Working With the Bankruptcy Trustee

 

Filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy means that you'll be dealing with a "bankruptcy trustee" who will be assigned to handle your case. The trustee's job is to gather all non-exempt property you own into the "bankruptcy estate" to determine what (if anything) can be sold and the proceeds distributed to your unsecured creditors. In most cases, there's nothing left — "no-asset" cases make up more than 90% of consumer chapter 7 cases — but the trustee will be looking.

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When you file for bankruptcy, a “Trustee” is appointed to your case.

It’s essential to understand the role of the trustee and who they “work” for.

Although the court appoints the trustee, the trustee’s job is to get as much property as possible to be sold and the proceeds distributed equitably to your unsecured creditors, according to “priority” rules — determining who gets paid first — under federal and state law.

Almost all of your dealings with the bankruptcy court will be with the trustee assigned to your administering your case, not the bankruptcy judge.

The bankruptcy judge is only there to rule on disputed legal issues and issue your “discharge” order — the piece of paper that officially cancels your debts upon completing a successful filing — which is the ultimate goal of bankruptcy.

What does the Trustee do in a Chapter 7 case?

Bankruptcy Code § 323 states that the trustee is the representative of the “bankruptcy estate” with the capacity to sue and be sued.

The Bankruptcy Code defines the trustee’s duties and obligations:

  • Section 704 defines the statutory duties of the trustee in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case, and, under § 704, the primary task of the trustee is toreduce to money the property of the estate for which such trustee serves” that is: to “liquidate” the assets and distribute the proceeds to your creditors. (Note this the job in Chapter 7 (“liquidation”) bankruptcy is different than it is in Chapter 13 (“pay over five years”) bankruptcy. 
  • Other relevant duties include ensuring that the debtor performs their intention (regarding secured debts) as specified in § 521(a)(2)(B) (See debtor’s “statement of intention” as provided in Form ____),
  • investigate the financial affairs of the debtor (see, “What is a 341 meeting?”),
  • and “if advisable, oppose the discharge of the debtor.” (see “What kinds of debts can be discharged in bankruptcy?” and “Things that might make your bankruptcy case fail.")

How Are Trustees Paid?

Bankruptcy Code § 326 says that a trustee’s compensation is based upon a percentage of the property of the estate the trustee administers. As a result, a trustee has a financial incentive to maximize the property of the estate. Consequently, discussions or disputes with a Chapter 7 trustee will primarily focus on what is property of the estate.

How Trustees Can Increase the size of the “Bankruptcy Estate.”

The whole point of bankruptcy is ensuring everyone gets their rightful share of the “pie” when there’s not enough pie. Or, to put it a more legal way: to provide an orderly distribution of available assets (“the pie”) to all creditors based on the priority outlined in federal bankruptcy law. 

The trustee’s job is to make that “pie” as large as legally possible. What follows is a list of ways they can try to do that.

Undoing “Preferential Transfers” That You Made Before Filing

One tool the trustee has is the authority to undo any “preferential transfers.” That is, any money or property you transferred to someone else just before (generally up to 180 days before) filing bankruptcy.

Under this power, the trustee will be very interested in undoing any recent repayments of debts you made to your relatives or friends just before you filed for bankruptcy, as these are called a “preference.”

The trustee can reverse these transactions (i.e., claw the money back) and reclaim it for the “bankruptcy estate” because, by repaying these people before just going bankrupt, you have “preferred” some people you owe money to over others -- and bankruptcy does not allow this, because bankruptcy law has strict rules about who gets priority when it comes to claiming any available assets you may have.

Wiping out invalid liens on your property to increase equity to be distributed to creditors

Suppose you own a house with a second mortgage or have several liens on your property. In that case, the trustee may look to “void” some of those liens if doing so will increase your home equity to the point that it is no longer fully protected by applicable homestead exemption laws. 

Who Are the Trustees for Ohio Northern District Bankruptcy Court?

To find the contact information for trustees in your state who handle Chapter 7 cases:

Click here for a list of Chapter 7 trustees for Ohio from the US Department of Justice.

Once you bring up this list, find the Ohio trustees for the Ohio Northern District Bankruptcy Court.

OHIO

 

Note: The individuals listed are private parties, not government employees.

