341 Hearing information

A 341 hearing (officially called the Section 341(a) Meeting of Creditors) is a mandatory meeting with the Asssistant US Trustee where the person(s) filing for Bankruptcy must answer questions under oath about their financial situation.

Key Details

• No Judge Present: Despite being called a "hearing," a bankruptcy judge will not attend or preside over the meeting.

• Conducted by a Trustee: The proceeding is run by the assigned bankruptcy trustee (or a U.S. Trustee representative) rather than a judge.

• Timing: It is typically held 20 to 50 days after the bankruptcy petition is filed.

• Format: Most meetings are short—lasting only 5 to 15 minutes—and are commonly held virtually via Zoom. You will be provided with the Zoom meeting ID and password along with the date and time of the hearing shortly after filing your bankruptcy petition. 

• Documents: Several documents must be provided to the trustee prior to the hearing. Your attorney will discuss this process with you. Despite the language of the notice, please do not contact the trustee directly. This will be handled by your attorney. 

• Under Oath: The debtor testifies under penalty of perjury. An audio recording is made of the session

Understandably, the hearing is often the cause of stress and anxiety, however it is normally a short and painless process.
Below you can watch a video of a simulated 341 Hearing. While now on Zoom rather than being held in a courthouse, it is still fundamentally the same.