The BNC Is Back: District Court Orders, the Backlog, and What Creditors Should Do Next

Updated November 2

After more than two weeks offline, the Bankruptcy Noticing Center (BNC) is back. According to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts announced that BNC operations would resume on October 26, 2026, starting with backlogged files in chronological order and prioritizing the backlog from October 7 to 25.

But the outage isn’t over for creditors. Two and a half weeks of notices have been arriving at once, some of them late, and courts are now unwinding their outage orders at different speeds. The Judicial Conference’s nationwide Bankruptcy Rules emergency under Rule 9038 also covers every U.S. bankruptcy court through January 7, 2027, unless it ends earlier.

Below is what the restoration looks like, a summary of each district order we’ve found with a link to the official text, and what creditors should do next. For background on the outage and a step-by-step checklist, see our first Industry Insight.

The BNC is back online: what restoration looks like

• A phased backlog. BAE Systems began by processing certificates of notice for orders and notices collected from CM/ECF on October 7 and resuming mailing for those collected on October 8. The rest of the backlog has moved day by day while new notices go out at the same time: October 9 notices on October 26, October 13 notices on October 27, October 14 to 15 notices on October 28, and October 20 to 21 notices on October 30.
• Late notices are flagged. All paper notices generated between October 13 and now will include an “IMPORTANT NOTICE” on the address page stating they may have been sent later than intended because of the BNC disruption.
• The emergency declaration stays. Northern Florida says the Executive Committee of the Judicial Conference declared the Bankruptcy Rules emergency on October 23 on the Conference’s behalf, and that it will still be needed to allow full restoration and make sure parties aren’t prejudiced by the outage.
• District orders are starting to unwind. Central California, Northern Florida and Middle North Carolina have ended their temporary noticing procedures, and Northern Mississippi has rescinded parts of its order. Others, like Oregon, remain in effect until further order.
• Questions about the incident. Anyone with questions about BNC notice privacy or the cybersecurity incident can contact BAE Systems directly at ebn@baesystems.us.

BNC outage court orders at a glance

We found BNC outage orders in 26 districts as of November 2, 2026, listed by most recent order. At least nine of them shifted notice of new cases to debtors, their attorneys, or trustees, reaching back to cases filed on or after October 6, 7 or 8. Some have been withdrawn or narrowed since the BNC returned, and others remain in effect ‘until further order,’ so check each court’s current rules to make sure you’re meeting any new service duties and not missing notices or deadlines.

• Mississippi Northern
• California Southern
• Washington Western
• California Central
• Florida Northern
• North Carolina Middle
• Illinois Central
• Massachusetts
• California Eastern
• New York Eastern
• Kansas
• Maine
• Oregon
• Florida Middle
• Tennessee Eastern
• Connecticut
• Illinois Northern
• Indiana Southern
• Florida Southern
• Georgia Southern
• Puerto Rico
• New Jersey
• Tennessee Middle
• Texas Eastern
• Texas Southern
• Wisconsin Western

District-by-district summaries

Each summary covers the points that matter most to creditors and servicers. Read the official order linked under each heading before acting on a specific case.

Northern District of Mississippi: Order Rescinding Certain Provisions (November 2)

Read the order

• Three service provisions rescinded. Effective November 2, the court rescinded the October 22 order’s provisions on service upon a debtor represented by counsel, service upon an unrepresented debtor, and service of hearing notices.
• Why now. The court found those requirements no longer necessary because the BNC has resumed operations and has a plan to clear its backlog.
• Everything else stays. All other provisions of the October 22 order remain in effect.
• Other service duties unchanged. The rescission doesn’t alter any service obligation imposed by statute, rule, standing order, or an order in an individual case.

Southern District of California: Administrative Order 26-1 (October 28)

Read the order

• Applies district-wide. The order covers all bankruptcy cases and adversary proceedings pending or commenced in the district while it remains in effect.
• No prejudice for missed notice. No party will be prejudiced for missing a deadline because of lack of notice from the outage, or for not responding to a notice or order that wasn’t served, subject to applicable law and further order.
• Statutory deadlines unchanged. The order does not extend, shorten, or alter any statutory deadline.
• Stays active through the backlog. The emergency declaration and the order remain in place while the noticing backlog is cleared.

Western District of Washington: General Order 2026-7 (October 28)

Read the order · Court notice

• Applies district-wide. The order covers all bankruptcy cases and adversary proceedings pending or commenced in the district while it’s in effect. It runs until January 7, 2027, or until a further order of the court, whichever comes first.
• Judges can extend or toll deadlines on a case-by-case basis. Under Rule 9038(c)(2), the presiding judge may extend or toll any deadline set by a Bankruptcy Rule, local rule or order. That covers deadlines to start a proceeding, file or send a document, hold or conclude a hearing, or take any other action.
• Extensions have an outer limit. An extended or tolled period can’t run more than 30 days past the end of the order. It also never ends earlier than the original deadline would have.
• Statutory deadlines unchanged. Under Rule 9038(c)(5), the order does not extend or toll any time period set by statute.

