Sponsored by the Idaho State Bar Commercial Law & Bankruptcy Section
Thursday, February 19 – Saturday, February 21, 2026
**In-Person Attendance Only
The Grove Hotel
245 S. Capitol Blvd. – Boise
13.0 CLE credits including 1.0 Ethics credits
Registration:
Standard Registration: $400
Bankruptcy Section Members: $350
Paralegals and Court Staff: $200
Law Students: No Cost
Take Advantage of the Section Membership Registration Benefits Now: Join the Commercial Law and Bankruptcy Section for only $30.
Join the Idaho State Bar Commercial Law and Bankruptcy Section for their 44th Annual Bankruptcy Seminar that will be held at the newly renovated Grove Hotel. The seminar will feature nationally recognized speakers on bankruptcy and jurists from the Idaho and Montana bankruptcy bench who will present on various aspects of bankruptcy law and practice.
Don’t forget to book your lodging at The Grove Hotel by January 21st to get the discounted rate of $209/night.
Program Agenda
Thursday, February 19, 2026
1:00 p.m. Welcome & Ninth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel Presentation ** 9:00 am Docket Information Below**
Honorable Julia W. Brand, Chief BAP Judge and Chief Judge Central District of California
Honorable William J. Lafferty, Northern District of California.
Honorable Jennifer E. Niemann, Eastern District of California
2:30 p.m. Break
2:45 p.m. Case Law Review
Suzanne J. Hickok, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Idaho
Carol K. Mills, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Idaho
Glory M. Crocco, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Idaho
Sidney J. Angstman, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Idaho
4:00 p.m. Ethics Update
Joseph N. Pirtle, Idaho State Bar
5:00 p.m. Adjourn
Friday, February 20, 2026
8:00 a.m. Breakfast
8:30 a.m. Bad Boys of Bankruptcy Podcast: Richard Butler
Hon. Elizabeth Gunn, United States Bankruptcy Court, District of Columbia
J. Ford Elsaesser, Elsaesser Anderson, Chtd.
9:45 a.m. Break
10:00 a.m. Subchapter V Trustee’s Panel
Moderator: Matthew T. Christensen, Ampleo
Gary L. Rainsdon, Subchapter V Trustee – Idaho
Matthew W. Grimshaw, Grimshaw Law Group, P.C. – Subchapter V Trustee – Idaho
Brian M. Rothschild, Parsons, Behle & Latimer – Subchapter V Chapter 11 – Utah
11:00 a.m. Building Blocks for Understanding Article 9
Steven T. Waterman, Dorsey & Whitney LLP
Megan Baker, Dorsey & Whitney LLP
Aaron R. Bell, Dorsey & Whitney LLP
12:00 p.m. Hosted Lunch and The Creation of the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel
Hon. Benjamin P. Hursh, Chief Bankruptcy Judge, District of Montana
1:30 p.m. Debt’s Grip
Deborah Thorne, Ph.D., University of Idaho
Pamela Foohey, University of Georgia School of Law
3:00 p.m. Break
3:15 p.m. The Return of Bankruptcy Jeopardy!
J.B. Evans, Dorsey Whitney, LLP
4:30 p.m. Commercial Law and Bankruptcy Section Business Meeting & Elections
5:00 p.m. Cocktail Reception Hosted by Foley & Freeman
6:00 p.m. Annual Dinner and Awards Program – RSVP Separate from Registration – HERE
Guests are welcome to attend for an additional $50. Pay for Guests HERE
Saturday, February 21, 2026
8:00 a.m. Breakfast
8:30 a.m. Legislative Update
Lucas T. Malek, Malek + Malek
9:30 a.m. The Case for Doing Debtor Work: Building a Client-Centered Consumer Bankruptcy Practice That Protects Your Staff and Your Sanity
Tecla Druffel, Tec Law, PLLC
10:30 a.m. Break
10:45 a.m. Bankruptcy Judge’s Panel
Hon. Noah G. Hillen, Chief US Bankruptcy Judge, District of Idaho
Hon. Brent R. Wilson, US Bankruptcy Judge, District of Idaho
Hon. Benjamin Hursh, Chief US Bankruptcy Judge, District of Montana
Hon. Jim Pappas, US Bankruptcy Judge, District of Idaho, Retired
12:00 p.m. Conference Concludes
**For those who would like to attend the Ninth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel session in Boise. The information is below.
Ninth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel – Boise Docket
Thursday, February 19
9:00 am
James A. McClure Federal Building and United States Courthouse
550 W. Fort St. – Boise
ID-25-1068-NBL: In re Howell is the appeal of a judgment for debtor in a Section 523(a)(2)(A) fraud nondischargeability adversary proceeding. The appellant asserts the bankruptcy court should have given a state court default judgment preclusive effect.
SC-25-1135-BLN: In re Aguirre is the appeal of an order overruling an objection to debtor’s homestead exemption in property in which he was temporarily not residing on the petition date. The parties dispute the implications of an ineffective spousal waiver and whether debtor should be equitably estopped from asserting the homestead exemption.
AZ-25-1120-LNB: In re Zito is the appeal of an order dismissing a Chapter 13 case under Section 1307 for bad faith arising from a failure to disclose assets. The appellants challenge the finding of bad faith.
