Bloomington Illinois Bankruptcy: November 2011

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

New Bankruptcy Filing Fees for Bloomington Illinois

New Bankruptcy Filing Fees - effective November 1, 2011

Chapter	Total Fees Collected at Time of Filing
7	$306
9	$1046
11	$1046
12	$246
13	$281
15	$1046

Luckily for most filers, the total increase in basic filing fees is not drastic; however, some critics of the bankruptcy system have complained that the fees were already prohibitively high for individuals truly struggling to make ends meet.

Other Bankruptcy-Related Fee Increases

In addition to the basic filing fee increases, the Judicial Conference also hiked fees associated with other parts of the bankruptcy process. The services whose fees have been altered include:

Certification: Formerly $9, now $11;
Exemplification: Formerly $18, now $21;
Audio Recording: Formerly $26, now $30;
Amended Bankruptcy Schedules: Formerly $26, now $30;
Record Search: Formerly $26, now $30;
Adversary Proceeding Fee: Formerly $250, now $293;
Document Filing/Indexing: Formerly $39, now $46;
Title 11 Administrative Fee: Formerly $39, now $46;
Record Retrieval Fee: Formerly $45, now $53;
Returned Check Fee: Formerly $45, now $53;
Notice of Appeal Fee: Formerly $250, now $293; and
Lift/Stay Fee: Formerly $150, now $176.

Which Fees Apply to My Case?

Because no two bankruptcy cases are exactly alike, it's not easy to determine which of the fees listed might affect your bankruptcy case. As a bankruptcy lawyer can explain to you, the complexity and intricacy of your bankruptcy filing can affect the duration and costs of the case, which is affected not only by bankruptcy court fees but often by certain legal fees as well.

One way to keep bankruptcy fees to a minimum is to pay careful attention to the advice you receive from your lawyer. A lawyer may guide filers on what paperwork to prepare, how to complete bankruptcy forms, and otherwise how to proceed with a case.

Taking note of the rules and regulations that govern bankruptcy court early on in the proceedings may prevent you (and the bankruptcy judge, your trustee, or creditors) from having to return to the bankruptcy case to investigate or contest part of the information.

If you are truly unable to afford the fees associated with filing for bankruptcy, you may qualify for a bankruptcy fee waiver, about which a bankruptcy lawyer can tell you more.

--
Jon D. McLaughlin

Bloomington Illinois Bankruptcy
(309) 319-6206

Bloomington Bankruptcy Law

I grew up in Provo, Utah, but moved to Oklahoma in order to finish my bachelor’s degree in philosophy and ancient greek at Oklahoma State University. I then attended law school at the University of Illinois. While in law school, I was an Associate Editor of a journal published by the university. Also during this time, I worked for law firms in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Indianapolis, Indiana, and for the Honorable Joe McDade (a Federal Judge, sitting in Peoria).

While still in law school, the Illinois Supreme Court allowed me to practice law and represent clients under Rule 711. This allowed me to gain valuable experience, early on, that has served me well in my subsequent practice.

After law school, I moved to Bloomington, Illinois, and have been practicing law here since that time. While I have handled business transactions and litigation in the past, some involving more than $10,000,000, I now limit my practice to family law matters. I handle divorce, custody, child support, visitation, and other matters that require the court’s attention. I have had much success in getting my clients promising results because of my firm and aggressive approach.

I am a certified Guardian ad Litem, which means that the courts appoint me to investigate child custody, visitation, and other matters. These appointments have helped me become a better advocate for children and to toughen my position in fighting for my clients.

I am a member of the Mediation Council of Illinois. Due to my experience in the area, I am able to advise my clients as to how they can achieve the best results in mediation. In the Eleventh Circuit, mediation is mandatory in visitation and custody disputes. Therefore, it is important to be well-advised when participating in mediation and negotiating a possible resolution to your case.

The majority of my cases are tried in McLean County; however, I also practice in other surrounding counties.

Associations and Memberships: McLean County Bar Association (Treasurer, 2009-2010); ABC Counseling (Board of Directors, 2009-Present); Illinois State Bar Association.

Publications: Mandatory Arbitration Clauses in Employee Manuals, 44 Lab. & Emp. L. (Ill. Bar Assoc., Springfield, Illinois), December 2006; Extinguishing Pension Plans by Partial Termination & Aggregation, U. Ill. J. Bus. L. Soc’y (Feb. 1, 2007); What Relevance Does The ADA Have To HIPAA-Regulated “Bona Fide Wellness Programs”?, U. Ill. J. Bus. L. Soc’y (Feb. 10, 2007); Damages in Delayed Construction Claims, 36 Colo. Law. 17 (March 2007); Disciplining Attorneys and Other FSLA-Exempt Employees for Attendance Problems, Ill. Bar J. (Nov. 2007); Using Altman's Z-Score to Synchronize the Watches of Courts, Directors, Creditors, and Shareholders, 31 Hamline L. Rev (August 2008). Asked and Answered: Will I Lose my Stepchildren?, Ill. Bar J. (Jan. 2009).

Presentations: Surviving Divorce: Financial Implications, Money Smart Week (Illinois) (Bloomington, Illinois, April 8 and 9, 2008); Will Your Loved Ones Be Left Out, Financial and Legal Challenges Faced by the LGBT Community (Bloomington, Illinois, September 25 and 27, 2008).

I am married and have two energetic and beautiful daughters.