Local Rule RULE 1015-1: JOINT ADMINISTRATION / CONSOLIDATION AND SEPARATION OF A JOINT PETITION

RULE 1015-1. JOINT ADMINISTRATION / CONSOLIDATION AND SEPARATION OF A JOINT PETITION When a joint case is commenced by the filing of a single petition by an individual and that individual's spouse as provided in 11 U.S.C. § 302(a), the debtors' estates shall be jointly administered and substantively consolidated unless a party in interest objects or the Court orders otherwise.

A.Joinder of Spouse. When a debtor has filed a petition under the Bankruptcy Code and subsequently the debtor's spouse seeks to join the petition, the joining debtor must file a new petition under the same chapter as the pending case and pay the appropriate fees. The petition shall be accompanied by all schedules, statements and lists required for that chapter. The joining debtor may then move for joint administration of the two cases.

B.Separation of Joint Case. When one debtor in a case commenced by the filing of a joint petition seeks to maintain a separate case within the same chapter that debtor shall file a motion to sever the joint case and shall pay the appropriate fee. The new case number shall be assigned to the case of the movant. When one debtor in a case commenced by the filing of a joint petition seeks to maintain a separate case with the desire to convert the case to one under another chapter that debtor shall file a motion to sever the joint case, pay the appropriate fee for the filing of the motion and any fee associated with the conversion. The new case number shall be assigned to the case filed for the purpose of conversion.

1.Conversion. If one of two joint debtors seeks conversion to a chapter other than that under which the joint case is pending, in addition to filing a motion to sever the joint case and paying the applicable fee, as provided in the preceding section, a motion to convert must be filed and applicable fee shall be paid.

2.Dismissal of Debtor From a Joint Case. When a debtor seeks to dismiss one debtor from a joint case, a motion to sever is not required.

C.Joint Administration. A motion for joint administration shall be filed by the party seeking joint administration.

1.Content. Motions for joint administration shall include a statement as to whether joint administration will give rise to any conflict of interest among the estates of the cases to be jointly administered. The motion shall include designation of the lead case, the caption and how claims will be handled.

2.Notice. A motion for joint administration shall be considered by the Court after hearing on notice pursuant to Local Rule 9013-1, and in accordance with Local Form 20A.

3.Local Form Or http://www.okeb.uscourts.gov/Local-Forms-Listder Required. A proposed order jointly administering a case shall conform to the applicable local form order jointly administering cases. Local Form 1015-1(C)(3).

4.Manner of Joint Administration. Jointly administering a case shall follow these guidelines unless otherwise ordered:

a)Designation of Lead Case. For cases filed at the same time, the first case filed shall be designated in the joint administration order as the "lead case". For cases jointly administered subsequent to the original filing date, the order for joint administration shall designate the "lead case".

b)Caption. Court papers filed after joint administration shall be captioned as provided in Local Rule 9004-2 with the exception that the words" Jointly Administered" should be typed under the lead case number.

c)Docket. A single case docket shall be maintained after the entry of the order for joint administration, under the case number of the case designated in the joint administration order as the "lead case".

d)Claims. A separate claims register shall not be maintained for each case unless otherwise ordered. Claims shall be filed in the name of the debtor against whom the claim is asserted, followed by the lead case number and the words "Jointly Administered".

e)Ballots. Ballots shall be styled in the case name of the member case for which the plan being voted on was filed, followed by the lead case number and the words "Jointly Administered".