---
title: "Neil J. Verbrugge | KnowJudges"
canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/neil-j-verbrugge-chief-bankruptcy-judge-hi"
page_type: "judge_profile"
updated: "2026-10-07"
---

# Neil J. Verbrugge

U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Hawaii · Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge

## Profile

- Court: U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Hawaii
- State: Hawaii
- Role: Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge
- Service status: active

## Summary

Neil J. Verbrugge — U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Hawaii

## 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

## Sources

- [www.hib.uscourts.gov](https://www.hib.uscourts.gov/news/appointment-neil-j-verbrugge-chief-bankruptcy-judge)
- [www.ca9.uscourts.gov](https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/news/verbrugge-appointed-as-bankruptcy-judge/)

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## Published courtroom rules

### Shared court rules

- [Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure, December 1, 2025](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-52c9ad7e083212c057b747c7) — 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](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-bankruptcy-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27.