 

 

TRUSTEE(S) COVERING THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO

 

Lisa M. Barbacci
P.O. Box 1299
Medina, OH 44258 -1299
E-mail: barbaccitrustee@gmail.com
Phone: (330) 722-4488
Fax: (330) 723-2959

 

Robert D. Barr
1111 Superior Avenue East
Suite 2500
Cleveland, OH 44114
E-mail: rbarr@koehler.law
Phone: (216)744-2739

 

Brian Alan Bash
1900 E. 9th Street, Suite 3200
Cleveland, OH 44114
E-mail: bbash@bakerlaw.com
Phone: (216)621-0200
Fax: (216) 696-0740

 

Patti M. Baumgartner-Novak
3015 Navarre Ave., Suite 203
Oregon, OH 43616
E-mail: pnovak@bex.net
Phone: (419) 724-2480
Fax: (419) 724-2481

 

Kathryn A. Belfance
One Cascade Plaza, 15th Floor
Akron, OH 44308
E-mail: kb@rlbllp.com
Phone: (330)535-0505
Fax: (330) 256-3695

 

Virgil E. Brown, Jr.
4070 Mayfield Road
Cleveland, OH 44121
E-mail: virgil@vebtrustee.com
Phone: (216) 851-3304
Fax: (216) 851-2900

 

Michael Douglas Buzulencia
150 E. Market Street, Suite 300
Warren, OH 44481
E-mail: buzulenciatrustee@mahoningvalleylaw.com
Phone: (330)392-8551
Fax: (330) 392-7030

 

Thomas E. Cafferty
500 Madison Ave., Suite 320
Toledo, OH 43604
E-mail: tcafferty@bex.net
Phone: (419) 244-0169
Fax: (419) 244-9420

 

Kari Balog Coniglio
200 Public Square, Suite 1400
Cleveland, OH 44114
E-mail: kbconiglio@vorys.com
Phone: (216) 479-6167

 

Harold Allen Corzin
Commonwealth Square
304 N. Cleveland-Massillon Roa
Akron, OH 44333
E-mail: hcorzin@csu-law.com
Phone: (330)670-0770
Fax: (330)670-0297

 

Anthony J. DeGirolamo
3930 Fulton Drive NW, Suite 100B
Canton, OH 44718
E-mail: ajdlaw@sbcglobal.net
Phone: (330) 305-9700
Fax: (330) 305-9713

 

Douglas A. Dymarkowski
1107 Adams Street
Toledo, OH 43604
E-mail: Ch7TrusteeOffice@gmail.com
Phone: (419) 244-8500
Fax: (419) 244-8538

 

Bruce Comly French
P.O. Box 839
Lima, OH 45802 -0839
E-mail: brucecfrench@earthlink.net
Phone: (419)222-9134
Fax: (419) 222-9437

 

Marc Preston Gertz
11 South Forge Street
Akron, OH 44304
E-mail: mpgertz@gertzrosen.com
Phone: (330) 255-0727
Fax: (330) 932-2366

 

Melissa M. Macejko
P. O. Box 256
Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44222
E-mail: akrontr@suharlaw.com
Phone: (330) 744-9007

 

Josiah Locke Mason
153 West Main Street
Ashland, OH 44805

P.O. Box 345
Ashland, OH 44805
E-mail: jlmasontrustee@zoominternet.net
Phone: (419)289-1600
Fax: (419) 281-6530

 

Ericka S. Parker
232 10th Street
Toledo, OH 43604
E-mail: ESPARKER@SBCGLOBAL.NET
Phone: (419)243-0900
Fax: (419) 243-0955

 

Anne C. Silagy
1225 So. Main St.
Suite G
North Canton, OH 44720
E-mail: asilagylawfirm@neo.rr.com
Phone: (330)456-0900
Fax: (330) 456-1981

 

David O. Simon
3659 Green Road, Suite 106
Beachwood, OH 44122 -5715
E-mail: david@simonlpa.com
Phone: (216)621-6201
Fax: (888) 467-4181

 

Sheldon Stein
400 Terminal Tower
50 Public Square
Cleveland, OH 44113
E-mail: ashl@ix.netcom.com
Phone: (216)696-7449
Fax: (216) 696-5329

 

Andrew Walter Suhar
MetroTower, Ste 1101, 11 Federal Plaza C
Youngstown, OH 44503 -1576

P.O. Box 1497
Youngstown, OH 44503 -1576
E-mail: asuhar@suharlaw.com
Phone: (330)744-9007
Fax: (330) 744-5857

 

