Typically, most bankruptcy cases begin with a phone call to our office: 406-761-3636. Tanya will then schedule a one hour office visit for potential clients to determine whether a bankruptcy proceeding would be a good idea in their specific case. For out-of-town clients, this part of the process can be completed by phone. Typically, this initial consultation can be scheduled within one week of the phone call. At this stage, no attorney fees need to be paid and no documents need to be provided.
If a bankruptcy case is indicated during the initial consultation, the attorney will advise the client as to:
- The pros and cons of filing;
- An overview of the documents the client needs to provide to the attorney;
- An anticipated time frame for the filing and completion of the case;
- An overview of what the attorney will do on behalf of the client in the preparation and prosecution of the bankruptcy case;
- An overview of the client’s responsibilities prior to and during the prosecution of the case;
- The anticipated attorney and court filing fees and, if needed, a plan for payment of those fees
At this stage, many bankruptcy attorneys will send the client home with a 30 to 50 page questionnaire to be filled out. It usually requires hours to complete the typical questionnaire. This office operates differently. We fill in your bankruptcy Schedules and Statement based on your documents and your answers to questions. In fact, this office will do as much work as can be done in the preparation on a bankruptcy case. Historically, this office has provided support for former clients years after the case has been filed.
Finally, clients need to realize that bankruptcy does not represent a personal failure. More often than not, people are forced into a bankruptcy due to economic forces beyond their control.