Can I ask the same judge to change the ruling instead of appealing?

Yes, through a post-judgment motion rather than something called reconsideration. Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9023 applies Fed. R. Civ. P. 59 and requires a motion for a new trial or to alter or amend a judgment within 14 days after entry. Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9024 applies Fed. R. Civ. P. 60, with carve-outs for reopening a case and for revoking a discharge or confirmation order.

Does filing a motion to alter or amend extend my appeal deadline?

It can. If a party timely files a motion under Rule 7052, a Rule 9023 motion to alter or amend or for a new trial, or a Rule 9024 motion filed within 14 days after entry, the time to file an appeal runs for all parties from entry of the order disposing of the last such remaining motion (Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8002(b)(1)). Timeliness of the underlying motion is what makes this work.

Can I appeal an order that does not end the case?

Sometimes, and only with permission. Under 28 U.S.C. § 158(a)(3), the district court has jurisdiction over other interlocutory orders and decrees with leave of the court. Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8004 requires a notice of appeal filed within the Rule 8002 time, accompanied by a motion for leave setting out the facts, the question presented, the relief sought, and the reasons leave should be granted.

What happens if I file my notice of appeal in the wrong court?

The rule anticipates it. If a notice of appeal is mistakenly filed in a district court, BAP, or court of appeals, that court's clerk must note the date it was received and send it to the bankruptcy clerk, and the notice is then considered filed in the bankruptcy court on the date noted (Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8002(a)(4)). The date received, not the date forwarded, is what counts.

Do the local rules of my district really matter here?

Yes, substantially. Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9029 authorizes each district court to make rules governing bankruptcy practice, consistent with Acts of Congress and the national rules. Districts differ on where appeals go, what must accompany the notice, and whether a response to a post-judgment motion is even permitted. Check your own court's published local rules and appeal instructions rather than relying on another district's.

Does appealing stop what the order did?

Not automatically. An appeal transfers the question to a reviewing court, but it does not by itself suspend the effect of the order appealed from. Separate relief is required, and courts have procedures for a motion for stay pending appeal (Bankr. S.D. Ind. official page — Appeals - General Information). Whether such relief is available in a given case is a question for a lawyer admitted in your district.

Filing process & court procedure

Appealing or Asking the Bankruptcy Court to Reconsider a Ruling

A party who disagrees with a bankruptcy court ruling generally has two routes. A notice of appeal must be filed with the bankruptcy clerk within 14 days after the judgment, order, or decree is entered (Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8002(a)(1)). Alternatively, a motion to alter or amend under Rule 9023 must be filed within 14 days, while Rule 9024 relief follows Fed. R. Civ. P. 60.

Key points

28 U.S.C. § 158 is the statute that creates the appeal route; the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure supply the mechanics of taking one.
The notice of appeal deadline is 14 days after entry of the judgment, order, or decree under Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8002(a)(1).
A timely Rule 9023 motion, or a Rule 9024 motion filed within 14 days after entry, restarts the appeal clock from the order disposing of it.
Where a bankruptcy appellate panel service exists, appeals go there under 28 U.S.C. § 158(b)-(c) unless a party elects the district court.
Interlocutory orders are appealed only with leave of the court under 28 U.S.C. § 158(a)(3), using the Rule 8004 motion procedure.

If a bankruptcy judge ruled against you, the calendar matters more than almost anything else. The window to file a notice of appeal in a bankruptcy case is short, and a separate set of rules governs asking the same judge to take another look. This page explains both routes, what each one is for, and where the answer changes from district to district.

How does a bankruptcy appeal actually work?

Appellate jurisdiction comes from a statute, not a rule. Under 28 U.S.C. § 158(a), the district courts have jurisdiction to hear appeals from final judgments, orders, and decrees of bankruptcy judges, from certain interlocutory orders, and, with leave of the court, from other interlocutory orders and decrees. Section 158(b)-(c) allows a circuit's judicial council to establish a bankruptcy appellate panel service to hear those same appeals with the consent of all parties, and § 158(d) governs review in the court of appeals. The rules then supply the mechanics. An appeal from a bankruptcy court's judgment, order, or decree to a district court or a BAP may be taken only by filing a notice of appeal with the bankruptcy clerk within the time allowed by Rule 8002 (Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8003(a)(1)). The notice must conform substantially to Form 417A, be accompanied by the order being appealed, and be accompanied by the prescribed filing fee.