Central District of California: General Order 26-04 (October 28)

Read the order

• Temporary procedures ended. General Order 26-04 terminates the substitute-noticing procedures of General Order 26-03 now that BNC service is back. Debtors’ attorneys no longer serve new-case notices under the outage rules.
• Normal noticing confirmed. The court says it has validated that normal noticing operations have been restored.
• Earlier start date. The court dates the disruption to October 7, 2026.
• Deadline flexibility remains. The Rule 9038 emergency still gives judges expanded authority to address deadlines and related effects of the disruption.

Northern District of Florida: Administrative Order 26-005 (October 28)

Read the order

• Temporary procedures ended. The court says the substitute-noticing procedures of Administrative Order 26-004 are no longer necessary because BNC services have been restored.
• Outage-period service still counts. The new order preserves the effect of service properly accomplished during the interruption.
• Delayed notice addressed. It also addresses issues arising from delayed notice or service.

Middle District of North Carolina: Standing Order 26-03 (October 27)

Read the order

• Outage orders ended prospectively. Standing Order 26-03 terminates Standing Orders 26-01 and 26-02 going forward.
• Extra noticing duties lifted. Parties no longer carry additional noticing obligations for notices and orders generated on or after October 26, 2026.
• Earlier duties applied before that. Standing Order 26-01 placed service duties on parties, including the notice of commencement of case and meeting of creditors.

Central District of Illinois: Order Regarding BNC Service Disruption and Bankruptcy Rules Emergency (October 23)

Read the order · Court notice

• First order we've seen under the national emergency. The court acted under the Judicial Conference’s Rule 9038 declaration, which covers every bankruptcy court from October 9, 2026 through January 7, 2027.
• “Promptly” now means “as soon as practicable.” Any rule or order requiring action “promptly,” “forthwith,” “immediately,” or “without delay” can now be met as soon as practicable, or by a date the judge sets.
• Statutory deadlines unchanged. The order does not extend, shorten, or alter any statutory deadline.
• Automatic end date. The order ends on January 7, 2027, or earlier if the Judicial Conference ends the emergency.

District of Massachusetts: Case Orders on 341 Notice (October 23)

Court notice

• Earlier start date. The court says notices and orders issued on or after 6 p.m. on October 6, 2026 were affected.
• Debtors’ attorneys serve some 341 notices. For cases filed October 6–14, the court issued orders on October 23 making debtors’ attorneys, or unrepresented debtors, responsible for 341 notice.
• 341 notices paused for later cases. For cases filed on or after October 15, the court paused 341 notices while awaiting full BNC restoration.
• Duplicates likely. The court expects the BNC’s return to produce duplicative notices.

Eastern District of California: General Orders 26-06 and 26-07 (October 22)

Read the order · Court homepage

• Debtors serve new-case notices. For cases filed on or after October 7, the debtor must serve the commencement and 341 notice within 3 business days of filing. Debtors also serve discharge and dismissal orders and all Chapter 13 plans.
• Filers serve their own requests. Anyone filing a motion, plan, notice of assets, or transfer of claim must serve it and any related hearing or deadline notice.
• No assumed delivery. Parties may not presume a document sent to the BNC was delivered, and must verify or serve it and file a certificate of service.
• Deadlines stand, with a safeguard. No deadline is extended, but no adverse action should rest on a notice whose legally sufficient delivery can't be established.

Eastern District of New York: Administrative Orders 844 and 845 (October 22)

Read Administrative Order 845 · Court update on creditor lists

• Two orders so far. The court posted Administrative Order 844 on October 16 and followed it with Administrative Order 845 on October 22.
• Creditor list workaround. The court's October 16 update says not to use the BNC or NCRS portal or the CM/ECF "List of Creditors" utility to pull a mailing matrix, and explains the alternative.
• NEFs still work. The court's CM/ECF Notice of Electronic Filing emails continue to operate normally.

District of Kansas: General Orders 26-1 and 26-2 (October 21)

Read the order · Court notice

• Two orders, one process. General Order 26-1 came first and sets the process for deadline relief. General Order 26-2 (October 21) adds the service rules below, and both are temporary standing orders.
• Debtors serve new-case notices. In cases filed on or after October 8 by a represented debtor, the debtor must serve the 341 notice and any Chapter 13 plan. The clerk serves for self-represented debtors.
• Movants serve their own orders. The party that files a motion must serve the hearing notice and the court's order on it, including text-only orders.
• Tight service deadline. Designated parties must serve each document and file proof within 3 business days, and sending a document to the BNC does not count as notice.

