BANKRUPTCY MEETING OF CREDITORS

The bankruptcy code requires that a Trustee appointed by the US Trustee’s office conduct a meeting of creditors. In a simple Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 meeting of creditors, typically no creditors appear. Business bankruptcies are more likely to have creditors appear. At the meeting, the trustee will ask the debtors questions under oath about their assets, liabilities, income and expenses. Your attorney will be there with you and generally will review your case with you prior to the meeting. A debtor may plead the fifth to avoid testifying about a pending criminal matter but the failure to testify could prevent the debtor from receiving a discharge. Section 344 of the Bankruptcy Code provides that a person required to testify can seek immunity, although whether it would be granted would be decided on a case by case basis.