I arrived about 30 minutes early for the 341 meeting scheduled at 3:00 PM. The room was already bustling when I went in. Attorneys were running around in all directions gathering up their clients and filling them in on how the meeting would proceed. Since I filed PRO SE, I tried to eavesdrop to pick up some free legal advice, but a really nervous lady on my left kept asking me one question after another; apparently her attorney was late and she was stressing. There was another lawyer sitting at a desk calling people up to sign reaffirmation agreements. I couldn't believe the number of people who were reaffirming unsecured debt. As far as I could tell, there were no creditors present for the meeting.
When things finally got rolling, the attorneys were called in alphabetical order. They went into an adjacent room with their clients to testify before the trustee. It quickly dawned on me that since I was the only one at the meeting who was not represented, I was going to be the very last one called. So, I had to wait over two hours for my turn, but at least I didn't have to testify in front of a bunch of other folks. At the end, it was just me and the trustee in the room.
She was a no-nonsense lady, but very professional and very fair. She took my ID and swore me in. Thankfully, there was no issue with the paperwork in my petition. I was asked the standard questions that everyone on this forum has seen a hundred times. But the trustee seemed mostly concerned about whether or not I had paid anyone for assistance. She questioned me extensively about that, asking whether I had any help filing out the paperwork, where I got the forms, was I sure I hadn't paid anyone to help me, etc. Apparently, they don't have many PRO SE filers in my district.
Before I filed, I had been involved in a civil suit and had a bank account garnished for over $1300. I had been working for weeks to recover that money, and finally did the week before the 341. I thought, since it was unemployment comp, it would be exempt, but the trustee disallowed it and claimed those funds. All of my other exemptions passed.
So all-in-all, not so bad. I lost some cash on hand, but I can squeak by without it. The waiting to be called in was the hardest part of the entire process. My humble advice for anyone attending a 341 is just to be as courteous, honest and upfront with the trustee as possible. And as hard as it is, try to relax. It won't be nearly as tough as you imagine.
When things finally got rolling, the attorneys were called in alphabetical order. They went into an adjacent room with their clients to testify before the trustee. It quickly dawned on me that since I was the only one at the meeting who was not represented, I was going to be the very last one called. So, I had to wait over two hours for my turn, but at least I didn't have to testify in front of a bunch of other folks. At the end, it was just me and the trustee in the room.
She was a no-nonsense lady, but very professional and very fair. She took my ID and swore me in. Thankfully, there was no issue with the paperwork in my petition. I was asked the standard questions that everyone on this forum has seen a hundred times. But the trustee seemed mostly concerned about whether or not I had paid anyone for assistance. She questioned me extensively about that, asking whether I had any help filing out the paperwork, where I got the forms, was I sure I hadn't paid anyone to help me, etc. Apparently, they don't have many PRO SE filers in my district.
Before I filed, I had been involved in a civil suit and had a bank account garnished for over $1300. I had been working for weeks to recover that money, and finally did the week before the 341. I thought, since it was unemployment comp, it would be exempt, but the trustee disallowed it and claimed those funds. All of my other exemptions passed.
So all-in-all, not so bad. I lost some cash on hand, but I can squeak by without it. The waiting to be called in was the hardest part of the entire process. My humble advice for anyone attending a 341 is just to be as courteous, honest and upfront with the trustee as possible. And as hard as it is, try to relax. It won't be nearly as tough as you imagine.
DISCHARGED
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