There are strong debates as to the necessity of lawyers in bankruptcy cases but according to most it is necessary to hire an attorney for Chapter 7. Chapter 7 is unlike Chapter 13 and Chapter 11 because Chapter 7 deals with liquidation of property. It can be a very difficult process. There are so many legal technicalities that you want a lawyer on your side to make sure they know all of the loop holes and technicalities that can happen during a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case.
If you choose to file Chapter 7 then your attorney will tell you if you have made the right choice and he will let you know if you are eligible for Chapter 7, once it is deemed that you are, then this is basically what happens, your lawyer will have you make a list of the debts that you have, to get a more accurate picture of what you really owe, call the credit reporting agency then get a free credit report that will have up to date status on your credit. There will be a lot of paperwork but it comes with the territory.
Then you will sign the papers your lawyer has drawn up condensing why you need to declare Chapter 7 and then he will submit them to the courts. The court will then take a look and make a final decision on whether or not Chapter 7 is for you, you will receive that decision in about 3 to 4 months, and the entire process will take about a year.
Deciding to file bankruptcy should be a last resort, if you can avoid doing so you should. It affects your credit status and it stays there for 10 years, it you can avoid that then you should. Once you file you can’t take it back so make sure that you know what you are doing before you start.
You will need a good lawyer to represent you in a Chapter 7. When you are dealing with property of any kind it is wise to choose a qualified attorney to help you sort out the big mess that you have before you. You want a good lawyer who knows what they are doing and someone who knows the new laws. You also want someone who specializes in this area. Understandably you want a lawyer that you can afford and there are people saying money should not be an issue when it come sot legal help but spending money you don’t have is how you got into trouble to begin with.