I had my 341 today. The meeting was scheduled for 3:00, but I went early to see how the cases were going and the types of questions the trustee asked. A lot of the debtors and their attorneys kept staring at me, because I look very young (24, but I look 18.) Perhaps it was because I was without representation, who knows. Anyway, the first meeting for my time slot was with an elderly couple (represented by an attorney.) They came into approximately 60K through an inheritance earlier this year. They spent it on a new 2005 truck, a trailer for one of their parents, and living expenses. The trustee was very detailed and asked a lot of questions. The trustee seemed agitated, and their attorney (who was dressed inappropriately... she looked like she worked for an escort agency, not a law firm) wasn't able to turn things around for them. At the end, he told them that he might motion for a dismissal.
The two people after the couple had lawyers as well, but unlike the first, they seemed to know what they were doing. The trustee was just as detailed, but a little less stern with them. I was shaking from nervousness when my turn came up, but I don't know if it showed. The trustee checked my ID & SS card, then swore me in. He asked the usual questions (did I prepare this myself, did I read everything I signed, is the petition accurate, etc.) He went further and asked me why I was filing for Chapter 7. I explained that last year, I had a traumatic situation that gave me PTSD and I went crazy for a while, stopped working and stopped paying my bills. He pressed further, so I just told him the details. He nodded his head and continued to ask whether or not I owned real estate, am I currently working, etc. He then told me that my forms were filled in very well, that they looked very professional and he was surprised that I didn't have a lawyer help me with them.
He asked how I had filed myself, so I showed him my Nolo book and explained that I used Form7 software to fill out the petition. I thanked him for the compliment, he wished me good luck and said I was excused. The whole thing was over in about five or six minutes; it went by pretty quickly. I think it went well & I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I'll be checking PACER like a madwoman for the next week to see what happens....
The two people after the couple had lawyers as well, but unlike the first, they seemed to know what they were doing. The trustee was just as detailed, but a little less stern with them. I was shaking from nervousness when my turn came up, but I don't know if it showed. The trustee checked my ID & SS card, then swore me in. He asked the usual questions (did I prepare this myself, did I read everything I signed, is the petition accurate, etc.) He went further and asked me why I was filing for Chapter 7. I explained that last year, I had a traumatic situation that gave me PTSD and I went crazy for a while, stopped working and stopped paying my bills. He pressed further, so I just told him the details. He nodded his head and continued to ask whether or not I owned real estate, am I currently working, etc. He then told me that my forms were filled in very well, that they looked very professional and he was surprised that I didn't have a lawyer help me with them.
He asked how I had filed myself, so I showed him my Nolo book and explained that I used Form7 software to fill out the petition. I thanked him for the compliment, he wished me good luck and said I was excused. The whole thing was over in about five or six minutes; it went by pretty quickly. I think it went well & I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I'll be checking PACER like a madwoman for the next week to see what happens....