Understanding The Chapter 7 Process
Bankruptcy can seem like an intimidating process, especially if you’ve never filed before. You may worry about navigating through the legal system, preparing all the paperwork and meeting with the bankruptcy trustee.
Fortunately, with the help of a lawyer, the process is much easier than you might think. At the North Carolina law firm of Wootton & Wootton, we go out of our way to make it as stress-free as possible.
The process generally involves these simple steps:
- During your free initial consultation, you will meet directly with one of our lawyers, who will sit down with you and go over your options. You will find out which debts you can get rid of, which type of bankruptcy is best for you, which property you will get to keep and other important considerations. This consultation will last however long is necessary for you to get answers to all your questions and feel comfortable with whatever decision you make.
- If you decide to file bankruptcy, we can do so on your behalf as quickly as needed — even within a day. This will give you the immediate protections that bankruptcy offers, such as stopping creditor harassment, halting foreclosure and repossession, and stopping all collection efforts.
- You will meet with your attorney two or three more times to prepare for the creditors’ meeting and go over what to expect.
- During the trustee meeting, your lawyer will stand beside you the entire time. This meeting typically involves just you, your lawyer and the bankruptcy trustee. It is likely the only formal appearance you will have to make during the entire bankruptcy process.
- We will continue to keep you updated on the status of your filing. Generally, you will get your debts wiped away within about four months of filing.
As you can see, in most Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases, you will never have to go to court.
The Advantage Of Working Directly With A Lawyer
At many bankruptcy law firms, you would only meet your lawyer once — during the trustee meeting. At our firm, you will work with your attorney through all stages of your case, from start to finish. You can get answers to all your questions and talk through any concerns you have at any point in the process.
To get started with your free consultation, please call 919-794-8660, text us at 919-382-3065 or reach out to us online. Consultations are available in person, over the phone or through video conferencing. We have offices in Durham and Henderson, North Carolina.
We are a debt relief agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code.