It is our distinct honor to inform you that Acting U.S. Trustee Paul Randolph has selected Debra L. Miller as the next Standing Chapter 13 Trustee for the Eastern District of Tennessee (Northern and Northeastern Divisions). Ms. Miller has served as a Standing Chapter 13 Trustee in the Northern District of Indiana since 2000. Her wealth of experience will allow her to acclimate quickly to her new duties in the district for the sake of all parties. The effective date of her appointment is May 1, 2023. We and Standing Trustee Coordinator, Percy Baker, will work closely with current Standing Chapter 13 Trustee, Gwendolyn Kerney, and her staff to promote a smooth transition. It is anticipated that Ms. Miller will serve concurrently as trustee in two districts for a period of time, which she has done in the past on an interim basis.

As we have expressed directly to her, we are thankful for Ms. Kerney’s extraordinary service and assistance. We also thank the Judges, the Clerk’s office, Standing Chapter 13 Trustee, Kara West, and many others for their valuable input and suggestions during this process. Further logistical details on the transition will be forthcoming. A more detailed biographical statement for Ms. Miller is set forth below for your review. Thank you.

Paul A. Randolph
Acting United States Trustee
Region 8

Tim Niarhos
Acting Assistant U.S. Trustee
Office of the U.S. Trustee
Eastern District of Tennessee (Region 8)
31 East 11th Street, 4th Floor
Chattanooga, TN 37402

Debra L. Miller is the appointed the Standing Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Trustee for the Northern District of Indiana, Fort Wayne, Hammond at Lafayette and South Bend Divisions. She is active in the National Association of Chapter Thirteen Trustees, is a former President of the NACTT and active on the NACTT Mortgage Committee.

As the former chair of the Mortgage Committee, she worked with the mortgage servicers, their attorneys, and members of NACBA to draft the Best Practices which were approved by the NACTT, NACBA and AFN. Debra testified before the Sub-committee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts of the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate on May 6, 2008, for “Policing Lenders and Protecting Home-Owners: Is Misconduct in Bankruptcy Fueling the Foreclosure Crisis?

Debra has provided input to the CFPB on various issues, including the Monthly Mortgage Statements and mortgage payment application issues. Additionally, Debra worked with the Bankruptcy Rules Committee on changes to the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure including Rules 3001 and 3002.1, and revising the mortgage attachment (Form B410A) and director’s form for the Notice of Final Cure and Response to the Notice of Final Cure (Form 4100R and 4100N). She currently serves as a Member of the Judicial Conference Advisory Committee for Bankruptcy Rules.

Debra regularly teaches nationally on various consumer bankruptcy issues including mortgage payment application, mortgage issues, RESPA, calculation of escrow, pre-petition arrearages and calculation of ongoing mortgage payments in a Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

Debra graduated from Baldwin Wallace College with a B.S. in Political Science and obtained her J.D. from Cleveland Marshall College of Law. Prior to attending law school, Debra served as a as a Special Agent for the United States Secret Service in the Cleveland Field Office where she specialized in Credit Card and White Collar Fraud. Her investigation led to the first successful conviction of 18 U.S.C. 1030(a)(2)(A) by the U.S. Attorney in 1989.