Anyone in Johnson County Kansas that filed?

[getouttathehole]

We are over the median by about 20% but almost pass the means test with no additional expenses added. We have not been to a lawyer yet and from my research have made some mistakes in handling our finances in regards to the bankruptcy.

Anyone in the area have some experiences that they can share or lawyers to recommend (privately)?

Thanks!

[FreshLikeADaisy]

Get, there is a really good piece of advice I can give you: get a PACER account. This will enable you to go online and see local cases. One important thing it will tell you, if you look up cases by attorney, is how many dismissals that attorney has had. There should be very few to none. If you look up an attorney's cases and he has many dismissals, *don't* hire him. Also, if you find an atty you like, you can look up his cases as well. You don't even have to open all the cases; the search page will tell you if it was closed or dismissed, whatever. Just open the ones you like.

The other thing is to look on the net at the various bk blogs and see what attorneys are posting, writing articles, etc. This is a sign of excellence, and it gave me a couple of attorney's names to look up whose cases I ended up using as examples when I filed pro se. I can't afford an atty right now, but if i couldm this told me exactly who I'd hire.

Good luck!!!

PACER: http://pacer.psc.uscourts.gov

[getouttathehole]

Thanks, I did that. In my jurisdiction there were only 33 cases for Chap 7 dismissed in the previous year out of 1889 cases filed. Is that typical? That seems like pretty good odds.

I also found a trustee who is also a bankruptcy lawyer less than a mile from my house so we will make an appointment with him.

[FreshLikeADaisy]

Thanks, I did that. In my jurisdiction there were only 33 cases for Chap 7 dismissed in the previous year out of 1889 cases filed. Is that typical? That seems like pretty good odds.

Those are GREAT odds! I think it helps you're in a rural area without a bunch of bk mills around. Put it this way: one of the bk mill attys I looked up here in NE Florida had that many dismissals *himself* in less than a year.

Good for you for doing your homework!!!! A+ !!!!

Man, I wish I could bottle and sell PACER searches...

I also found a trustee who is also a bankruptcy lawyer less than a mile from my house so we will make an appointment with him.

If you've already looked at his cases and you feel comfortable with him during your visit, he's able to answer your questions and give you the info you need, no reason not to hire him. You've already gotten the best insurance you can get against bad representation: doing your homework and fully understanding the process yourself. Good luck!!!!

[triednotto]

Who not to use

Were in Kansas City MO and I would never recommend our attorneys office--Tracy Robinson.

We have been given ill advice, and every other week are told something different.

The office staff has even refused to let us speak with our attorney or leave a voice message with them! We had to finally threaten to file a complaint and then somehow we were able to speak to our attorney about a Court hearing regarding our home foreclosure!

We have called another attorney to see if we can get him to take over our case. Sad thing is if we do switch--we still have to pay the 3,000 to Robinson.