Today was the day. I'd give you the nutshell version but it was so brief that there really isn't much to condense.
I arrived an hour and a half early because you just can't count on L.A. traffic to be light at any time of day, especially going into downtown.
I sat around in the waiting room for a while listening to lawyers talk and a little before 1:30, I noticed the lawyer I was supposed to meet (my lawyer sent someone else) talking to his 1:30 session people. When he was done, I introduced myself and asked him if I could go wander around. He told me to go shopping for awhile, so I did some WINDOW shopping and came back about 20 minutes later. I started clocking the rate at which people were exiting the courtroom and it was averaging 4-6 minutes each. I thought that was a good sign.
The lawyer got together with me a few minutes before the 2:30 session and then all the 2:30 people went into the hearing room. He told me I was number 3 on the docket.
The trustee addressed the room and told everyone to have their driver's licenses and social security cards out so they wouldn't be fumbling for them up at the table, and warned everyone that they would be under oath. He also told everyone to turn off cell phones or anything else that would make noise and that there was to be no talking. Violators of these rules, he said, would be asked to leave and come back on October 7th.
He called the first person and then also called my name and told me to wait against the wall. (seems debtor 2 had not shown up). Just as he was about to begin with her he had to admonish the audience because there were some people talking. Idiots. He reminded them that they could very easily be asked to leave.
The trustee spent about five minutes with debtor number one and joked with her a couple of times. Her husband was in the front row and he told her that he could see her husband shaking his head to what she was saying and told him: "it's okay sir, you are not under oath". He excused her and then it was my turn. Below is how it went:
Trustee: Please state your name.
Me: Epiphany Poo
Trustee: Please state your address:
Me: Epiphany Poo Lane, EpiphanyLand, USA
Trustee: Did you read the pamplet that you were given?
Me: Yes
Trustee: Did you read your bankruptcy petition?
Me: Yes
Trustee: Did you sign the petition yourself?
Me: Yes
Trustee: Are these your tax returns?
Me: Yes
Trustee: Is everything in your tax returns true and correct?
Me: Yes
Trustee: What is "insert name of my business "?
Me: A small part time business on eBay.
Trustee: Are all the assets from the business listed in your petition?
Me: Yes
Trustee to lawyer: I have no further interest in these (he handed the tax returns to him). Thank you for redacting the social by the way.
Lawyer: Sure.
Trustee to room: Are there any creditors here for this matter?
Sweet Silence.
Trustee: You are excused. Good Luck to you.
Me: Thank you.
Then the lawyer handed me a copy of my case and my tax returns and wished me luck too. I thanked him and was on my merry way. Was home at 3:12.
Whole thing took less than three minutes. Easy, Breezy, Beautiful.
I just have ONE question for anyone who might know. What was that redacting the social thing about? I have no idea what that means, nor do I care all that much but am curious.
Now, I am going to pour a glass of wine and I bought a big beautiful steak for dinner...it's okay, it was on sale!
ep
I arrived an hour and a half early because you just can't count on L.A. traffic to be light at any time of day, especially going into downtown.
I sat around in the waiting room for a while listening to lawyers talk and a little before 1:30, I noticed the lawyer I was supposed to meet (my lawyer sent someone else) talking to his 1:30 session people. When he was done, I introduced myself and asked him if I could go wander around. He told me to go shopping for awhile, so I did some WINDOW shopping and came back about 20 minutes later. I started clocking the rate at which people were exiting the courtroom and it was averaging 4-6 minutes each. I thought that was a good sign.
The lawyer got together with me a few minutes before the 2:30 session and then all the 2:30 people went into the hearing room. He told me I was number 3 on the docket.
The trustee addressed the room and told everyone to have their driver's licenses and social security cards out so they wouldn't be fumbling for them up at the table, and warned everyone that they would be under oath. He also told everyone to turn off cell phones or anything else that would make noise and that there was to be no talking. Violators of these rules, he said, would be asked to leave and come back on October 7th.
He called the first person and then also called my name and told me to wait against the wall. (seems debtor 2 had not shown up). Just as he was about to begin with her he had to admonish the audience because there were some people talking. Idiots. He reminded them that they could very easily be asked to leave.
The trustee spent about five minutes with debtor number one and joked with her a couple of times. Her husband was in the front row and he told her that he could see her husband shaking his head to what she was saying and told him: "it's okay sir, you are not under oath". He excused her and then it was my turn. Below is how it went:
Trustee: Please state your name.
Me: Epiphany Poo
Trustee: Please state your address:
Me: Epiphany Poo Lane, EpiphanyLand, USA
Trustee: Did you read the pamplet that you were given?
Me: Yes
Trustee: Did you read your bankruptcy petition?
Me: Yes
Trustee: Did you sign the petition yourself?
Me: Yes
Trustee: Are these your tax returns?
Me: Yes
Trustee: Is everything in your tax returns true and correct?
Me: Yes
Trustee: What is "insert name of my business "?
Me: A small part time business on eBay.
Trustee: Are all the assets from the business listed in your petition?
Me: Yes
Trustee to lawyer: I have no further interest in these (he handed the tax returns to him). Thank you for redacting the social by the way.
Lawyer: Sure.
Trustee to room: Are there any creditors here for this matter?
Sweet Silence.
Trustee: You are excused. Good Luck to you.
Me: Thank you.
Then the lawyer handed me a copy of my case and my tax returns and wished me luck too. I thanked him and was on my merry way. Was home at 3:12.
Whole thing took less than three minutes. Easy, Breezy, Beautiful.
I just have ONE question for anyone who might know. What was that redacting the social thing about? I have no idea what that means, nor do I care all that much but am curious.
Now, I am going to pour a glass of wine and I bought a big beautiful steak for dinner...it's okay, it was on sale!
ep
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