District of Maine: General Order 26-01 (October 21)

Read the order

• Debtors serve new-case notices. In voluntary Chapter 7, 11, 12 and 13 cases filed on or after October 7, the debtor must serve the notice of commencement and 341 meeting within 5 days. The clerk still serves for self-represented Chapter 7 debtors.
• Debtors serve case-ending orders. Discharge, dismissal, closing orders and final decrees must be served by the debtor, with proof of service filed.
• Filers serve their own requests. Anyone filing a motion, plan, notice of sale or transfer of claim on or after October 21 must serve it and any related deadline notice.
• No assumed delivery. Parties may not presume a document sent to the BNC was delivered.
• Deadlines stand. No deadline is extended or shortened. Relief requires a motion that names the affected notice.

District of Oregon: General Order 26-3 (October 21)

Read the order

• Debtor's attorney serves new-case notices. For cases filed on or after October 7, the debtor's attorney (or an unrepresented debtor) must mail the 341 notice within 3 business days.
• Anyone may serve other orders. Any person is authorized to serve discharge orders, dismissals, closing orders and final decrees.
• Proof required. A document sent to the BNC is not treated as delivered unless a certificate of service is on the docket. Certificates are due within 4 business days of service.
• Registered addresses may be missed. CM/ECF creditor lists may not include addresses registered through EBN or NCRS.
• Protection for parties who weren't noticed. No adverse action may rest on a missed deadline in an affected notice unless the court finds notice was properly given.

Middle District of Florida: Administrative Order FLMB-2026-5 (October 20)

Read the original order · Court homepage

• Deadline relief. The court found the outage to be good cause for relief under Rule 9006 and extended certain deadlines.
• Amended order. An amended order posted October 20 adds emergency temporary procedures for notice. Check the court's homepage for the current version.

Eastern District of Tennessee: General Order 2026-03 (October 20)

Read the order

• Chapter 13 trustee serves new-case notices. For Chapter 13 cases filed on or after October 7, the trustee must serve the commencement and 341 notice plus the Chapter 13 plan.
• Any party may voluntarily serve. In all chapters, any party in interest may elect to serve notices the BNC would normally send.
• 341 meetings can't conclude without notice. Meetings go forward as scheduled but are adjourned until proper notice is given and creditors can participate.
• Wage orders. Debtors' counsel must deliver Chapter 13 wage orders to the debtor's employer and file a Notice of Compliance.
• Earlier order still applies. General Order 2026-02, entered October 15, remains in effect.

District of Connecticut: General Order 2026-02 (October 16)

Read the order

• Earlier start date. The court says the disruption may have begun as early as October 6.
• Relief on request. The court may extend or reset deadlines or continue hearings, by written motion or orally at a scheduled hearing. Parties should confer first when practicable.
• Hearings proceed. Scheduled hearings go forward unless the court orders otherwise.

Northern District of Illinois: General Order 26-04 (October 16)

Read the order

• Judges may extend or reset. Citing Rule 9006, judges may extend deadlines or continue hearings to address the outage.
• No blanket suspension. Hearings proceed unless the court orders otherwise; relief is requested by motion or orally.

Southern District of Indiana: General Orders 26-0003 (October 13) and 26-0004 (October 16)

Read the order

• Good cause found. The first order finds good cause under Rule 9006 and says no party should be prejudiced by failing to respond to a notice the BNC never delivered.
• Updated procedures. The second order addresses continuing notice and service requirements and 341 meetings.

Southern District of Florida: Administrative Order 2026-06 (October 16)

Read the order · Court update page

• In effect until further order. The order took effect immediately.
• Registered addresses may be skipped. The court warns that CM/ECF creditor and party lists may not include EBN or NCRS addresses.

Southern District of Georgia: Administrative Order 2026-1 (October 15)

Read the order · Court notice

• Extensions and continuances. The order covers extensions and continuances while BNC notices were delayed.
• Request 341 notices directly. For cases filed after October 7, the court will send copies of 341 notices on request by email to copy_requests@gas.uscourts.gov, in person, or by mail with a stamped return envelope.
• Registered addresses may be missed. The court warns that CM/ECF creditor lists may not reflect NCRS or EBN registrations.

District of Puerto Rico: General Order 26-02 (October 15)

Read the order · Court homepage

• No prejudice for unserved notices. No party will be prejudiced by failing to respond to a notice that wasn’t served because of the outage, subject to applicable law and further order.
• Deadlines can be extended or reset. The court may extend or reset deadlines or continue hearings, either on a party’s request or on its own where the law permits. Parties can ask by written motion or orally at a hearing that’s already scheduled, and should confer first when practicable.
• Hearings proceed. Scheduled hearings go forward unless the court orders otherwise. The order stays in effect until further order.

