Debt Management Answers For You…

If you are planning on filing for bankruptcy then you will indeed be making a trip to court. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court is a Federal Court and deals with all aspects of bankruptcy law. Each of the 94 judicial districts handles bankruptcy matters.

Here is the Federal website giving you information – basics, forms, rules, etc. on the Federal Bankruptcy Courts : http://www.uscourts.gov/bankruptcycourts.html It contains information on Chapter 7, Chapter 11 and Chapter 13.

Here is the California site – http://www.cacb.uscourts.gov/
Doing a Google search on “bankruptcy courts” should get you information in your area of the country.

Each bankruptcy court houses a bankruptcy judge who is appointed to 14 years by the U.S. court of appeals. Though rare on occasion, regular district courts can hear and try bankruptcy cases on the courts discretion.

Your first visit to court will most likely be brief. You will not be seeing a judge on your first visit, but instead a trustee of the court who will ask you questions regarding you financial status and history. Judge or not, it was scary when I went through this by myself in my much younger days.

Questions will fall along the lines of where you live, what property you own, list of assets and liabilities and if you have any pending lawsuits against another person. Make sure you bring all pertinent information with you.

You will also be asked if you expect to inherit cash from a relative or other source. No creditors will be in attendance during your chapter 7 hearing and your lawyer will be with you the whole time.

For Chapter 13 hearings it will be the same basically. You will endure the same questioning in addition to questions regarding your repayment plans.

After sixty to ninety days you will be returning to court to finish the discharge order. It is important that you show up and are on time for any and all court appearances.

The court may see you in contempt and discharge your bankruptcy case unless your attorney successfully files a continuance. Then you will most likely have to pay your attorney an extra filing fee on top of everything else.

Please remember, do your due diligence and determine rules, regulations and fees in your area. Changes are constant. Information contained on this website is not intended to substitute for legal advice.

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