The statute creates the route; the rules govern the notice, the deadline, and the record.
The notice of appeal is filed in the bankruptcy court, not in the court that will decide the appeal.
Failure to take any step other than timely filing the notice does not invalidate the appeal, but the district court or BAP may act as it considers appropriate, including dismissal.

What is the 14-day deadline, and what can change it?

Except as Rule 8002(b) and (c) provide otherwise, a notice of appeal must be filed with the bankruptcy clerk within 14 days after the judgment, order, or decree to be appealed is entered (Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8002(a)(1)). Entry generally means entry in the docket under Rule 5003(a). A notice filed after the court announces a decision but before entry is treated as filed on the date of and after the entry, so filing early is not a defect. If one party timely files, any other party may file within 14 days after that first notice, or within the time otherwise allowed, whichever is later. Certain post-judgment motions change the starting point. If a party timely files a motion to amend or make additional findings under Rule 7052, to alter or amend the judgment or for a new trial under Rule 9023, or for Rule 9024 relief filed within 14 days after entry, the appeal time runs for all parties from entry of the order disposing of the last such motion.

Deadlines stated in the federal rules
Step	Time stated in the rule	Source
Notice of appeal	14 days after entry of the judgment, order, or decree	Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8002(a)(1)
Cross or later appeal by another party	14 days after the first notice was filed, or the time otherwise allowed, whichever is later	Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8002(a)(3)
Motion for new trial or to alter or amend	14 days after the judgment is entered	Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9023(b)
Rule 9024 motion that resets the appeal clock	Filed within 14 days after the judgment is entered	Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8002(b)(1)(D)
Motion for rehearing in the district court or BAP	14 days after a judgment on appeal is entered	Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8022(a)(1)

What is a motion for reconsideration, and how is it different?

"Motion for reconsideration" is not a label the federal rules use. Two rules do the work. Under Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9023, Fed. R. Civ. P. 59 applies in a bankruptcy case except as Rule 9023 and Rule 3008 provide otherwise, and a motion for a new trial or to alter or amend a judgment must be filed within 14 days after the judgment is entered. The court may also order a new trial on its own within that same period. Under Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9024, Fed. R. Civ. P. 60 applies in a bankruptcy case, with carve-outs: the one-year limitation in Rule 60(c) does not apply to a motion to reopen a case or to reconsider an uncontested order allowing or disallowing a claim, a complaint to revoke a Chapter 7 discharge must be filed within the time § 727(e) allows, and a complaint to revoke a confirmation order must be filed within the time allowed by § 1144, § 1230, or § 1330.

Rule 9023 is the short-fuse route aimed at the judgment itself.
Rule 9024 imports Fed. R. Civ. P. 60 and reaches grounds such as those the civil rule lists.
Some courts treat any filing captioned "motion to reconsider" as one or the other and require it to address the criteria in Rule 9023 or 9024 (Vt. LBR 9022-1).

What does federal law say about which court hears the appeal?

Under 28 U.S.C. § 158(a), an appeal is taken to the district court for the judicial district in which the bankruptcy judge is serving. Section 158(b)(1) directs a circuit's judicial council to establish a bankruptcy appellate panel service composed of bankruptcy judges of the districts in the circuit, to hear and determine appeals under subsection (a) with the consent of all the parties, unless the council finds there are insufficient judicial resources or that establishing the service would cause undue delay or increased cost. That consent structure is why the choice appears on the form. In the District of Arizona, for example, the court's own guidance states that an appeal is automatically referred to the Ninth Circuit BAP unless the appellant files an election to have the appeal heard by the district court with the notice of appeal, and any other party may file an election within 30 days after service of the notice (U.S. Bankr. Ct. D. Ariz., Filing an Appeal). Other districts route appeals to the district court by local rule (E.D. Pa. LBR 8005-1).

The three routes 28 U.S.C. § 158 creates
Route	Statutory basis	What it covers
District court	28 U.S.C. § 158(a)	Final judgments, orders and decrees; certain interlocutory orders; other interlocutory orders with leave of the court
Bankruptcy appellate panel	28 U.S.C. § 158(b)-(c)	Appeals under subsection (a), with the consent of all parties, where a BAP service is established
Court of appeals	28 U.S.C. § 158(d)	Review at the next level, including the certification route in § 158(d)(2)

Where do state or local rules change the answer?

