Do I have to hire a Bankruptcy Attorney?
Or can I represent myself in Bankruptcy Court?
Simple answer: no you don’t have to hire an attorney and you may represent yourself.
We get this question a lot and we get it…
We know that funds are already tight — that’s why you are considering bankruptcy.
So, do you really need to come up with extra money to hire a Kansas Bankruptcy Attorney or can you go it alone?
Legally, you can file any case you want to on your own — pro se. You act as your own lawyer and you will be treated as one as well.
But when it comes to filing for Bankruptcy — you really do need an experienced Bankruptcy Lawyer on your side, and here’s why:
Bankruptcy is a very complicated area of law. There is a petition, schedules, and related documents that must be filed. Various documents must be provided to the Trustee assigned to the case. There are multiple deadlines that must be honored and additional issues can arise throughout the course of a case. In addition, all of this must be taken care of in compliance with both Federal Law and Local Rules.
A very unfavorable outcome can result for the debtor that wants to represent themselves.
It is not unusual to see the pro se Debtor make it to the 341 Meeting only to find out they are going to have their case continued because they have not provided the correct documents, enough documents, or used the correct exemptions (gulp). Exemptions are a HUGE planning issue in bankruptcy cases, this area alone can save or cost you much more than the price of an experienced lawyer.
In the end, you may have to hire an attorney to pick up the pieces or worse — your case can be dismissed. You have then lost out on the money spent on your filing fee, the time you’ve put in to the case and the time lost moving forward.
Only by hiring a thorough Kansas City Bankruptcy Attorney can one take advantage of all legal remedies available to them. Our attorneys guide clients through the process step by step. There is no reason to go through this difficult time alone.
Our bankruptcy lawyers are here to help people get a fresh start, through competent and timely service.