Neil J. Verbrugge at a glance
- Current role
- Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge
- Jurisdiction
- Hawaii · Federal
- Judicial service
- Active
Neil J. Verbrugge
Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge · U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Hawaii
Neil J. Verbrugge — U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Hawaii
Service record and verification
Judicial service and assignments
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Hawaii · Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge · Active · September 1, 2026–present · Assignment source ↗
Biography
Professional career
- Chief Bankruptcy Judge, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Hawaii, effective September 1, 2026
- The Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Hawaii, appointed September 1, 2026, succeeding Judge Robert J. Faris
- Trial attorney, U.S. Trustee Program, U.S. Department of Justice, for nearly a decade
Education
- with distinction — University of Iowa College of Law — J.D. (1996)
- S., cum laude — Cornell College — Economics, philosophy and political science — B.S. (1993)
Additional information
- Judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit appointed Verbrugge to the position for a 14‐year term, effective September 1, 2026.
- He became Chief Bankruptcy Judge when Judge Robert J. Faris retired on August 31, 2026, after 24 years in the role.
- Private practice for approximately 16 years
- U.S. Marine Corps Judge Advocate — Extensive trial experience, including monitoring Japanese legal proceedings under the U.S.–Japan Status of Forces Agreement
- Verbrugge is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute, former vice president of the Hawaii Bankruptcy Bar Association, and past director/treasurer of the Bankruptcy Law Section of the Hawaii State Bar Association.
- He has been a frequent speaker on bankruptcy law in Hawaii, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands
Published courtroom rules
Shared court rules
Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure, December 1, 2025
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Hawaii
Bankruptcy proceedings only; chapter-specific limits apply. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-10-27Sources
www.hib.uscourts.gov
Identity source · HTML · www.hib.uscourts.gov · Source checked October 4, 2026
View www.hib.uscourts.gov ↗www.ca9.uscourts.gov
Identity source · HTML · www.ca9.uscourts.gov · Source checked October 4, 2026
View www.ca9.uscourts.gov ↗