Any tips for filing pro se?

[Ms.Santos]

Where do I start? Has anyone successfully done this before? I have a very simple case w/ no assets...

[JollyGG]

I just finished reading your story.
While, many members here have suceesfully filed prose, there are alot of factors to your case.
I would recomemd at least meeting with 3 or 4 bankruptcy attourneys before going it alone. Find out what some of the pitfalls in your case our, learn about how the BK code is applied in your are, and find out what the local BK lawyers charge, and what sort of arrangements they are willing to make for payment. Then you can make an informed decision as to weather or not pro se is right for you.
Look around this site there are a few books that are highly recomended for trying to determine is pro se is a something you can do or not.

For the time being, you can stop paying a few of the creditors. Keep current on your rent, utilities, car (hopefully something can be worked out, talk to your sister about your situation), and student loans. Just let everything else go. Get an answering machine and start screening your calls. Don't answer unless it is someone you want to talk to.

[freshstart06]

Welcome to the board. Take it from a pro se filer, not all of us can afford attorney. However, you can get free consultants up to a point but the the info is limited before they start to ask for money and some lawyers may ask you to file chapter 13 when you actually qualify for chpt 7.

Here are a few things you can do if you really just can't afford an attorney:

You can sign up with one of those prepaid legal firms, they have BK attorneys that can answer all your legal questions and review your documents. They usually only allow 10 faxes a day but I know most will allow you to fax more for their review. There is no limit to have often you call or how long you stay on the phone, they are very helpful.

order the book NOLO, it will be your BK bible.

Learn all you can, do a search for pro se, self filing, etc on this board, yahoo boards, yahoo answers, any other places you can think of. yahoo has a Pro-se filer group.

Make sure you do your credit counseling class before you file, not after or the same. It has to be before, this will get your case dismissed.

If can afford a $200 dollars see if you can find a paralegal that prepares BK, this will help a lot. Some courts have lawyers on board that will offer free advice on completing your BK paperwork, that have that here in my county.

DO NOT ALLOW ANYONE TO JUDGE YOU BECAUSE YOU CAN'T AFFORD A LAWYER... Never feel bad about this, it is bad enough you have to do it on your own. The key is it can be done successfully as long as you educate yourself, heck even lawyers mess up cases (when time allows you can read about that on this board) so either you file pro se or with a lawyer you must educate yourself or you can get screwed.

I will PM you some info a little later that will help you. I do feel you may need legal advice for the cosigner issue so you may want to consider the prepaid legal BK lawyer, it is only $20 sign up fee. I will pm you info.

[Ms.Santos]

Thank you so much! I would really appreciate those PMs... I am going to talk to a few attorneys in free consultations, but I am going to try my hardest to beat this by myself... unless I can find a decent payment plan.

[Bryan16]

See if you can find an attorney who will just do the paperwork for you without representing you in court. That is exactly what I did. Everything was done via mail and she even submitted my case electronically for me. I saved hundreds and hundreds doing it this way.

[NOMOREBADCREDIT]

See if you can find an attorney who will just do the paperwork for you without representing you in court. That is exactly what I did. Everything was done via mail and she even submitted my case electronically for me. I saved hundreds and hundreds doing it this way.

i did it this way too.