Bankruptcy Appellate Panel (BAP) Law and Legal Definition
Bankruptcy Appellate Panels (BAP) are three judge panels of the United States bankruptcy courts who are appointed to hear appeals of bankruptcy court decisions under the supervision of the United States courts of appeals. They were established under the Bankruptcy Reform Acts of 1978 and 1994. 28 U.S.C. §158 sets forth jurisdiction for appeals of bankruptcy decisions and authorizes the establishment of BAPs upon the order of the circuit judicial councils.
The BAP in each judicial circuit has its own local rules of practice, in addition to the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure and Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure. BAP judges continue to serve as active bankruptcy judges in addition to their duties on the appellate panel. In U.S the first, sixth, eighth, ninth and tenth Circuits have established BAP’s.