William L. Swope
610 Tiffin Ave.
Findlay, OH 45840
E-mail: trustee7@sbcglobal.net
Phone: (419)422-0288
Fax: (419)422-4188

 

Alan Jay Treinish
50 Public Square, Suite 3301
Cleveland, OH 44113
E-mail: alan@treinishlpa.com
Phone: (216) 566-7022
Fax: (216) 566-8751

 

Waldemar J. Wojcik
The Leader Building, Suite 211
526 Superior Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44114
E-mail: wwojcik@wojciklpa.com
Phone: (216)241-2628
Fax: (216) 621-0408

 

Richard Glenn Zellers
3810 Starrs Centre Drive
Canfield, OH 44406
E-mail: zellersesq@gmail.com
Phone: (330)702-0780
Fax: (330) 702-0788

 

Julie K. Zurn
388 South Main Street
Suite 500
Akron, OH 44311
E-mail: jzurn@brouse.com
Phone: (330) 535-5711

TRUSTEE(S) COVERING THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO

 

E. Hanlin Bavely
8280 Montgomery Road
Suite 110
Cincinnati, OH 45242
E-mail: ehbavely@zoomtown.com
Phone: (513) 621-6621

 

Amy L. Bostic
1160 Dublin Road, Suite 400
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614)229-4433

 

Christal L. Caudill
3757 Attucks Drive
Powell, OH 43065
E-mail: clcaudill@caudill-law.com
Phone: (614) 389-4940
Fax: (866) 335-5153

 

James A. Coutinho
17 S. High St., Suite 1220
Columbus, OH 43215
E-mail: coutinho@asnalaw.com
Phone: (614) 221-8500
Fax: (614) 221-5988

 

Eileen K. Field
3991 Hamilton-Middletown Road
Suite U
Hamilton, OH 45011
Phone: (513)684-9000

 

Patricia J. Friesinger
33 W. First Street, Suite 200
Dayton, OH 45402
E-mail: friesinger@coollaw.com
Phone: (937) 449-5776

 

Melissa S. Giberson
52 E. Gay Street
Columbus, OH 43215
E-mail: TrusteeGiberson@vorys.com
Phone: (614) 464-3016

 

Eric W. Goering
220 West Third Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone: (513)621-0912

 

Mark Alan Greenberger
7750 Montgomery Road
Suite 205
Cincinnati, OH 45236
Phone: (513)721-5151

 

Clyde C. Hardesty, III
P.O. Box 731
Newark, OH 43058 -0731
E-mail: Trusteeclyde@roadrunner.com
Phone: (740)344-8375

 

George P. Leicht
P.O. Box 602
Batavia, OH 45103
Phone: (513)734-4848

 

William Boyd Logan, Jr.
1160 Dublin Road, Suite 400
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614)229-4449

 

Larry J. McClatchey
65 East State Street, Ste.1800
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614)462-5463

 

Henry Edward Menninger, Jr.
2500 Cincinnati Commerce Center
600 Vine Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone: (513)852-6033

 

David L. Mikel
111 S. Plum St.
Troy, OH 45373
Phone: (937) 339-7181
Fax: (937) 552-4330

 

Richard D. Nelson
250 E. Fifth Street, 12th Floor
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone: (513)333-5255

 

Elliott Polaniecki
9000 Plainfield Road
Cincinnati, OH 45236
Phone: (513)793-5999
Fax: (513)793-4691

 

Matthew Schaeffer
10 West Broad Street, Suite 2100
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 229-3289

 

Norman L. Slutsky
10979 Reed Hartman Highway,
Suite. 212
Cincinnati, OH 45242
E-mail: nslutsky@fuse.net
Phone: (513) 793-5560

 

Dennis E. Stegner
111 East Cecil Street
Springfield, OH 45504
Phone: (937)322-2161

 

Brent A. Stubbins
P.O. Box 488
Zanesville, OH 43702
E-mail: bstubbins@swbwlawfirm.com
Phone: (740) 452-8484
Fax: (740)455-4124

 

Myron N. Terlecky
575 South Third Street
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614)228-6345
Fax: (614)228-6369

 

David M. Whittaker
Two Miranova Place
Suite 700
Columbus, OH 43215
E-mail: dwhittaker@isaacwiles.com
Phone: (614) 340-7431

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Jurisdictional relevance: US

Legal Consumer - Cleveland, OHLaw. The content of this article pertains to all US states and counties.