"I
considered handling the case on my own, but I'm glad I didn't. A
few surprises popped up,
but John handled
them with confidence and ease... Thanks, John, for making this scary
experience
easier. You're the best!"
- L.Q. - North Richland
Hills, Texas
...SEE MORE CLIENT COMMENTS
Filing Bankruptcy Without a Lawyer
THE
LEAST YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FILING
BANKRUPTCY WITHOUT A LAWYER:
- Filing bankruptcy without a lawyer is unwise at best and
disastrous at worst.
- A good lawyer provides more than legal work, they provide peace of
mind.
There are many websites, legal kits, and books that tell you
filing bankruptcy without a lawyer is easy, quick, and inexpensive. They
claim most bankruptcies are "routine" and do not require a lawyer's
expertise to be done properly.
But even "routine" cases are not "easy". Removing your
appendix is a "routine" procedure for a skilled surgeon, but you
shouldn't try doing it yourself at home. What makes many
bankruptcies "routine" is the proper preparation, knowledge, and skill
of an experienced attorney. Good attorneys, much like professional
athletes, make it look easy. The behind-the-scenes preparation and
work needed to get things to go smoothly is not always apparent.
You may be thinking "Well, of course you'd say I need a
lawyer because you're a lawyer!" There's no we're biased in favor
of having using lawyers because we're a law firm. Having said
that, let me say this:
"You need an attorney representing you in your bankruptcy,
EVEN IF IT IS NOT US!"
We would rather see you properly represented by our
competition than see your financial life ruined by improperly
representing yourself in bankruptcy court.
You have the right to represent yourself in your bankruptcy
case, but hiring a competent bankruptcy attorney has many advantages.
If you represent yourself you must prepare your own petition, schedules,
and statements. These documents are commonly 30 to 80 pages long.
You may have to take time off from work and travel to the courthouse and
file your case. You will still have to pay the court filing fee.
You must learn the relevant sections of the Bankruptcy Code, the Federal
Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure, the local Fort Worth bankruptcy rules,
and all the state laws that may affect your bankruptcy case. You will be
held to the same standard as an attorney as there are no separate set of
rules for people representing themselves.
You may also be required to review reaffirmation agreements, send out
notices to all parties entitled to notice in your case, make amendments
to your pleadings, deal with creditors and their attorneys, deal
directly with the trustee, respond to motions made by other attorneys
and creditors, and represent yourself in front of the bankruptcy judge.
Bankruptcy is an extremely complicated area of law and even minor
mistakes can have huge consequences. Hiring an attorney to do your
bankruptcy will save you hours of work and worry. It could also save you
tens-of-thousands of dollars in costly mistakes you might make
representing yourself.
There's an old legal saying: "A lawyer who represents himself has a fool
for a client." Its good advice for lawyers and non-lawyers alike.
