After you file your Chapter 13 Bankruptcy petition, plan and schedules, you will be required to attend a Zoom meeting of creditors set by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. The meeting is an examination under oath conducted by the Trustee.
The Trustee will place you under oath at the meeting and ask you questions about your plan, schedules, assets, debts and other issues related to your case. Your creditors will have an opportunity to ask you questions about your case and financial affairs. While creditors do not attend these meetings often, please do not be surprised if they do attend.
The Section 341 Meeting of Creditors webpage contains a series of videos designed to help consumer debtors and their attorneys navigate the section 341 meeting of creditors.
Preparing to Participate in the 341 Meeting via Zoom
The debtor and other participants will need an electronic device (computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone) with a microphone, camera, and internet access to participate in the Zoom 341 meeting. For instructions on how to connect to a Zoom 341 meeting, including how to download the Zoom application, how to test and connect to a Zoom meeting, and troubleshooting tips, can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ust/moc. Online tutorials for how to connect to a Zoom meeting are also available by searching “Joining a Zoom Meeting” in Google or other internet search engines. If possible, the debtor should test their electronic device, internet connection, and ability to connect to a Zoom meeting prior to attending the virtual 341 meeting.
Additional Information for Debtors
The debtor should follow specific identification procedures at virtual 341 meetings which include submitting copies of a photo identification and proof of social security number, if one exists, to the trustee in advance of the 341 meeting. If the debtor fails to provide these documents in advance, the trustee will likely adjourn and continue the 341 meeting. These procedures and requirements are discussed below under the section Requirements for Verifying Debtor Identification Documents.
Joining the Zoom 341 Meeting
To join the 341 meeting by video, the debtor and other participants must go to zoom.us/join and enter the Meeting ID and Passcode when prompted. The Meeting ID and Passcode are set out in section 7 of the Notice of Bankruptcy Case (Official Forms 309A, B, C, D, G, H, or I) that is mailed to the debtor and creditors after the filing of the bankruptcy case. This information also can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ust/ust-regions-r18/region-18-section-341-meetings-1. When prompted to enter a name, the debtor and other participants should enter their first and last name so each participant may be identified properly during the 341 meeting. More detailed instructions for joining a Zoom 341 meeting can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ust/moc.
The debtor and other participants should join the 341 meeting 10 minutes before the scheduled start time.
Setting for the Virtual 341 Meeting
All participants, but specifically the debtor who will be providing testimony, should connect to the 341 meeting from a quiet location, free from background noise, distractions, or disruptions, which is appropriate for their participation in a video meeting that is open to the public. Participants should mute their microphones on Zoom and on their devices until their case is called. Audio-only participants should avoid speaker phones unless two or more persons are appearing together from the same device.
The debtor and the debtor’s attorney (if the debtor is represented) should ensure they can both view the video screen and be viewed by the trustee. To replicate an in-person 341 meeting, to provide the proper decorum, and to allow the trustee to perceive the interaction between the debtor and their attorney, the debtor and debtor’s attorney should situate themselves so they both may be clearly viewed on the video screen.
Calling of the Case
Multiple 341 meetings may be scheduled for the same time, and the trustee may conduct periodic “roll calls” to confirm the participants (debtors, creditors, attorneys, etc.) who are present. When participants first connect to the Zoom meeting they also may be placed in a virtual “waiting room” until their case is called. When the case is called, the trustee will commence the 341 meeting, and the participants should unmute their microphones on Zoom and their devices, speak clearly, and ensure their cameras are on and working so the trustee can see them. If the debtor and other participants were placed in a virtual waiting room, the trustee will connect them to the 341 meeting.
Conduct During the Virtual 341 Meeting
The 341 meeting is the official forum where the debtor appears to answer under oath questions from the trustee, creditors, and other parties in interest regarding their bankruptcy case and estate, as required by the bankruptcy code. The trustee will administer the oath, and the 341 meeting is recorded. All participants should present themselves in a professional manner and respect the formality and solemnity of the bankruptcy proceedings in the same manner as if the participants were appearing at an in-person 341 meeting. Meeting participants should be respectful when asking questions of the debtor.
While the debtor is sworn in and testifying: (1) the debtor should be alone unless the debtor is appearing from the same location with their attorney, employees of their attorney, or a co-debtor; (2) the debtor should have readily available a copy of the filed schedules and statement of financial affairs, and any other documents previously requested by and provided to the trustee; (3) the debtor should have their original Identification Documents (see the section Requirements for Verifying Debtor Identification Documents); and (4) the debtor should not communicate with any person regarding the subject of their testimony, by electronic means or otherwise.
