EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY: For hearings before Judge Grossman while Eastern District of New York Administrative Order No. 2020-22 et seq re: Restrictions on Visitors to Courthouses remains in effect, and in order to protect the health of the public, Judge Grossman is adopting the following procedures in all matters. [AMENDED March 4, 2022]

1. Unopposed motions. Until further notice, unopposed motions, including motions by the Chapter 13 Trustee to dismiss cases, may be granted by the Court without the need for an appearance provided that the moving party files with the Court a Certificate of No Objection and proposed order. Following receipt of the Certificate of No Objection, the Court may enter an order granting the motion without further notice or hearing. In the event the Court determines a hearing is necessary, the Court will schedule a telephonic hearing. A form of Certificate of No Objection can be found on the Court’s website under Judge Grossman’s tab, “Form Orders.”

If, by 12pm on the business day prior to the scheduled hearing date, the Court has neither granted an adjournment request, nor received a Certificate of No Objection, the Court will hold a telephonic hearing as scheduled.

2. Telephonic hearings:

Until further notice, Judge Grossman will be conducting hearings by audio only. Zoom and in-person hearings will be conducted in select cases.

Effective March 8, 2022, all attorneys and unrepresented parties are required to register for hearing(s) at least two (2) business days in advance of the scheduled hearing by using the Court’s eCourt Appearances platform: https://ecf.nyeb.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/nyebAppearances.pl. For more information on eCourt Appearances, including a tutorial on how to use the program, please click here.

This link shall be used for all audio and Zoom hearings only. Parties attending in-person hearings shall follow the separate procedures in the “In person hearings and trials” section below.

All parties, including attorneys, clients, and pro se parties, may appear telephonically in accordance with these instructions. Parties do not need to request prior authorization to appear telephonically.

If for some reason you are not able to use the eCourt Appearances platform you must email the Courtroom Deputy at: reg_hearings@nyeb.uscourts.gov at least two (2) business days prior to the hearing and state that a reasonable effort to use the platform has been made. You must include your name, the case number(s), who you represent if you are an attorney, and the date of the hearing. Your email must include in the Re: line “I am not able to register using eCourt Appearances.” You will then be provided with the dial in / log in information. If you do not have internet access you may call the courtroom deputy with this information.

Conduct during audio only hearings:

• Announce your name each time before speaking.
• Speak up and enunciate so that you can be heard and understood.
• Avoid the use of a speaker phone (use a landline, if possible).
• If you are not speaking keep your phone muted.

3. Failure to appear:

If a party does not timely call and connect to the scheduled hearing, the hearing may proceed in their absence. If the movant does not appear, the matter may be denied for failure to appear.

4. Video conference hearings via Zoom:

Any hearing to be held by video will be on the Zoom platform. Unless directed otherwise, or unless you are examining a witness, you may attend a Zoom hearing using the audio only dial in option.

Conduct during video conference hearings:

• Announce your name each time before speaking.
• Keep your camera off and phone muted unless you are addressing the Court or examining a witness.
• Avoid the use of a speaker phone (use a landline, if possible).
• Speak up and enunciate so that you can be heard and understood.

Instructions for joining Zoom hearings:

Please consult your IT personnel if you have any problems logging in for the Hearing. For additional help click this link: ZoomGov Support

5. In-person hearings and trials:

All parties must email the Courtroom Deputy at: reg_hearings@nyeb.uscourts.gov at least three (3) business days in advance of the scheduled hearing to identify all persons who will appear, along with their vaccination status; this includes any witness(es) that party may call to testify. If any person(s) vaccination status is unknown, the attorney must so indicate and state that a reasonable inquiry has been made. This notification concerning vaccination status is not to be filed on the case docket. All attorneys must identify the party(ies) the attorney represents.

Effective July 15, 2015, in all Chapter 7 cases assigned to Judge Grossman, motions shall be required for all applications by Chapter 7 trustees to retain counsel, except for retention of personal injury counsel. The Chapter 7 trustee shall serve the application on the Office of the United States Trustee and the debtor, provide for 14 days’ notice, and obtain a hearing date via the Court’s website.

Procedures for obtaining hearing dates, and requesting emergency hearings, adjournments, telephonic or video appearances, conferences, and concerning chambers copies, submission of orders, notices of presentment, and other matters may be found by clicking the Judges' Procedures tab.

Mailing address:

Hon. Robert E. Grossman
United States Bankruptcy Court
Eastern District of New York
Alfonse M. D'Amato Federal Courthouse
290 Federal Plaza
Central Islip, New York 11722

*** Please review Judges' Procedures before contacting chambers.