Early in every chapter 7 and chapter 13 case is the 341 Meeting of Creditors in Denver Bankruptcy Court. (The address is: 721 19th St., Denver, CO 80202 in the U.S. Custom House at the intersection of 19th St. and California.) The 341 Meeting of Creditors is typically scheduled for about four to five weeks after the bankruptcy petition is filed. In the meantime, once a case is filed, not too much happens before the 341 Meeting of Creditors.
My clients are quite surprised to learn that the 341 Meeting of Creditors is fairly informal. Creditors such as mortgage lenders or credit card company representatives almost never appear (absent an allegation of serious fraud). The only creditors who ever appear are ex-business partners or an ex-spouse but this is still rare.
Most of the clients are typically nervous about the 341 Meeting of Creditors and believe they will be yelled at because of their debts. The fact is that no bankruptcy judge is present and the trustee present asks very basic questions about a debtor’s assets and liabilities, and income and expenses. Each hearing usually takes 5-10 minutes.
I am an experienced Denver bankruptcy lawyer and will help you navigate through the bankruptcy process, including preparing for the 341 Meeting of Creditors in Colorado Bankruptcy Court. I will file a well prepared bankruptcy petition and accompanying schedules, and I will answer any potential questions you have in order to eliminate surprises.
A good rule of thumb is to arrive about 15 minutes early so that we can go over any questions the trustee will likely ask. Viewing any hearings before yours to see how the cases proceed can serve to make you feel more comfortable.
Finally, you will need to bring with you to the 341 Meeting of Creditors the following items: driver’s license, Social Security card, and wage and bank statements for the 3 months preceding the filing of the petition.