Every bankruptcy case includes one required meeting. It is called the 341 meeting, or the meeting of creditors. For most people, it is the only appointment in the whole case.
It is also the part people fear most. They picture a courtroom, a judge, and hard questions. The real thing looks nothing like that.
There is no judge
The 341 meeting is not a court hearing. No judge attends. A trustee runs it instead.
The trustee is the person assigned to review your case. Before the meeting, the trustee reads your petition and your schedules. The meeting is where the trustee confirms that what you filed is true.
You answer questions under oath. Most questions are simple. Did you read your petition before signing it? Is everything in it accurate? Have you listed all your property and all your debts? Has anything changed since you filed?
Creditors may attend and ask questions too. In most consumer cases, none show up.
You attend by video
In the Western District of Kentucky, the 341 meeting is held by Zoom. You do not drive to the courthouse. You join from home with a camera and a quiet room.
That matters for working people. Someone in Lyndon who works nights at a package hub or a distribution center does not lose a shift to attend. You log in, answer questions, and log off.
Have your photo ID and proof of your Social Security number ready. The trustee checks both at the start.
How long it takes
A routine meeting runs about ten to fifteen minutes. Some finish faster.
Your lawyer attends with you. If you worked with a bankruptcy attorney near Lyndon to prepare the petition, the meeting tends to be short. Complete, accurate paperwork gives the trustee little to ask about. Missing documents and guesswork stretch the meeting out.
The meeting is usually set within a month or two of filing. The court mails a notice with the date, the time, and the video instructions. Keep that notice somewhere safe, because the meeting details live on it.
What can go wrong
Two things cause most 341 problems.
The first is missing documents. Trustees need pay stubs, tax returns, and bank statements before the meeting. Send them late and the trustee may continue the meeting to a new date.
The second is not showing up. Miss the meeting without a good reason and the trustee can ask the court to dismiss the case. That undoes the protection you filed for. If a conflict comes up, tell your lawyer before the date, not after.
A continued meeting is not a disaster. It is a delay. The trustee simply was not satisfied yet, and the meeting picks up again once the missing piece arrives.
What happens after
In a Chapter 7 with no assets to distribute, the 341 meeting is often the last active step. The discharge order usually follows a couple of months later, as the federal courts explain in their Chapter 7 overview.
In a Chapter 13, the meeting comes early in the case, before the court confirms your repayment plan.
Either way, preparation decides how the day goes. Read your petition again before the meeting. Gather the documents your lawyer requests. Test your camera. Then answer honestly.
Getting ready in Lyndon
Nick Thompson prepares every petition personally, which means the person who built your paperwork is the person beside you at the meeting. His office at 800 Stone Creek Parkway sits a short drive from Lyndon, and the first consultation is free.
Questions about your own 341 meeting? Call 502-625-0905 for a free consultation.