If the debtor and their attorney seek to communicate with each other regarding the subject of the debtor’s testimony, either should first openly request a recess by the trustee for this purpose. If the trustee grants this recess request, the debtor and their attorney may privately confer off the record as instructed by the trustee. It is the responsibility of the debtor and their attorney to ensure these private communications are offline, not seen or heard by the trustee or by other attending parties, and not part of the audio recording of the 341 meeting, which is available to the public.
If at any time during a 341 meeting, the Internet connection becomes so poor that the trustee cannot view the debtor or hear and properly record their testimony, the trustee will try to resolve the issue with the assistance of the parties, but the meeting will need to be adjourned and continued if the trustee is unable to resolve the issue. After the trustee determines that the business of the 341 meeting has been completed, the trustee will formally conclude the meeting, and the participants may leave the meeting by disconnecting from the Zoom platform.
Failure to follow the trustee’s virtual 341 meeting protocols may result in the trustee’s adjournment and continuance of the 341 meeting.
Personally Identifiable Information
Participants should avoid disclosing personally identifiable information (PII) during the 341 meeting. If it becomes necessary to share a document on the video screen during the 341 meeting, they must ensure that the document contains no PII prior to sharing it.
Official Recording of the 341 Meeting
The trustee will make an audio recording of the 341 meeting which will constitute the official recording of the 341 meeting. All other recordings, including video or audio recordings of the 341 meeting, are prohibited. No one is permitted to photograph the debtor or any other person attending the virtual 341 meeting.
Zoom Connection Issues
If any party is disconnected before the 341 meeting is concluded, they should reconnect to the Zoom meeting using the same Zoom meeting login information or meeting link to be admitted back into the 341 meeting. If they are unable to reconnect, they should contact the trustee after the meeting.
If the debtor fails to attend the virtual 341 meeting for any reason, including the inability to connect to the Zoom meeting, they should contact the trustee immediately. Failure by the debtor to attend or fully participate in their virtual 341 meeting will be treated in the same manner as a failure to attend an in-person 341 meeting and may result in dismissal of the debtor’s case without further notice.
Adjourned or Continued Meetings
The 341 meeting may be adjourned and continued to a future date and time by announcement by the trustee at the 341 meeting. In such instances, the trustee will announce the new date and time of the continued meeting on the record. Participants should use the same connection information that was contained in the original Notice of Bankruptcy Case to connect to the adjourned and continued meeting, unless the trustee indicates otherwise. In addition, the trustee will file a statement with the bankruptcy court specifying the date and time to which the 341 meeting has been adjourned.
Bankruptcy Documents Account Registration (Pro Se Debtors Only)
The Trustee’s office uses an online service provided by bkdocs.us as a method for pro se filers, (someone who represents himself or herself without an attorney) to securely upload ID verification documents to the Trustee. If you are represented by an attorney, you must provide your documents to your attorney and not the Trustee. The instructions below only apply to debtors that are not represented by an attorney.
Register for a filer account at bkdocs.us by visiting:
https://www.bkdocs.us/account-register.html
- Enter your email address and click Register.
- You will receive an email at the address provided which you will use to finish setting up your account.
- On the Registration Details page, please complete the form as follows:
- Account Type: Debtor
- Enter your First Name, Last Name and Address as it appears on your petition. Please complete any other required fields.
- Enter a password and click Update.
- You will then be prompted to Request Trustee Access. Please click Request Trustee Access.
After clicking Request Trustee Access, you will be presented with a long list of Trustees. Please Scroll down and find Jason Wilson-Aguilar and click Request.
You must wait for the Trustee’s office to review your request, which may take up to 1 business day. Once approved, you will receive an email from bkdocs.us informing you that your account has been approved. You will not be able to upload documents until you have been notified that your account has been approved.
Bankruptcy Documents Uploading Documents (Pro Se Debtors Only)
Once you have received notification that your account has been approved by the Trustee’s office, you may upload documents to the Trustee.
Note: You will need to have your 341 Documents already scanned and saved on your computer in a PDF format to complete these steps.
Login to bkdocs.us by visiting:
https://www.bkdocs.us/login.php
- Click Document Upload on the left menu.
- Step 1: Choose your Trustee. Select Jason Wilson-Aguilar.
- Step 2: Click Browse or Drag & Drop your File(s) to upload PDF(s) of your required documents.
- Step 3: Identify your file(s). Enter your 7-digit Chapter 13 case number which you received when you filed your petition. Do not enter the trailing 3-digit judge initials. Example: 21-12345.
- Your name should appear above the case number section if your case was found.
- For the document type, click the drop down and choose the appropriate type.
- If you are uploading identity verification documents for your 341 meeting of creditors, choose Debtor ID/SSN Verification [3393]
- If you are uploading income tax return documents, choose Tax Returns [1028]
Review and check the box once you accept the disclaimer and click Send Files.
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