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FAQs
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May I contact the Judge directly?
NO. To ensure fairness and equal treatment for all parties in a case, ethics rules specifically prohibit a judge from communicating directly to parties in a case outside of court, with a few limited exceptions. If you want to speak or provide information about your case to the judge, you should NOT contact the judge directly. You must file a legal document or motion with the clerk’s office and request a court hearing. Note that you may be required to pay a filing fee.
If you attempt to contact the judge or the judge’s chambers by phone, letter, or email outside of a court hearing, the judge will NOT review or respond to your communication. Instead, the judge will forward your documents to the clerk’s office with instructions to return the documents to you. This could result in important information about your case not being heard or not being placed into the official court record. At times, the clerk’s office may file the documents publicly into the official court record, if the documents were mistakenly sent to the judge instead of the clerk’s office. However, to ensure the court reviews important information about your case, you must file your documents or written request for a hearing before the judge with the clerk’s office so that the matter can be filed into the official court record.
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What are the differences among Chapters 7, 11, & 13?
Information on the differences among the chapters of bankruptcy as well as other information is available at https://www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/bankruptcy/bankruptcy-basics.
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Where are the forms to file bankruptcy?
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How do I file for bankruptcy without an attorney?
Information is available on the “Don’t Have an Attorney” section of the Court’s website here.
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Where can I get free legal advice/assistance filing my bankruptcy?
Information on legal assistance is available on the Court’s website here.
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How do I find an approved Credit Counseling or Financial Management provider?
Information on approved credit counseling providers and approved financial management/debtor education providers is available on the Court’s website here.
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What is a 341 Meeting/Meeting of Creditors?
The Meeting of Creditors, also called a 341 Meeting, is a meeting that a debtor is required to attend after filing for bankruptcy. The Meeting of Creditors is not a court hearing, but rather a chance for the trustee overseeing your bankruptcy case, as well as any creditors who wish to attend, to ask you questions regarding your financial affairs and property. Although there will be no judge present during the Meeting of Creditors, you will be under oath as you answer questions regarding your financial situation.
More information on 341 Meetings is available on the Court’s website here.
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How can I contact the Chapter 13 Trustee?
Shreveport Chapter 13 Trustee – Todd Johns
Alexandria Chapter 13 Trustee – Jon C. Thornburg
Lafayette and Lake Charles Chapter 13 Trustee – Keith A. Rodriguez
Monroe Chapter 13 Trustee – Eugene HastingsA link to each trustee’s contact information is available on the court’s website here.
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How much do I owe on my Chapter 13 Plan payments?
The clerk's office is unable to give you this information. You will need to contact the Trustee for your case. The Chapter 13 Trustee's office handles all the Chapter 13 Plan Payments. Contact information for the Chapter 13 Trustees is available on the Court’s website here.
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What's the remaining balance on my Child Support payments that I will receive?
The clerk's office is unable to give you this information.
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How can I get a copy of my discharge order?
Contact the Clerk’s office. Contact information is available here.
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I have completed my bankruptcy. When will I receive a discharge?
Chapter 7: Generally, in a Chapter 7 case, a debtor's discharge is entered between 90 to 120 days after the case was filed provided no objections to discharge are filed. The entry of a discharge may take longer if the discharge is objected to by the case trustee or a creditor. More information on the timeline of a Chapter 7 case is available here.
Chapter 13: In a Chapter 13 case, a discharge is entered after the successful completion of the Chapter 13 Plan. More information on the timeline of a Chapter 13 case is available here.
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How can I obtain copies of my bankruptcy record?
To obtain copies of bankruptcy cases filed after 2000, contact the clerk's office for assistance. Contact information for the clerk’s office is available here.
Any case filed before the year 2000 may not have documents filed electronically. These records are stored with the National Archives and Records Administration. To request copies of court records stored at the National Archives, you will first need to obtain Federal Records Center (FRC) information from the clerk's office. The National Archives will not be able to locate the requested case files without the following information: transfer (accession) number, location number, box number, case name and case number.
Once you have that information, please follow the instructions provided by the National Archives.