District of New Jersey: General Order (October 14)

Read the order · Court Notice

• Signed October 14. Chief Judge Christine Gravelle signed a general order on the interruption; the court posted notice of it October 15.
• 341 notices may be delayed. The court is still accepting filings and opening cases, but notices, orders and 341 notices may be delayed.
• Creditor list gaps. The CM/ECF creditor list leaves out other interested parties, such as debtors, trustees and the U.S. Trustee.

Middle District of Tennessee: Administrative Order 26-2 (October 14)

Court notice and order

• Debtor's attorney serves in Chapters 7, 11 and 12. Docket orders require counsel to serve commencement notices in cases filed as of October 8.
• Chapter 13 trustee serves in Chapter 13. The trustee is serving affected commencement notices.

Eastern District of Texas: General Orders 2026-1 and 2026-2 (October 13 to 14)

General Order 2026-1 · General Order 2026-2 · Court update

• Extensions and relief. The orders address extensions of time and relief from deadlines tied to the outage.
• Motions to stay. News coverage reports the court extended active motions to stay by 30 days in cases filed on or after September 14.
• 341 notices delayed. The court warned that notices, orders, and 341 notices would be delayed until service resumed.

Southern District of Texas: General Order 2026-4 (October 13)

Read the order

• Extensions by motion only. The court may extend affected deadlines for cause on motion under Rule 9006(b).
• Nothing automatic. The order expressly does not extend any deadline or change any substantive right on its own.

Western District of Wisconsin: General Order 2026-3 (October 13)

Read the order · Court homepage

• Relief available. General Order 2026-3 offers relief for affected parties, including requests to extend deadlines or continue hearings.
• 341 notices delayed. The outage affected the court’s service of notices and orders, including 341 meeting notices, and its access to creditor address labels.
• Filings continue. The court is still accepting filings and processing cases, but service may be delayed.

Courts with notices but no order yet

Many other districts have posted guidance without a general order, including Alaska, Arizona, and Georgia Northern. Alaska held off on setting 341 meetings for cases filed on or after October 9 until the BNC returned, so watch for newly scheduled meetings in those cases.

What's next for creditors

The BNC's return fixes the courts’ delivery problem. It doesn’t close the gap in your portfolio. Here’s what to expect over the next few weeks.

• A flood of notices, out of order. Backlogged notices have been arriving alongside new ones, in batches by date. Notices of commencement, 341 meetings, orders, and deadlines from from the outage may all arrive at once.
• Late notices with deadlines already running. Many backlogged notices carry deadlines that started before you received them. Calendar deadlines from the docket, not from the date a notice arrives. If a deadline has passed or is too close, ask for relief promptly. District orders and the Rule 9038 emergency give courts room to grant it, but relief still isn’t automatic.
• Duplicates from different senders. In districts that shifted notice to debtors and their attorneys, you may get the same notice twice: once from the debtor’s side during the outage, and again from the BNC now. Several orders direct clerks and parties to coordinate on duplicates, but expect overlap anyway.
• Your gap may start before October 9. Several orders reach back to cases filed on or after October 6, 7 or 8. If you set October 9 as your gap date, consider moving it back to October 6.
• The automatic stay never paused. Any account that filed during the outage has been protected by the stay since the moment of filing. Scrub those accounts before resuming automated collection, payment pulls, or credit reporting.
• The rules will keep changing. Courts may withdraw or amend their outage orders as restoration finishes, and the Rule 9038 emergency runs through January 7, 2027. A national portfolio means tracking 26 or more local rule sets as they unwind.
• The single point of failure remains. The BNC is back, but every federal bankruptcy court still routes notices through one contractor. If your process depends on it, the next outage will look the same as this one.

The practical answer is the one courts keep repeating: check the docket, not your mailbox.

2 ways BankruptcyWatch can help

BankruptcyWatch monitors the courts directly, so new filings reach you whether or not the BNC is running, who mails the notice, or which address the debtor listed.

1. Try BankruptcyWatch free. See direct court monitoring on your own accounts, with no noticing center in the middle. Setup works with the account data you already have. Try it free
2. Close the outage gap for good. Sign up for monitoring and we’ll run a free full-portfolio scrub to catch any filings you missed. Request a demo to get started

Need to move fast? We can have you up and running within 24 hours, at your pace. Our Trust Center keeps all of our due diligence documents in one place to speed up procurement.

About this guide

This guide covers the orders we found as of November 2, 2026. This article is general information, not legal advice. Talk with your counsel about your specific obligations.