State law does not govern bankruptcy appeals. Local federal practice does, and it varies enough that checking your own court is not optional. Rule 9029 lets each district court, acting by a majority of its judges, make and amend rules governing practice and procedure within its bankruptcy jurisdiction, so long as those rules are consistent with Acts of Congress and the national rules. That authority produces real differences: some districts send appeals to the district court by local rule, some route them to a BAP unless a party elects otherwise, and some spell out extra filings that must accompany a notice of appeal, such as a designation of the record and issues (E.D. Mo. L.R. 8001). Districts also differ on post-judgment motion practice, including whether a response is permitted at all (N.D. Ind. L.B.R. B-9023-1). Your court's clerk publishes its local rules and appeal instructions; those are the ones that bind your case.

A local rule imposing a requirement of form must not be enforced in a way that costs a party a right because of a nonwillful failure to comply (Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9029(b)).
Filing fees for a notice of appeal are set by the Judicial Conference fee schedule and collected by the bankruptcy clerk (Bankr. S.D. Ind. official page — Notice of Appeal).
Where the state exemption or property question underlying the ruling matters, see the relevant state hub rather than assuming a national answer.

What does this look like in practice?

Suppose the judge sustains an objection and enters an order you believe misread the record. The clock starts when the order is entered on the docket, and the clerk must promptly serve notice of the entry on the contesting parties (Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9022(a)(1)). Lack of notice of the entry does not by itself extend the time to appeal, except as Rule 8002 permits (Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9022(a)(2)) — which is why watching the docket matters more than waiting for mail. From there the paths diverge. A Rule 9023 motion goes back to the same judge and, if timely, resets the appeal clock. A notice of appeal sends the question to a different court. If the order is interlocutory rather than final, Rule 8004 requires a notice of appeal accompanied by a motion for leave to appeal setting out the facts, the question, the relief sought, and the reasons leave should be granted.

If a notice of appeal is mistakenly filed in a district court, BAP, or court of appeals, that clerk notes the date received and sends it to the bankruptcy clerk, and it is then considered filed in the bankruptcy court on the noted date (Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8002(a)(4)).
If an appellant files a timely notice under Rule 8004 but omits the motion for leave, the district court or BAP may treat the notice as the motion or order the motion filed within 14 days.
While an appeal is docketed and pending, Rule 8008 lets the bankruptcy court defer, deny, or state that it would grant a motion it otherwise lacks authority to decide.

What documents and information are involved?

The notice of appeal is the core document. Rule 8003(a)(3) requires it to conform substantially to Form 417A, to be accompanied by the judgment, appealable order, or decree from which the appeal is taken, and to be accompanied by the prescribed filing fee. Where a BAP exists, the same form carries the statement of election. Several courts add local requirements: a separate notice of appeal and fee for each order appealed, a district court cover sheet, and a designation of the record and issues on appeal (E.D. Mo. L.R. 8001). Transcripts are ordered from an outside transcriber rather than prepared by the clerk, and courts advise ordering early (Bankr. N.D. Iowa official page — Filing an Appeal). Fees for filing the underlying bankruptcy case are separate and set by statute and the fee schedule: the Chapter 7 filing fee is $245 and the Chapter 13 filing fee is $235, plus a $78 administrative fee in each.

Official Form 417A — notice of appeal and statement of election.
A copy of the order or judgment being appealed, attached to the notice.
The appeal filing fee, paid to the bankruptcy clerk at the time of filing.
A designation of the record and statement of issues, where the local rule requires one.

What should you ask a lawyer?

Bankruptcy appeals are unusually deadline-driven and unusually local, which makes them a poor fit for figuring out alone. A lawyer admitted in your district can tell you whether the order you are unhappy about is final or interlocutory, whether a Rule 9023 or Rule 9024 motion is a better fit than an appeal, and what your district's local rules require alongside the notice. They can also tell you what a stay pending appeal would involve, since filing an appeal does not by itself pause what the order did. Bring the order, the docket entry showing when it was entered, and any notice you received.

Is this order final, or does it need leave to appeal under 28 U.S.C. § 158(a)(3)?
Would a Rule 9023 or Rule 9024 motion address the problem, and what would it do to the appeal deadline?
In this district, does an appeal go to the BAP unless I elect the district court?
What must accompany the notice of appeal here — designation, cover sheet, fee — and by when?
Do I need to ask for a stay pending appeal, and what does that involve?

