What To Wear To Bankruptcy Court

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Where are they now: The bankruptcy, which occurred a decade after British designer Charlotte Dellal launched her whimsical label, led to the closing of all four of its stores in the United States and impacted the jobs of 21 people employed at those locations. In addition to liquidation sales, the footwear and accessories retailer held a weeklong sample sale in a New York showroom the following month, seeking to get rid of inventory from previous seasons. Its wholesale business remains intact. Moreover, president and CEO Bonnie Takhar resigned from her post after seven years with the brand.

Coronavirus If You Need A Hearing Urgently

At the moment, the court might take a long time to arrange a hearing.

Tell the court if you need the hearing urgently you can tell them before or after you apply for the hearing. Email the court at in your email, make sure you tell them:

• what you need the hearing for

• why the hearings urgent

• who needs to be at the hearing

• how long the hearings likely to take

• how long the judge is likely to need to read through the documents before the hearing

If you dont know all of this information, tell the court in your email.

The hearing will normally be by video call using Skype for Business. If you cant use Skype for Business, tell the court if you can use other video call software or if you want your hearing to be over the phone.

Youll still have to apply for the hearing when the court replies to your email.

Everything You Need To Know About Bankruptcy Court In Canada

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When consumers find themselves in a dire financial situation that has caused them to be unable to pay their debts, they may have exhausted many options to alleviate their mounting debt issues. But when all options have failed, bankruptcy is typically the last resort.

With bankruptcy, your debts would be alleviated and you would no longer have to be tied to the constant bills piling up. And all the collections calls youve been receiving will stop. You will also be legally protected from being sued by your creditors for not repaying the amount that you still owe.

In exchange for such protection, you agree to give up many of your valuable assets, which can then be sold off to pay your creditors. But when it comes to bankruptcy, do you have to go to court? What exactly is bankruptcy court, and is it something that you should be concerned about?

In this article, well discuss what bankruptcy court is and what you should know about it if youre filing for bankruptcy.

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What Does That Mean For My Case

Although the landscape has significantly changed, all bankruptcy cases are proceeding. HMB Legal Counsel will continue to provide updates as the situation evolves. The ongoing issues related to the spread of the Coronavirus have had and will continue to have a significant impact on individuals, families, businesses and markets. Visit our collection of resources providing guidance during these fast-changing circumstances. Please reach out to your lead team member to answer specific questions.

Avoid Wearing Expensive Jewelry Or Accessories

The first thing you should keep in mind is to avoid wearing any kind of expensive jewelry or accessories. Every time I walk into the room where 341 meetings are conducted, I see debtors wearing wedding rings with huge stones, high-end designer shades and shoes, handbags that cost as much as a used car. Trustees, believe it or not, actually look at your physical appearance and may decide to engage in a line of questioning to identify how you were able to obtain just expensive jewelry and accessories yet find yourself filing for bankruptcy. Many times, this unanticipated line of questioning usually leads to some kind of revelation that will keep your case open. To keep the 341 meeting as quick and efficient as possible, on the day of your meeting, dress casually and avoid wearing these expensive jewelry and accessory items.

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What To Wear And Say At Your Bankruptcy Hearing

Actually, when it comes to what to wear, just dont dress for a cookout. But as far as what to expect at your bankruptcy hearing, this article by Cathy Moran is great advice.

Going to court for your first meeting of creditors?

What are they going to ask me?, you wonder.

My bankruptcy clients imagine a quiz on the contents of their bankruptcy papers.

Or worse, an inquisition on why they needed to file bankruptcy.

Thats not likely. The first meeting of creditors is much more likely to be a snooze.

Jay Fleischman set out a very comprehensive list of questions a Chapter 7 trustee might ask at your bankruptcy hearing.

Let me add my rules for answering those questions.

What Should I Wear To The Meeting Of Creditors

Clients often call me the day before or the morning of their meeting of creditors and ask me what they should wear. You definitely do not need to wear a suit.

The meeting is not in front of a judge and isnt even at the court house. Most clients filing bankruptcy complete the entire process without ever seeing a judge or walking into a courthouse. Formal court attire is not necessary.

Dress in layers and wear what you would normally wear to work. If you are not working wear what you would wear to visit the dentist. Make sure not to wear anything too tight, short or low cut. If you decide to wear a hat expect to take it off during the meeting. If you are wearing any jewelry you didnt list in your paperwork let your attorney know before the meeting starts. Your attorney will let the trustee know you plan on amending the paperwork to include the overlooked jewelry.

