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Pro Se
Filing without an Attorney
Before deciding to file anything with the Court, we first recommend that you review
our "Guidelines & Requirements to Assist
Pro Se Debtors" via this link. It is also available in hard copy format
free of charge from the U.S. Bankruptcy Clerk's office in Pensacola and Tallahassee.
If you wish to retain an attorney, call the Florida
Bar Association Lawyer Referrals: 800-342-8060 (850-561-5600 Tallahassee).
The local library has law books that may be of assistance. All parties must comply
with the Local Bankruptcy Rules for the Northern
District of Florida, the U.S. Bankruptcy
Code and the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy
Procedure. Failure to do so will result in dismissal of the case,
or other sanctions.
Whether you file a chapter 7, 11, 12, or 13 case, you start with the same basic
set of forms (as outlined below). This page does not discuss filing under chapter
11 or 12 because it is uncommon for debtors to file petitions under these chapters
pro se (without an attorney). Additionally, because corporations and partnerships
are required to have an attorney represent them, these entities may not file petitions
pro se.
You may also wish to review the Administrative Office publication
"Bankruptcy Basics". This pamphlet provides basic information to debtors,
creditors, court personnel, the media, and the general public on different aspects
of the federal bankruptcy laws. It also provides individuals who may be considering
bankruptcy with a basic explanation of the different chapters under which a bankruptcy
case may be filed and to answer some of the most commonly asked questions about
the bankruptcy process.
Most of the forms on this page are in fillable PDF format. Adobe Acrobat Reader
is a free software that allows you to view and print PDF files and PDF fill-in forms.
If you wish to download the free Adobe Acrobate Reader, please
click here. In order to save a PDF document with changes, you must purchase
software such as:
Adobe Acrobat which can be found at:
http://www.adobe.com/acrofamily/main.htm
pdfFactory which can be found at:
http://www.fineprint.com/products/pdffactory/index.html
pdf995 which can be found at: http://www.pdf995.com/
In both chapter 7 and chapter 13, the following are required to start the bankruptcy
(minimum filing requirements)
- Voluntary
petition Must be signed by the debtor(s). Pro se debtors must include a day
time phone number with area code.
- Filing fee,
The US Bankruptcy Court accepts cash (must be exact change), money orders or cashier's
checks. Personal checks from the debtor, two-party checks, and post-dated checks
will not be accepted. Make all fees payable to U.S. Bankruptcy Court. If you are
unable to pay the full fee at the time of filing, you will need to file an
application to pay filing fees in installments. If you are an individual
filing under Chapter 7 with income less than 150% of the official poverty line and
you are unable to pay the filing fee in full or in installments, you may file a
fee waiver application. See also,
Qualifying for a fee waiver. Poverty
Guidelines.
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Creditor Matrix A diskette containing the names and addresses of all creditors
is preferred, however you may submit it in paper form.
- Statement of Social Security
Number(s) (Form B21) signed by debtor(s).
- Certificate of credit counseling
and debt repayment plan if any (please refer to the
Guidelines and Requirements to Assist Pro Se Debtors before filing this
certificate)
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Form 19B - Notice to debtor by bankruptcy petition preparer (if applicable)
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Form B280 - Statement disclosing compensation paid or to be paid to a bankruptcy
petition preparer (if applicable)
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Debtor(s) Statement of Assistance - This Local Form must be completed and filed
by all pro se debtors.
- Form B201 - Notice
to Individual Consumer Debtor
Where do I file
my case?
The following schedules and statements must be filed with the voluntary petition,
or no later than 15 calendar days after filing the voluntary petition
Click here for more information on the requirements
of the Office of the U.S. Trustee
341 notice and deadlines - Notice of bankruptcy
case filing, meeting of creditors, & deadlines will be sent to the
debtor and all creditors listed on the matrix within 7 to 10 business days. Pro
se debtors should also be familiar with Bankruptcy Code
ยง521 and Rule
4002 of the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure.
- Due 7 days before the date set for the Section 341 meeting of creditors: Provide
the trustee with a copy of the Federal income tax return (or transcript
of return) for the most recent tax year ending before filing.
Tax return privacy information
The following statement must be filed with the voluntary petition, or no later than
30 calendar days after filing the voluntary petition
Due before the discharge is granted
The information contained on this page is intended to assist with frequently
asked questions from Pro Se debtors and is not to be interpreted as legal advice
or serve as a complete guide as to what is required to be filed, provided, or completed
in your case. This information is subject to change without notice. (Revised 5/16/2006)
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Office Information
Tallahassee Courthouse
110 E. Park Ave., Suite 100
Tallahassee, FL 32301
Phone: (850) 521-5001
Phone: (866) 639-4615
Office Hours: 9 AM - 4 PM EST
Pensacola Courthouse
220 W. Garden St., Suite 700
Pensacola, FL 32502
Phone: (866) 639-4615
Office Hours: 9 AM - 4 PM CST
Mailing Address
Tallahassee Courthouse
110 E. Park Ave., Suite 100
Tallahassee, FL 32301
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