My 341 was scheduled for 10am today. I arrived about 15 minutes early and they weren't even close to being done with the 9am crowd so I got to listen to a bunch of cases. Interesting. Half the time, the lawyers weren't there, had stacks of folders 20 cases high and couldn't recognize their clients in the room and a few didn't even show up so the cases were continued for a month.
There was one guy with a lawyer (I was the ONLY pro se filer out of maybe 100 people) who had estimated both of his 2006 low mileage cars to be worth $1500 each. When the trustee asked how he came to that amount, the lawyer said absolutely nothing and the guy said he had just guessed. The trustee asked if maybe they had decided the cars were worth that much so that they would fit under the exemptions. In any case, the trustee wanted the debtor's phone number (which he said he didn't know) so that he could schedule someone to appraise those cars.
So, finally, at 10:45, I was called up (there seemed to be no rhyme or reason for who was called when). I was sworn in, asked to verify my name, asked if I owned a home (which he knew from the schedules). He asked me how I valued it and I was able to tell him that the exact same model and age of home sold for that amount last year. He asked if I included everything on my schedules. Did I have any judgments or claims owed to me? Were there any creditors present who had objections? Then he thanked me and said he had no further questions.
As I was turning around, he said, "Uh, Miss (my name) - if all of the lawyers in the courtroom filled out their schedules as well as you did, I would be a happy man."
I thanked him and left with a smile on my face!
Note - it was very strange but no one even verified my id, social security card, asked for more documentation or anything. All that worrying and a little bit of lost sleep for nothing!
There was one guy with a lawyer (I was the ONLY pro se filer out of maybe 100 people) who had estimated both of his 2006 low mileage cars to be worth $1500 each. When the trustee asked how he came to that amount, the lawyer said absolutely nothing and the guy said he had just guessed. The trustee asked if maybe they had decided the cars were worth that much so that they would fit under the exemptions. In any case, the trustee wanted the debtor's phone number (which he said he didn't know) so that he could schedule someone to appraise those cars.
So, finally, at 10:45, I was called up (there seemed to be no rhyme or reason for who was called when). I was sworn in, asked to verify my name, asked if I owned a home (which he knew from the schedules). He asked me how I valued it and I was able to tell him that the exact same model and age of home sold for that amount last year. He asked if I included everything on my schedules. Did I have any judgments or claims owed to me? Were there any creditors present who had objections? Then he thanked me and said he had no further questions.
As I was turning around, he said, "Uh, Miss (my name) - if all of the lawyers in the courtroom filled out their schedules as well as you did, I would be a happy man."
I thanked him and left with a smile on my face!
Note - it was very strange but no one even verified my id, social security card, asked for more documentation or anything. All that worrying and a little bit of lost sleep for nothing!
Bankruptcy Wizard
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