The United States Bankruptcy Trustee appoints an interim trustee upon the filing of a chapter 7 case. Unless the creditors exercise their right to elect a different permanent trustee at the Section 341(a) meeting of creditors, the interim trustee automatically becomes the permanent trustee. Then the permanent trustee serves as trustee until the case is closed.

You generally can not request a different trustee—except in the rare situation in which you have a previous relationship with the trustee that the bankruptcy court would recognize as a disqualifying conflict of interest.

In Washington state, as in the rest of the United States, when a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case is filed, the U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee program, which is part of the Department of Justice, appoints an interim trustee to administer the case. This interim trustee becomes the permanent trustee unless the creditors decide to elect a different trustee during the 341(a) meeting of creditors, which is a mandatory meeting where creditors can question the debtor about their finances and the bankruptcy petition. The trustee's role is to liquidate any non-exempt assets, distribute the proceeds to creditors, and ensure the bankruptcy process is administered fairly. A debtor typically does not have the option to request a different trustee. However, if there is a conflict of interest, such as a prior relationship between the debtor and the trustee that could affect the impartiality of the trustee, the debtor may raise this issue with the bankruptcy court, which has the discretion to determine if a change of trustee is warranted.