The Bankruptcy Court family extends congratulations and best wishes to Judge Robert J. Kressel, as he retires after 38½ years of service as a bankruptcy judge for the District of Minnesota. He is the second longest serving bankruptcy judge in the country.
Judge Kressel was appointed as a bankruptcy judge in 1982 and served as the court’s Chief Judge from 1986 to 1993. He was also one of the original appointees to the United States Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the Eighth Circuit (BAP) in 1996, and served on that court for 21 years, 10 of those as its Chief Judge.
Judge Kressel served on numerous committees throughout his judicial career, including the U.S. Judicial Conference’s Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy Rules, the Eighth Circuit’s Gender Fairness Task Force, and the Administrative Office of the U.S. Court’s Bankruptcy Judges Advisory Group. He has been a long-time member of the Minnesota Chapter of the Eighth Circuit Historical Society and served as its President from 1995 to 1997. He has been a frequent speaker at conferences and continuing legal education programs and was a featured panelist for the Federal Judicial Center’s annual program on Eighth Circuit Bankruptcy decisions for eighteen straight years. He is a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy.
Judge Kressel retired from regular service as a bankruptcy judge in June 2012 but was immediately recalled and continued to handle bankruptcy cases and proceedings in the Duluth divisional office and some Minneapolis Chapter 7 and 13 cases. During his recall terms, he also presided over and confirmed the chapter 11 plans of four Minnesota diocesan cases and three Crosier religious order cases.
Three other long-time clerk’s office employees join Judge Kressel in retirement today, including Chief Deputy Clerk Dave Conn, with 33 years of service, St. Paul Operations Supervisor Linda Evenson, with 37 years of service, and Minneapolis Case Administrator Lynne Scharenbroich, with 30½ years of service. Cumulatively, these four distinguished retirees have given 139 years of service to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Minnesota.
The Bankruptcy Court offers its heartfelt thanks and congratulations to Judge Kressel, Dave, Linda and Lynne!!!!