Frequently asked questions

How long do I have to appeal a bankruptcy court ruling?: Fourteen days. Except as Rule 8002(b) and (c) provide otherwise, a notice of appeal must be filed with the bankruptcy clerk within 14 days after the judgment, order, or decree to be appealed is entered (Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8002(a)(1)). Entry generally means entry in the docket under Rule 5003(a), so the docket, not the mail, sets the clock.
Can I ask the same judge to change the ruling instead of appealing?: Yes, through a post-judgment motion rather than something called reconsideration. Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9023 applies Fed. R. Civ. P. 59 and requires a motion for a new trial or to alter or amend a judgment within 14 days after entry. Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9024 applies Fed. R. Civ. P. 60, with carve-outs for reopening a case and for revoking a discharge or confirmation order.
Does filing a motion to alter or amend extend my appeal deadline?: It can. If a party timely files a motion under Rule 7052, a Rule 9023 motion to alter or amend or for a new trial, or a Rule 9024 motion filed within 14 days after entry, the time to file an appeal runs for all parties from entry of the order disposing of the last such remaining motion (Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8002(b)(1)). Timeliness of the underlying motion is what makes this work.
What is the difference between a bankruptcy appellate panel and the district court?: Both hear appeals from bankruptcy court, and 28 U.S.C. § 158 creates both routes. Section 158(a) sends appeals to the district court for the district where the bankruptcy judge serves. Section 158(b)-(c) allows a circuit's judicial council to establish a BAP service of bankruptcy judges to hear those appeals with the consent of all parties. Whether a BAP exists, and how election works, varies by circuit and district.
Can I appeal an order that does not end the case?: Sometimes, and only with permission. Under 28 U.S.C. § 158(a)(3), the district court has jurisdiction over other interlocutory orders and decrees with leave of the court. Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8004 requires a notice of appeal filed within the Rule 8002 time, accompanied by a motion for leave setting out the facts, the question presented, the relief sought, and the reasons leave should be granted.
What happens if I file my notice of appeal in the wrong court?: The rule anticipates it. If a notice of appeal is mistakenly filed in a district court, BAP, or court of appeals, that court's clerk must note the date it was received and send it to the bankruptcy clerk, and the notice is then considered filed in the bankruptcy court on the date noted (Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8002(a)(4)). The date received, not the date forwarded, is what counts.
Do the local rules of my district really matter here?: Yes, substantially. Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9029 authorizes each district court to make rules governing bankruptcy practice, consistent with Acts of Congress and the national rules. Districts differ on where appeals go, what must accompany the notice, and whether a response to a post-judgment motion is even permitted. Check your own court's published local rules and appeal instructions rather than relying on another district's.
Does appealing stop what the order did?: Not automatically. An appeal transfers the question to a reviewing court, but it does not by itself suspend the effect of the order appealed from. Separate relief is required, and courts have procedures for a motion for stay pending appeal (Bankr. S.D. Ind. official page — Appeals - General Information). Whether such relief is available in a given case is a question for a lawyer admitted in your district.

Sources

28 U.S.C. § 158 — Appeals
Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8002 — Time to File a Notice of Appeal · official source
Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8003 — Appeal as of Right—How Taken; Docketing the Appeal
Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8004 — Leave to Appeal from an Interlocutory Order or Decree Under 28 U.S.C. §158(a)(3)
Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8008 — Indicative Rulings
Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8022 — Motion for Rehearing
Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9022 — Notice of a Judgment or Order
Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9023 — New Trial; Altering or Amending a Judgment
Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9024 — Relief from a Judgment or Order
Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9029 — Adopting Local Rules; Limit on Enforcing a Local Rule; Absence of Controlling Law
E.D. Pa. LBR 8005-1 — Appeals Heard by District Court
E.D. Mo. L.R. 8001 — Notice of Appeal and Filing Requirements
N.D. Ind. L.B.R. B-9023-1 — Post Judgment Motions
Vt. LBR 9022-1 — Notice of Decrees, Judgments, and Orders
U.S. Bankr. Ct. D. Ariz., Filing an Appeal
Bankr. S.D. Ind. official page — Notice of Appeal
Bankr. S.D. Ind. official page — Appeals - General Information
Bankr. N.D. Iowa official page — Filing an Appeal
28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(A), (f)(1) · official source
28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(B) · official source
Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 8

By Antonio G. Jimenez, Esq. · Florida Bar No. 21022

Sources verified August 2, 2026 · How we verify

Every figure on this page is drawn from a primary legal source and checked against our canonical legal database before publication. Bankruptcy.law is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.

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