What Filing and Representation Means Here
This is about handling your whole case, start to finish. From the first consultation through your discharge, you have a lawyer at every step. We prepare the petition, file it, handle the meeting of creditors, and see the plan through. You are not filling out forms alone.
Filing is the legal act that starts your case and triggers the automatic stay. Representation is everything that comes after, done right and on time. If a creditor breaks the automatic stay, we can ask the court to step in and stop them.
Working Directly With Nick
Nick Thompson prepares every petition with the client himself. Your case is not handed to a paralegal to assemble. That hands-on approach catches problems early, when they are easy to fix.
Nick has practiced law since 1988 and has filed Kentucky bankruptcy cases since 1991. That is 35-plus years of experience, starting in West Virginia and continuing in Kentucky. He also holds U.S. Tax Court License #51. When a case involves taxes, that background gives you an edge most consumer firms cannot offer.
Where and How Your Case Is Filed
Cases are filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The court sits at the Gene Snyder Courthouse in Louisville. Your meeting of creditors, called the 341 meeting, is held by Zoom. The Louisville division runs on Eastern Time.
Knowing the local court and its routine matters. We prepare you for the 341 meeting so you know what to expect before you log on.
What the Automatic Stay Does for You
The moment your case is filed, a shield called the automatic stay goes up. It stops most collection actions cold. Collection calls and letters must stop. A wage garnishment stops. A scheduled foreclosure sale stops. A repossession in progress stops. The stay gives you room to breathe while your case moves forward. For many people, that first quiet week is the first relief they have felt in months.
What Happens at Each Stage of Your Case
Your case follows a clear path. First, we meet and prepare your petition together. Next, we file it with the court, and the automatic stay takes effect. After that comes the 341 meeting of creditors, held by Zoom in this district. The trustee asks a few routine questions about your papers.
In Chapter 7, your discharge usually follows within a few months. In Chapter 13, your plan runs three to five years before discharge. We are with you at each step, not just at the start.
Costs and What to Expect
We talk about cost openly at your free consultation. Every case has a court filing fee set by law. There is also an attorney fee, which depends on the chapter and the work involved. In Chapter 13, much of the attorney fee can be paid through the plan rather than all up front. We also point you to a court-approved credit counseling course, which is required within 180 days before you file. You will know what to expect before you commit to anything.
What Bankruptcy Can and Cannot Erase
Bankruptcy clears many debts, but not all of them. It can wipe out credit cards, medical bills, and most personal loans. It does not erase recent taxes, child support, or most student loans. We go over your specific debts at the consultation. That way you know what filing will fix and what it will not before you decide.
