A Guide to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Ohio

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Ohio administers bankruptcy cases across the northern half of the state, covering major metropolitan regions including Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Toledo, and Youngstown. As one of two federal bankruptcy districts in Ohio, it maintains multiple divisional courthouses.

This guide provides essential contact information for the Clerk’s Office, divisional locations, and the chambers staff for the district’s bankruptcy judges.

By Alexander Hernandez, J.D., Professor, and Author of Consumer Bankruptcy Law (Routledge).

Bankruptcy Filing Statistics & Trends

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Ohio handles a substantial volume of bankruptcy filings annually, with Chapter 7 liquidations consistently comprising the vast majority of filings compared to Chapter 13.

Below is a summary of annual bankruptcy filings across the district from 2023 through 2025.

Northern District of Ohio Bankruptcy Filings (2023–2025)

Year	Chapter 7	Chapter 13	Total Filings
2025	11,669	2,626	14,295
2024	10,718	2,957	13,675
2023	9,260	2,423	11,683

Source. U.S. Courts.

Jurisdiction and Filing Divisions

The Northern District of Ohio covers 40 counties, divided into four divisions. Cases are assigned based on the debtor’s county of residence or principal place of business. Below is the information organized by division, which includes information for the clerk’s office, bankruptcy judges, and staff.

Security Reminder: A valid government‑issued photo ID is required to enter any federal courthouse.

Akron Division

The Akron Division serves the following counties: Carroll, Holmes, Portage, Stark, Summit, and Tuscarawas.

Courthouse Location
John F. Seiberling Federal Building
2 South Main Street
Akron, OH 44308
Phone: (330) 252-6100

Judicial & Staff Directory

Presiding Judge: Hon. Alan M. Koschik

Staff Role	Name	Phone Number
Courtroom Deputy	Stephanie Pete	(330) 252-6139
Law Clerk	John Hickey	(330) 252-6130
Judicial Assistant	Renee Bowers	(330) 252-6130

Canton Division

The Canton Division serves the following counties: Ashland, Coshocton, Holmes, Stark, Tuscarawas, and Wayne.

Courthouse Location
Ralph Regula U.S. Courthouse
401 McKinley Avenue SW
Canton, OH 44702
Phone: (330) 456-8341

Cleveland Division

The Cleveland Division serves the following counties: Ashland, Ashtabula, Crawford, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, and Richland.

Courthouse Location
Howard M. Metzenbaum U.S. Courthouse
201 Superior Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44114
Phone: (216) 615-4300

Judicial & Staff Directory for Judge Suzana Krstevski Koch

Staff Role	Name	Phone Number
Courtroom Deputy	Toni Ann Paolantonio	(216) 615-4302
Law Clerk	Michael (Mickey) Isakoff	(216) 615-4422
Judicial Paralegal	Jeanette Albrecht	(216) 615-4422

Chief Judge Jessica E. Price Smith

Staff Role	Name	Phone Number
Courtroom Deputy	Katherine Gaertner	(216) 615-4451
Law Clerk	Raechel El-Hayek	(216) 615-4448
Law Clerk	Donna Parks	(216) 615-4449

Judge Arthur I. Harris (Recall)

Staff Role	Name	Phone Number
Deputy Clerk-in-Charge	Jessica Griffin	(216) 615-4333

Toledo Division

The Toledo Division serves the following counties: Allen, Auglaize, Defiance, Erie, Fulton, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Huron, Lucas, Marion, Mercer, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam, Sandusky, Seneca, Van Wert, Williams, Wood, and Wyandot.

Courthouse Location

PNC Bank Building
405 Madison Avenue
Toledo, Ohio 43604
Phone: (419) 213-5600

Hon. John P. Gustafson

Staff Role	Name	Phone Number
Judicial Assistant	Andrea Schultz	(419) 213-5631
Courtroom Deputy	Melinda Hutton	(419) 213-5607
Law Clerk	LaTianna Dumas	(419) 213-5631
Law Clerk	Mohamad Soueidan	(419) 213-5631

Hon. Mary Ann Whipple

Staff Role	Name	Phone Number
Judicial Assistant	Andrea Schultz	(419) 213-5621
Courtroom Deputy	Maria Shaink	(419) 213-5610
Law Clerk	Cathy Garcia-Feehan	(419) 213-5621
Law Clerk	LaTianna Dumas	(419) 213-5621

Youngstown Division

The Youngstown Division serves the following counties: Columbiana, Mahoning, and Trumbull.

Courthouse Location

Nathaniel R. Jones Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse
10 East Commerce Street
Youngstown, OH 44503
Phone: (330) 746-6829

Professor’s Important Note

Practice in the Northern District of Ohio is governed by its Local Bankruptcy Rules, standing administrative orders, and judge‑specific procedures. Because filing requirements, local forms, and courtroom protocols are subject to periodic updates, attorneys and pro se filers must verify current guidance directly on the official Northern District Bankruptcy Court website before submitting petitions or pleadings.

Educational Resources

• For Institutions: Colleges and universities may request examination copies of my textbook directly from Routledge Publishing.
• For Students & Practitioners: Single print and digital copies are available via Amazon Books.
• Video Lectures: Stream comprehensive legal breakdowns and video explanations on the Bankruptcy.blog YouTube Channel.

Bankruptcy Court & Consumer Resources

Explore additional consumer guides and state-specific directories to navigate your legal options:

• A step-by-step master guide to completing and understanding the bankruptcy petition.
• Bankruptcy Court Directory: Full listings for the federal bankruptcy court system and trustee contact information.
• State Bankruptcy Exemptions: Review your state‑specific exemptions or compare them with the federal exemptions.
• 341 Meeting Procedures: Prepare for your court date with updated rules, expectations, and practical guidance.

Please note that the information on this site does not constitute legal advice and should be considered for informational purposes only.