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Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases backed up in court

by | Dec 4, 2012 | Chapter 13, Firm News

All over the country and right here in Tennessee, bankruptcy filings are down. While these filings are down, the courts are still facing a backlog of bankruptcy cases.

Around the country, courts are facing a backlog of Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases. While the number of cases filed continues to drop, courts are struggling to catch up. The longer that a case takes, the longer a person stays in debt before he or she can get some relief from their bankruptcy filing. The courts are backed up because of the previously high numbers of filings and court budget cuts. Given the economic challenges that the government has been facing, courts have been forced to cut the number of staff that they have, making it difficult for judges to get through all the cases.

While experts see the decline in the number of cases being filed as a good thing, they fear that the backlog will have an impact on those declaring bankruptcy. Experts also fear that bankruptcy filings will go back up.

For those who are facing serious financial problems, bankruptcy often provides a good way out. A person can file for bankruptcy as a way to have certain qualified debts discharged. It also provides the debtor with a way to restructure his or her life and work with creditors to come up with an appropriate plan. It is important to note that student loan debt is not discharged in bankruptcy.

An attorney can also assist consumers with bankruptcy and assessing all of their options. Attorneys can help to guide debtors through the bankruptcy process, which can be lengthy and complicated.

Source: tampabay.com, “Backlog of bankruptcy cases persists despite drop in filings,” Jeff Harrington, Nov. 24, 2012