Court & Trustee Information

Believe it or not, we estimate that approximately 95% of the people filing for bankruptcy will not have to go to Court.  However, every person who files a bankruptcy, whether Chapter 7 or 13, MUST attend a meeting with the Trustee, which is also called a 341 Meeting of Creditors.  Throughout your case you will receive notice of various court dates being set, but our firm will either resolve those matters prior to the Court date or will attend Court on your behalf.  However, if you are required to appear in Court, our office will contact you as soon as we determine it is necessary that you appear.

Court Information

Bankruptcy is federal law; and therefore, such cases are filed with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Illinois with courthouses in East St. Louis and Benton, Illinois.  Clink on the link below for map and directions to each courthouse.

If you are going to the East St. Louis Courthouse, when you arrive there are 2 federal buildings on the same side of the street—on the left is the courthouse and on the right is the federal/social security building where the meeting with the Trustee (341 Meeting of Creditors) is held. If you are going to the Benton Courthouse, do not confuse the federal courthouse with the state courthouse located down the road a few blocks. Also, the meeting with the Trustee (341 Meeting of Creditors) is across the street from the Benton federal courthouse.

Trustee Information

A Trustee is assigned to every bankruptcy case that is filed. The United States Trustee Program is a component of the Department of Justice that seeks to promote the efficiency and protect the integrity of the federal bankruptcy system. To further the public interest in the just, speedy and economical resolution of cases filed under the bankruptcy code, the Trustee monitors the conduct of all bankruptcy parties and acts to ensure compliance with applicable laws and procedures. It also identifies and helps investigate bankruptcy fraud and abuse. Below is a list of Trustees, one of which will be assigned to your case. The Trustee will be assigned after your case is filed with the Court; you will receive this information from our office within a week after your case is filed, along with the location and directions to the meeting, date and time. Click these links for a map and directions to your 341 Meeting of Creditors: EAST ST. LOUIS, BENTON and EFFINGHAM.

The 341 Meeting of Creditors is an opportunity for the Trustee or any creditor (although we estimate that 99.99% of the time creditors will never attend the meeting) to ask you questions regarding your case and the documents that we have filed on your behalf with the Court. After your case is filed, we will contact you to prepare you for this meeting ahead of time so that you can feel comfortable and stress-free awaiting your 341 meeting date.

Important Disclaimer: The information discussed above and throughout this website should not be relied upon to make any decisions without first speaking to a bankruptcy attorney. There are many intricate rules of law governing bankruptcy with many exceptions to the general rules that could change the advice given by an attorney based on the differing facts in each person’s special set of circumstances. THEREFORE, it is important to discuss any information contained in this website with one of our attorneys before taking any action or refraining from taking any action.