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National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges records
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Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]3460 Chestnut Street, Biddle Law Library, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3406
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
The National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges (NCBJ) was founded in 1926 to provide continuing legal education to bankruptcy judges, lawyers, and other practitioners. The NCBJ was also created to advise and influence Congress in an effort to represent the interests of bankruptcy judges with regards to pending legislation, and to promote greater uniformity and understanding of existing bankruptcy law. Originally known as the National Association of Referees in Bankruptcy, the NCBJ was conceived as a response to the increasing influence of the National Bankruptcy Conference, an association which consisted primarily of bankruptcy scholars and lawyers.
The NCBJ's ongoing efforts to provide legal education include holding an annual conference, publishing the peer-reviewed journal The American Bankruptcy Law Journal, and forming the Endowment for Education. The Endowment provides grants that support continuing research and education in the field of bankruptcy law. The NCBJ has also supported the National Bankruptcy Archives at the Biddle Law Library since its inception.
The National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges records (NBA.012), 1926-2023, consist of six record groups.
The NCBJ Oral History Project (NBA.012.001), 2004-2008, has a separate finding aid available which can be accessed through this link.
Administration and Governance records (NBA.012.002), 1932-2022, contains correspondence, meeting minutes, and reports related to the administration of the NCBJ. Included are minutes from the Board of Governors, committee reports, membership lists, and legislative drafts.
Annual Conferences and Educational Programs (NBA.012.003), 1932-2023, contains three series.
Series I: Annual Conferences, 1932-2023, consists of registration forms, conference programs, educational programming booklets, and Judges Round Table materials from annual NCBJ conferences. Photographs from the annual conferences can be found in the record group NBA.012.006: Photographs and Exhibitions. Minutes from Board of Governors, committee, or member meetings that took place at the annual conference can be found in the record group NBA.012.002: Administration and Governance records.
Series II: Annual Conference Memorabilia, 1985-2023, contains ephemera and swag created for NCBJ annual conferences such as totes, magnets, coffee mugs, buttons, and t-shirts. An item-level inventory for this series is available upon request.
Series III: NCBJ and Affiliate Educational Programs, 2014-2019, contains programs, flyers, and correspondence from bankruptcy forums and conferences either hosted or attended by the NCBJ.
Endowment for Education records (NBA.012.004), 1990-2016, consists of two series.
Series I: Administrative Files, 1990-2016, contains board meeting minutes, correspondence, and reports from the creation and administration of the NCBJ's Endowment for Education.
Series II: Grants, 1991-2015, consists of grant applications and grant project files which include correspondence and project updates.
Publications (NBA.012.005), 1926-2023, contains publications created by the NCBJ such as The American Bankruptcy Law Journal and the Conference News. The files are arranged chronologically by the start date of each publication. Also included is correspondence regarding publications as well as meeting minutes from The American Bankruptcy Law Journal advisory board.
Photographs and Exhibitions (NBA.012.006), 1974-2017, contains photographs from the NCBJ annual conferences, including posed group photographs and candid shots, exhibition materials used in annual conferences, and photographs from other NCBJ meetings and gatherings including committee and Board of Governor's meetings. This series also contains photographs from other events either hosted by or attended by NCBJ members. This includes workshops put on by both the Federal Judicial Center and the NCBJ as well as Southern Bankruptcy Law Institute seminars. There are also photographs of judges' visits to Washington DC, National Bankruptcy Conference meetings, and portraits and prints that were used in either exhibitions or the Conference News.
The National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges records are arranged into the following record groups:
Oral History Project (NBA.012.001)
Administration and Governance (NBA.012.002)
Annual Conferences and Educational Programs (NBA.012.003)
Endowment for Education (NBA.012.004)
Publications (NBA.012.005)
Photographs and Exhibitions (NBA.012.006)
Received in multiple shipments from Robert D. Martin, Henley A. Hunter, Frank Koger, Mary D. Scott, Samuel Bufford, Christine J. Molick, Nancy C. Dreher, T. Hartley Kingsmill, Harvey I Forman, and Randall L. Dunn, all on behalf of the NCBJ, from 2002 to 2023.
Processed by Jordan Steele in 2006, Leslie O'Neill in 2013, Emily Johns in 2014, and Elizabeth Wittrig in 2023.
- Publisher
- University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library
- Finding Aid Author
- Jordon Steele, Leslie O'Neill, Emily Johns, Elizabeth Wittrig
- Finding Aid Date
- 2006 and 2014, revised September 2023
- Access Restrictions
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The archives reserves the right to restrict access to materials of sensitive nature. Please note that meeting minutes and issues of the Conference News are restricted to the public, except for NCBJ members, for 20 years past their date of creation. Please contact the department for further information.
- Use Restrictions
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Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.