New Divisional Office Handles Bankruptcies

The new San Fernando Valley Divisional Office of the United States Bankruptcy Court opened Monday morning, eliminating the need for residents to make the trip downtown to file or go to court.

A steady stream of people lined up at the four available windows midday, while others worked the computers to check the status of bankruptcy cases, and still others stood to have copies made at the in-house copy center.

Court employees said the offices at 21041 Burbank Blvd. are a welcome change from their former working facilities, where services were spread between two buildings in the federal courthouse downtown.

“It’s going to be like family,” said Emma Gonzalez, a courtroom deputy. “We’re a lot closer and the work is going to be more controlled.”

The first floor of the building houses the intake filing stations, court records and copy center. The second holds the administrative services, including the support staff for the three division bankruptcy judges, Geraldine Mund, Arthur M. Greenwald and Kathleen T. Lax.

And the third floor houses three courtrooms and judges’ chambers. The courtrooms, said court clerk Jon D. Ceretto, are equipped with state-of-the-art sound and recording systems, and are circular in shape to enhance visibility for participants.

The Valley division is the fifth bankruptcy court site in the Central District of California, handling cases originating from the northwestern part of Los Angeles County and portions of Ventura County.

The office, which serves about 25% of the total population of Los Angeles County, handled more than 10,000 cases in 1995.

Cameron Cradic, case initiation supervisor, said he had already received positive feedback from the legal community about the office opening. “People are just glad that we’re here.”

The Valley office is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and a night drop is being installed to accommodate filing from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.