A typical Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing runs 40 pages or more. (A good reason why it’s a smart idea to hire an attorney to have it done right). But your signature is only needed in two places!
That is because the bankruptcy courts in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and indeed in the rest of the nation, have adopted an electronic filing system. It doesn’t make bankruptcy court a completely paperless office, but it comes close.
The most important paper you may sign (and I’m talking about actually signing a sheet of paper with pen amd ink) is the Declaration of Electronic Filing. In addition to comfirming that you swear everythin in your papers is the truth, and the whole truth, etc., the declaration admits you to the electronic filing fraterity as well.
With a properly filled out declaration on file, the rest of the signing process uses your “electronic signature.” If your name is Mary Smith, your electronic signature is /s/ Mary Smith. Mine is /s/ Douglas J. Beaton. And so on.
This makes bankruptcy a much more streamlined court system than many others (like divorce court or small claims, for example).
Click here for a link where you can see what the New Hampshire bankruptcy court Declaration of Electronic Filing looks like!
By Doug Beaton