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Bankruptcy

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A bankruptcy trustee is a person or entity who is independent of the bankruptcy court and is appointed to oversee your bankruptcy case. A bankruptcy trustee is appointed in most every case—except in Chapter 11 reorganizations and Chapter 9 municipality cases. The bankruptcy trustee is responsible for reviewing your bankruptcy forms, investigating and verifying your financial information, and making sure your bankruptcy filing is not fraudulent.

In Washington state, as in the rest of the United States, a bankruptcy trustee plays a crucial role in the bankruptcy process. The trustee is an independent administrator appointed by the bankruptcy court to oversee the case. Their duties include reviewing the debtor's bankruptcy forms, investigating the financial information provided, and ensuring that the bankruptcy filing is legitimate and free of fraud. The trustee also manages the sale of the debtor's non-exempt assets and distributes the proceeds to creditors. While trustees are involved in most bankruptcy cases, including those filed under Chapter 7 and Chapter 13, they are not typically appointed in Chapter 11 reorganizations, which are handled by the debtor-in-possession, or in Chapter 9 municipality cases. The appointment and actions of bankruptcy trustees in Washington are governed by federal bankruptcy law, as bankruptcy is a federal legal process, although state law can influence what property is exempt from sale by the trustee.

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Bankruptcy

trustee

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Washington State Code

Washington State Code

Bankruptcy

trustee

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