SEATTLE 341 MEETING DOCUMENT PRODUCTION PROCEDURE


* 11 U.S.C. Section 521(e)(2) requires the debtor to provide the trustee with the most recent federal income tax return filed. The sanction for violation of this is dismissal.

*11 U.S.C. Section 521(a)(1)(iv) requires the debtor to provide copies of payment advices or other evidence of all payments received for employment within 60 days of filing.

*Bankruptcy Rule 4002(b)(2)(B) requires the debtor to produce deposit or investment account statements for the month which includes the date of filing. 

*Personal identifiers such as social security numbers and the first names of children need be redacted (blacked out) on all documents provided.

*LBR 4002-1(c) provides that the documents shall be submitted not later than 7 days prior to the first creditors’ meeting (section 341 hearing). The documents shall be: “attached to the debtor’s declaration, signed under penalty of perjury, stating that the documents are true copies of the originals.”

For the bankruptcy practitioner this means:

*Please upload the documents to TrusteSolutions or send the documents to the Chapter 7 trustee’s ecf email address as shown on the court case docket.

*If sent by email, the reference line should include the debtor’s last name and case number.  .

*The attachment must be ONE pdf file and should include the debtor's last name and case number (i.e. Smith 10-11111 or 10-11111 Smith).

*Scan all of the documents in the same orientation, that is top up, not sideways.

*Send onlyone file, you must merge the declaration and documents into a single file.

*If you do not have all of the documents, send those you have not later than the 7th day prior to the 341 hearing. If necessary, follow up with the remaining documents asap, as your 341 hearing is subject to a continuance if the trustee does not have the time to review documents provided after 7 days prior to the 341 hearing.

*Attach an additional declaration to authenticate follow up documents.

*Send only legible documents, as the production of illegible documents does not satisfy the requriment to produce documents. Do not reduce documents when scanning.

*11 U.S.C. Section 521(a) provides that: “[t]he debtor shall …(3)…cooperate with the

trustee…” The 341 hearing may be continued by the trustee if the documents are not properly submitted and in extreme cases the court may order the case dismissed or the discharge may be denied. 11U.S.C. Section 727(a)(4)(D).