Corrine Bielejeski Appointed as Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern District of California
N E W S R E L E A S E
Aug. 11, 2026
Contact: Katherine Rodriguez
mediarelease@ce9.uscourts.gov
SAN FRANCISCO — Judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit have appointed Corrine Bielejeski as a bankruptcy judge on the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of California. Judge Bielejeski began her 14-year term on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026. Chief Judge Christopher D. Jaime of the Eastern District administered the oath of office. Judge Bielejeski maintains her chambers in Sacramento.
“I am pleased to welcome Judge Bielejeski to the bankruptcy bench in our Sacramento division. Her wealth of experience, dedication to the bankruptcy community, and commitment to public service make her an excellent addition to our court,” said Judge Jaime.
“Thank you to the Merit Screening Committee and the Court-Council Committee on Bankruptcy Appointments for interviewing me and recommending me for this position. I love bankruptcy law, and I am excited and honored to serve our community with diligence and civility. Thank you to my family, friends, and colleagues for their support and to my new colleagues in the court for their enthusiastic welcome,” said Judge Bielejeski.
Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge Bielejeski was the owner since 2011 of East Bay Bankruptcy Law, where she represented consumer and business debtors in Chapters 7 and 13, as well as individual and small business creditors in Chapters 7, 11 and 13. She was an associate from 2008 to 2011 at the Law Offices of Patrick L. Forte, where she represented consumer and small business debtors.
Judge Bielejeski volunteered as a temporary judge for the Contra Costa County Superior Court from 2019 to 2026. She was co-editor of the Contra Costa Lawyer Magazine from 2024 to 2026 and served on its editorial board from 2021 to 2026. She was a member of the Earl Warren American Inn of Court from 2007 to 2021, receiving awards several times for programming, and served on its board from 2014 to 2020. She was a member of the Bench-Bar Liaison Committee of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California from 2011 to 2015, served as its co-chair from 2013 to 2014, and on the Local Rules Committee from 2012 to 2015.
Judge Bielejeski graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 2003 from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she was a Regents Scholar and the recipient of a University Service Award. She earned both her Juris Doctor and a Public Service Law Certificate from the University of California, Davis School of Law, in 2006. Following law school, she clerked for the Honorable Edward D. Jellen (ret.) in the U.S Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California, Oakland Division, from 2006 to 2008.
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of California reported 12,830 bankruptcy filings in calendar year 2025, up 20.2% from CY 2024. The court is authorized six permanent judgeships.
Judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit have statutory responsibility for selecting and appointing bankruptcy judges in the nine western states that comprise the 9th Circuit. The court uses a comprehensive merit selection process for the initial appointment and for reappointments. Bankruptcy judges serve a 14-year renewable term and handle all bankruptcy-related matters under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.