district; counsel should verify current authorization status by district.
| District | Short cite | Court website |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern District of Arkansas | E.D. Ark. Bankr. | https://www.areb.uscourts.gov |
| Western District of Arkansas | W.D. Ark. Bankr. | https://www.arwb.uscourts.gov |
| Northern District of Iowa | N.D. Iowa Bankr. | https://www.ianb.uscourts.gov |
| Southern District of Iowa | S.D. Iowa Bankr. | https://www.iasb.uscourts.gov |
| District of Minnesota | D. Minn. Bankr. | https://www.mnb.uscourts.gov |
| Eastern District of Missouri | E.D. Mo. Bankr. | https://www.moeb.uscourts.gov |
| Western District of Missouri | W.D. Mo. Bankr. | https://www.mowb.uscourts.gov |
| District of Nebraska | D. Neb. Bankr. | https://www.neb.uscourts.gov |
| District of North Dakota | D.N.D. Bankr. | https://www.ndb.uscourts.gov |
| District of South Dakota | D.S.D. Bankr. | https://www.sdb.uscourts.gov |
Section 03How the Panel Operates
Appeals from the bankruptcy courts of the constituent districts are routed to the 8th Cir. BAP by default unless a party files a timely statement of election under Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 8005 to have the appeal heard by the district court. The election window is 30 days from service of the notice of appeal; failure to elect is treated as consent to BAP review.
Briefing follows Part VIII of the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure (FRBP 8018 schedule, FRBP 8015 word limits) as supplemented by the panel’s local rules. Oral argument is set by the panel after briefing closes; the panel may decide an appeal without argument under FRBP 8019. The panel’s decisions are reviewable on further appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit under 28 U.S.C. § 158(d)(1).