Modified Forms:
The following Bankruptcy forms were recently revised: Notice of Available Chapters (11/12), Statement of Social Security Number and Statement of Financial Affairs (12/12). However, a large number of petitions are being filed with the “old” forms, causing the clerks office staff to issue many deficiency notices. By submitting the most current forms, you may avoid unnecessary deficiency notices and the potential dismissal of your case.
The revised forms can be downloaded from the Court’s website or contact your Petition Preparation Software to ensure you are provided with the most current update.
Only one preferred mailing address allowed per attorney:
Effective with the revision to Court Manual Section 3.2.(c)(4), only one-mailing address per attorney can be stored in the CM/ECF system at a time. Therefore, the single address currently associated with the attorney’s login will continue to be used by the debtor and Court in all of his or her cases unless the attorney notifies the Court otherwise.
Mandatory Electronic Filing Policy:
Attorneys who manually file papers capable of being filed electronically in five (5) or more bankruptcy cases or adversary proceedings in a single calendar year must thereafter file papers electronically through the court’s Case Management/Electronic Case Files (“CM/ECF”) system. Following this policy may avoid being set for OSC for non compliance.
Petitions Filed as Complete, but Schedules and or Statement are Missing at Time of Filing:
Attorneys are reminded that it is important that all incomplete petitions, where schedules and or statements are missing at the time of filing, be filed directly in the CM/ECF and not through your Petition Preparation Software or Case Upload. The Petition Preparation Software or Case Upload module does not display a pick list for the filer to select the schedules and or statements not included with the filing. This causes extra work for the clerk’s office deadlines and deficiency forms must be created manually.
Avoiding Duplicate Cases:
We are seeing an increase of duplicate cases as a result of the user trying to file subsequent petition documents while using Bankruptcy Petition Preparation Software. Duplicate cases may adversely affect your client’s credit rating, and will require you to pay additional filing fees. You are encouraged to review the instructions for filing the balance of schedules on your Petition Preparation Software prior to submitting the filings.
Financial Management Certification (Official Form 23) and Certificate:
Attorneys representing debtors are reminded that the Financial Management Certification (Official Form 23) and Certificate must be filed within 60 days from the original date set for the 341(a) meeting of creditors. This will prevent the case from being closed without a discharge.
Any questions may be directed to the ECF Help Desk at: ECF_support@cacb.uscourts.gov.
Regards,
ECF Help Desk
(213) 894-2365