Dedication

This issue of the American Bankruptcy Law Journal (ABLJ) is dedicated to the Honorable Terrence L. Michael, who served as Editor in Chief of the ABLJ from January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2024. Judge Michael was the 14th Editor in Chief of the ABLJ, and he oversaw the transition of the ABLJ from a paper journal to a digital journal, with a dedicated website hosting not only the published volumes of the ABLJ but also symposia, video interviews with authors, and more. The ABLJ flourished under Judge Michael’s leadership, and we are grateful for his dedication and service.

Judge Michael was appointed to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma in 1997. He served on the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel of the Tenth Circuit from June 7, 2000, through his retirement from the bench in February 2025.

I was fortunate to work alongside Judge Michael as an Associate Editor of the ABLJ. I learned a great deal from him during that time. He is a thoughtful mentor and teacher, and he has a passion for bankruptcy law and education.

From my vantage point, Judge Michael viewed the ABLJ as a key educational resource for the bankruptcy profession—one of the many points on which we agreed. Judge Michael took great care to vet articles and to work with authors and editors to produce the best product possible. He also supported two academic symposia hosted by the ABLJ during his service as Editor in Chief.

Judge Michael’s educational efforts and contributions were not limited to the ABLJ. He published over 170 opinions and authored or co-authored articles in the American Bankruptcy Law Journal, the ABI Law Review, the Norton Journal of Bankruptcy Law and Practice, the Tulsa Law Review, the Creighton Law Review, and the Texas Tech Law Review. He also has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Tulsa since 2002, teaching classes on bankruptcy and remedies.

Judge Michael is a member of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, serving on various committees as well as the Board of Governors. He received the President’s Award for Distinguished Service to the Conference in 2018, 2021, and 2024. Judge Michael also was the Chair of the Bankruptcy Judges Advisory Group, which advises the Administrative Office of the United States Courts on matters pertaining to the administration of the bankruptcy system. He is an emeritus member of the Council Oak/Johnson-Sontag American Inn of Court, which awarded him the John A. Athens Leadership Award in 2004, and the Nebraska State Bar Association. He is a past President of the Doane College Alumni Council and Kendall Whittier Incorporated, a non-profit corporation that operates the only delivery food pantry in the city of Tulsa. He also has served in various other capacities in community and nonprofit organizations, including as a cast member of numerous theater productions. He is a man of many talents.

For these reasons and countless others, it is fitting, and with gratitude, that we dedicate this issue to the remarkable work of the Editor in Chief for volumes 96 through 98 of the American Bankruptcy Law Journal, the Honorable Terrence L. Michael.

Honorable Michelle M. Harner
United States Bankruptcy Judge
District of Maryland
Editor in Chief