GLOSSARY
Glossary of Terms
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A Rule 2004 Examination allows parties involved in a bankruptcy case to gather information from a Debtor or other parties. While similar to the discovery process in civil litigation, the scope of a Rule 2004 Exam is quite broad, allowing the examining party to inquire into the acts, conduct, property, liabilities, and financial condition of the Debtor, or any matter that may affect the administration of the Estate, or the Debtor’s right to a Discharge.
The 341 Meeting, also known as the “Meeting of the Creditors,” is a mandatory meeting in a bankruptcy case where the Debtor is required to appear and answer questions under oath. Other parties that are present include the Trustees, Creditors creditors and attorneys of the parties. The primary purpose is for the Trustee to verify the Debtor’s financial situation.
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The federal law governing bankruptcy cases arising from Title 11 of the United States Code.
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Exemptions in bankruptcy refer to the Debtor’s ability to protect certain property or possessions, or a portion thereof, that are protected from seizure or Liquidation by the bankruptcy Trustee, allowing individuals to retain essential items needed to support themselves after filing and/or a portion of equity in certain Assets. These Exemptions vary by state but commonly include protections for a primary residence (Homestead Exemption), personal property like clothing and household goods, motor vehicles, retirement accounts, tools of the trade, public benefits, and certain types of personal injury awards.
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The Homestead Exemption is a legal provision in most exemption statutes that protects the equity in a Debtor’s primary residence from being seized and sold to pay off Creditors in bankruptcy. The amount of protection varies by state.
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- Perfection refers to the legal process that a Secured Claim uses to establish and protect their priority interest in a Debtor’s Collateral. The goal of Perfection is to put the world on notice that there is a Claim against a specific piece of the Debtor’s property. The method of Perfection varies depending on the type of Collateral but may include filing a public notice or taking possession or control of the Collateral.
- Perfection of a Security Interest is important because if there are multiple Claims secured by the same Collateral, the priority of Claims in a bankruptcy is usually determined by who properly perfected their Security Interest first.