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Meeting Not 341 Hearing

Importantly, and to give some peace of mind to debtors, bankruptcy law prohibits a bankruptcy judge from attending the 341 Meeting. In other words, the 341 Meeting is not a court hearing, and no binding decisions are going to be made there with the force of law. There will probably not be any attorneys in the room who have adverse interests to the debtor .

Even though there is no 341 bankruptcy hearing, 341 Meetings are recorded and do become part of the bankruptcy record, with questions asked by the trustee are under oath and penalty of perjury. Therefore, you must know the facts of your case going in and give correct answers during the meeting.

Here’s What To Expect At The 341 Hearing In Your Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

Updated By Cara O’Neill, Attorney

COVID-19 Updates: Retirement and Stimulus Fund Protections Safe Filings.

If you’re one of the millions laid off due to COVID-19, bankruptcy can erase bills while keeping most retirement accounts intact. And you don’t need to worry about losing your stimulus fundsthe new bankruptcy “recovery rebate” law protects stimulus checks, tax credits, and child credits. Bankruptcy lawyers will consult with you virtually, and courts continue to hold 341 creditor meetings telephonically or by video appearance unless an in-person meeting is necessarysee the U.S. Trustee’s 341 meeting status webpage for details.

Streamline your researchtake our bankruptcy quiz to identify potential issues and learn how to best proceed with your bankruptcy case.

Everyone who files for Chapter 7 bankruptcyboth individuals and businesses alikemust attend a hearing called the 341 meeting of creditors. At the hearing, the bankruptcy trusteethe person responsible for overseeing your casewill verify your identity and ask questions about your bankruptcy filing under oath. Your creditors will also have the opportunity to ask you questions about your financial affairs and the information in your bankruptcy papers . Read on to learn more about what happens at a Chapter 7 meeting of creditors.

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Meeting Of Creditors Information

Until further notice, this office will be conducting 341 meetings via Zoom video conferencing. Below are the instructions to participate in the meeting.

**In order to expedite the Section 341 Meeting Process, it is requested that you work with your client prior to the date and time of the Section 341 Meeting to ensure that all parties understand how to properly use Zoom on the device that will be utilized for the Section 341 Meeting. If parties are not able to appropriately participate via Zoom at the time their case is called, the 341 Meeting may be continued. **

Meeting Instructions:

What To Wear To A 341 Meeting Of Creditors

Prevailing wisdom regarding how to present oneself at a bankruptcy hearing may follow the jarring scene from a television show, where a debtor wears a lavish ring to a hearing which the trustee asks about and then takes away. Although this is high drama and not always real life, it is best to not dress lavishly or fancily for a 341 Meeting.

Avoid expensive jewelry or accessories, many of which will qualify for exceptions under Texas bankruptcy law in various appropriate schedules. Avoid obvious designer clothing and shoes.

Being the best-dressed person in the room at your bankruptcy hearing could convey the wrong message as to your means, which could raise concerns about the truthfulness of your petition and schedules. Dress conservatively and professionally when attending the meeting, and if you need further clarification, do not hesitate to ask your attorney remember that attorneys attend these hearings all the time!

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When A Bankruptcy Court Appearance Is Required

Although the likelihood of a court appearance is low, debtors must realize that filing for bankruptcy is more than just filling out some forms. A bankruptcy case can turn to litigation fairly quickly. Debtors may be required to appear in court when a trustee objects to one of their exemptions or the judge orders them to appear and show cause. In addition, an adversary proceeding will likely require a court appearance, as well.

What To Wear To Bankruptcy Court By By Nan Mckernon

Featured Art: Ready for Anything by Barbara Carter

Standing before the row of designer clothes hanging haphazardly in my closet, I pondered what to wear for such an occasion. The woman whose fingers brushed over the delicate fabrics spent the last two years in yoga pants and Birkenstocks as a writing graduate student. The clothes in my closet, representative of my former professional life as a sales and marketing executive, mocked my lack of identity and laughed at my confusion about how to present myself to the judge who would, on that bright June day, render me financially bankrupt.

