RELATED CASES

A. Relatedness Defined Two or more cases are related if: (1) the debtors are married; or (2) the cases involve persons or entities that are affiliates under § 101(2) of the Bankruptcy Code. B. Assignment of Related Cases Generally Except as this Rule 1015-1 or Rule 1072-1 provides otherwise, all related cases must be assigned to the judge assigned the lowest-numbered case. 4 C. Certification of Relatedness A Certification of Relatedness must be filed if two or more related cases are filed in this district or if a case to be filed is related to a pending case. If a Certification of Relatedness is filed, the clerk must assign the related cases to the same judge.

D. Transfer of Related Cases A motion to transfer a case because it is related to another must be noticed for presentment to the judge assigned the higher-numbered case. If the cases are related, that judge must transfer the case to the judge assigned the lower-numbered case. If the cases are related and no motion to transfer is filed, the judge assigned the higher-numbered related case must transfer the case to the chief judge to be transferred to the judge assigned the lower-numbered case.