INDEX

BOPS

Registering for BOPS

Preparing an Order to Send to the Court

Naming & Saving the Order

Multiple Orders with the Same Case Number

Sending the Order to the Court

Receipt of Your E-mail

Sending Multiple Orders in a Single E-mail

Template Order for Bankruptcy Cases

Template Order for Adversary Proceedings

BOPS Flow Chart

Questions or comments regarding this website contact Web Designer

Back to Top

Bankruptcy Orders Processing Solution (BOPS)

BOPS (Bankruptcy Orders Processing Solution) is a program through which proposed orders are processed 100% electronically by the Court. BOPS was developed by the Eastern District of Virginia Bankruptcy Court.

The Eastern District of Virginia administers its bankruptcy cases using the Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF) system. One of the goals of CM/ECF is to make the administration of bankruptcy cases as paperless as possible without compromising either the integrity of the docket or the quality of service to the public. BOPS enables us to achieve this goal. Attorneys have the convenience of being able to submit a proposed order to the court via e-mail. Orders are processed, signed and docketed to the CM/ECF system – and BOPS makes the entire process paperless.

As an attorney, your involvement in BOPS is to send your proposed orders via email. This guide walks you through the process.

Registering for BOPS

Contact the DQA/Trainer listed below (select the divisional office where you practice most) to register for BOPS. Registration requires one or more valid e-mail addresses from which orders are to be submitted.

Registration and Training Contact:

Preparing an Order to Send to the Court

Prepare the order in Word, WordPerfect or Rich Text Format (.rtf). See the Template Order for Bankruptcy Cases or Template Order for Adversary Proceedings to format your order:

• Signatures are required of parties and/or attorneys, and are denoted by a “/s/ [Party/Attorney Name]” on the signature line. Note: If you are indicating the signature of another attorney or party, see the appropriate template order for the proper format.

• You must keep an original order with original signatures of parties and/or attorneys on file for three years after the bankruptcy case has been closed. This is a requirement set out in the ECF Standing Order.

Naming & Saving the Order

The filename of the order must be the five-digit number of the bankruptcy case or the adversary proceeding in which the order is to be submitted:

• An order submitted in bankruptcy case 01-70643 is named 01-70643.

• An order submitted in adversary proceeding 01-8043 is named 01-08043 (note the leading zero).

Multiple Orders with the Same Case Number

Multiple documents in the same folder/directory may not be saved with the exact same filename. Therefore, additional orders for the same case may be saved using one of the following options:

• Option 1: Name additional orders for the same case by using the case number and adding the extension “-2”, “-3”, etc. (i.e., three orders in case number 01-60824 are saved as 01-60824, 01-60824-2 and 01-60824-3).

• Option 2: You may save each order using the same case number to different folders/directories on your computer (or to separate diskettes). Many offices will not find this practical since they like to keep all documents for a particular case in the same folder/directory.

Note: Remember to sequentially number the case number extension throughout the history of the case.

Sending the Order to the Court

You will need:

• Internet connection

• An e-mail account that you have registered with the Clerk’s Office

• Orders sent from unregistered e-mail accounts will not be received

• The order to be submitted (see Preparing an Order to Send to Court)

Address your e-mail to:

• orders@vaeb.uscourts.gov

• Key a brief description of the order in the Subject line of your e-mail (i.e., Granting Relief from Stay, Confirming Plan, etc.)

• Do not type anything in the Message area of your e-mail when sending orders to the Court. The Court will not read anything typed in the Message area of your e-mail.

Attach the Order:

• Use appropriate ‘insert file’ feature of e-mail provider

• Filename of order must be bankruptcy case number (i.e. 01-70046) or adversary proceeding number (i.e. 01-07103)

• Multiple orders must be numbered sequentially (i.e. 01-70046, 01-70046-2)

• Any order whose filename is not the case number will be rejected.

Sending the E-mail:

• Once the e-mail is addressed, the subject line completed and the order is attached, press Send.

Receipt of Your E-mail

Upon receipt of your e-mail by the Court, you will receive one of the following e-mail responses:

• Order Confirmation

  • Details of the e-mail response include the filename and a statement that the order has been received

• Order Returned **Error**

  • Details of the e-mail response include the filename and the reason that the order was not accepted. The order is not returned to the sender.

  • When an order is not accepted, the error must be corrected and the order resubmitted.

If, upon submission of the e-mail, you receive NO e-mail response, please contact the court, as this may be an indication that you are not registered.

Sending Multiple Orders in a Single E-mail

Multiple Orders may be sent in a single email:

• Prepare each order as an individual order:

  • the file name for each order must be the bankruptcy case number or the adversary proceeding number in which you are submitting the order

• Prepare your e-mail in the following manner:

• • If all of the orders are of the same type (i.e. Order of Confirmation, Order for Relief from Stay, etc.) key the description on the Subject line.

  • If all of the orders are of different types (i.e. one Order of Confirmation, one Order for Relief from Stay, etc.) leave the Subject line blank.

• After all orders have been atttached, press Send.

• An individual e-mail response will be sent for each order.

Service

Effective December 1, 2003, neither copies of proposed orders nor stamped addressed envelopes are required by the Clerk's Office for service of orders.

• The Clerk's Office utilizes the Bankruptcy Noticing Center to effect service to any party who is not a registered participant in CM/ECF. Electronic notice continues to constitute service for registered participants in CM/ECF. However, the list of parties to receive notice must still be furnished to the Clerk's Office. This requirement is met by including the names and addresses of parties in othe order. See, as appropriate, Template Order for Bankruptcy Cases or Template Order for Adversary Proceedings .

Additional help is available during regular business hours by calling the divisional office in which you are attempting to submit orders.