My financial ship sank faster than the Titanica middle-aged mother with a Master of Fine Arts and several years carpooling and laundry experience was in low professional demand and an adviser offered bankruptcy as a viable life boat to get me back on my feet while I applied for jobs as an adjunct college professor. I would clean the slate of the thousands in debt I inherited as part of the divorce, could walk away from the soon-to-be-foreclosed home that was worth less than what was owed, which I could never afford in the first place but fought for as the only tangible security my children had to cling to, and have a shot at rebuilding with student loan debt my only remaining obligation. I stared at the row of stylish clothing and wondered: how did such a capable woman end up so worthless?

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Can You Get Legal Aid

If you don’t want to be made bankrupt, it’s a really good idea to get legal advice to help you put your case together. In some circumstances, you may be able to get legal aid to help with the costs of this.

Check whether you might be eligible for legal aid.

If you don’t pay, negotiate a payment plan or get the statutory demand cancelled, the creditor will be able to apply for your bankruptcy by presenting a bankruptcy petition to the court. They have to pay a fee to do this. You’ll receive notice that the petition has been made and will be given the opportunity to oppose the making of a bankruptcy order if you want to. You don’t have to pay any fees yourself.

If you want to avoid bankruptcy at this stage:

• it’s a good idea to get legal advice about whether you can oppose the making of a bankruptcy order and if so, to help you put together your defence. In some circumstances, you may be able to apply for legal aid to help you with the costs of this
• apply to the court to oppose the bankruptcy order, setting out your reasons why, such as you don’t owe the money, the creditor is out of time for taking legal action or that you’ve already made a reasonable offer of repayment. Send a copy of this notice to your creditor and their solicitor
• do this at least 7 days before the court hearing.

What To Do If You Inherit Property Or You Think You Will Inherit Property Soon

If you inherit property within six months of the date that you filed a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Petition you need to let your lawyer and the Trustee know what type of property you have inherited, because any property that you inherit within six months of the date of filing the Bankruptcy becomes property of the Bankruptcy estate. If you know that someone is leaving you property in their will, and it appears that they will die with in the six months of the filing, you need to let your attorney know this as bankruptcy may not be your optimal solution in that situation.

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Dress For Casual Friday

Everyone has an idea about what court is like. Courtrooms with those imposing wooden walls and columns. The judges bench upfront. Attorneys in suits roaming the halls and rooms. The 341 meeting, however, isnt quite court in the traditional sense. While the meeting may be held in a courthouse, the 341 meeting is more of an administrative event in a bankruptcy case. The trustee assigned to you case will ask you questions about your assets, liabilities, and financial history to see whether your bankruptcy papers are accurate, and whether there might be assets that can be marshaled and liquidated. Its not informal, but its not as formal as oral argument before a judge. My advice is to dress for casual Friday, if possible. Many people show up in a t-shirt and jeans, and if thats what you have available to wear, thats ok. I wouldnt go more formally, though, than something that you would wear for casual Friday at work or so. So leave the suits and power dresses in the closet.

What Should I Wear To Bankruptcy Court

Posted by Melinda Dionne | Sep 26, 2011 | 0 Comments

Debtors in bankruptcy do not have a dress code, unlike bankruptcy lawyers who have a strict dress code. While there is nothing to tell you what to wear, common sense should tell you that you should wear clothing appropriate for attending a meeting or a hearing in a United States Federal Court.

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Your Trustee Runs The Meeting

Before the 341 Meeting, the bankruptcy Trustee who was appointed to your case by the Bankruptcy Court will review your documents and prepare any secondary questions. At the meeting, he or she will run the meeting.

The Trustee will record the meeting, introduce you and verify your identity, and ask questions. The Trustee will also determine what questions you may be asked by any creditors who appear for the meeting of creditors.

What Does Conservative Dress Mean For Men

Men dont have to break the bank for a brand new suit when they make appearances in court. While a suit and tie are the best choices, they arent the only choices. Men also have the option to wear business casual.

When making an appearance in court, men should wear

• Slacks
• White or solid color button-up shirt
• Hair styled in a well-groomed, neat manner
• Limit jewelry to one ring and a modest watch

Men appearing before a judge should avoid:

• Short-sleeved shirts
• Sneakers
• Flip flops or slides

Neither men nor women should show up to court looking disheveled. Its important to remember that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. If youre unsure about what to wear to court, consult with your attorney.

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