Your Court Date.

1. •Your first appearance in Court is called the “Creditors Meeting.”  This is when you will be interviewed by the Trustee who is assigned to your case.  In the vast majority of cases, this is the only court appearance you will have to make.  It is called the “Creditors Meeting” because your creditors have the right to come and question you.  Do not fear - creditors almost never come to court.
   

2. •If you are going to the Brooklyn Courthouse, click here for a map.  If you are going to the Central Islip Courthouse, click here for a map.
   

3. •When you come to Court, you must bring your Social Security Card and your drivers license.  If you do not have a drivers license, you must bring some other government-issued identification with your picture, such as a non-drivers license, “green” card, military ID or passport.  If you are missing either of these items, please call me immediately.
   

4. •I strongly recommend against driving to the courthouse in Brooklyn.  There are few places to park, and the ones that are available are very expensive.  The traffic is terrible in downtown Brooklyn.  If you do not want to take the subway, a car service is a good alternative.
   

5. •If you take the subway, you can take the F train to Jay Street, and then walk a couple of blocks to the west.  There is a plaza behind Brooklyn Borough Hall and the Court is in the Old Post Office building at the north end of the plaza.  If  you ask for directions, as where the Old Post Office is.
   

6. •When you enter the courthouse, you will have to go through a metal detector and give your cell phone to the marshals for storage while you are in Court.
   

7. •The rooms where you will be examined are on the second floor.  Take the elevators, and coming out of the elevator on the second floor, make two right turns.  You will be looking for room 2579.  I will meet you in room 2579.
   

8. •Please be a few minutes early.  I would like to go over a few things with you to prepare you for your examination.
   

9. •Remember, this examination is not prosecutorial or antagonistic.  The Trustee will have read your papers and will know that, in almost all cases, you will be keeping all of your assets because they are exempt.  However, there are certain questions he must ask, and he will ask them.  Answer truthfully and you will be fine.  If you are unsure or don’t know how to answer, say so.  There is nothing wrong with not knowing the answer.
   

10. •If there is anything in your case that might be a problem, you and I will have discussed it before the Court date.
    

11. •In almost all cases, the Trustee will “close” the meeting.  This means he has no further concerns about your case.  Once  you are finished being questioned, you can go home.  If you want to talk to me before you go home, wait for me in the hallway.  When I am done with all of my cases, I will come out and answer any questions you may have.