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If you are thinking personal bankruptcy is a way to go for you, we recommend you to research all the aspects of filing for bankruptcy in Philadelphia before you make your decision final - this will help ensure that your bankruptcy proceeds as smoothly as possible. The article below has been provided by our Philadelphia Bankruptcy Attorney. |
Why can't I use a paralegal or typing service to file for bankruptcy in Philadelphia?
You could - there are lots of paralegals and cut rate typing services in Philadelphia that can prepare your bankruptcy paperwork; but there are some risks. First, it is illegal for someone who is not an attorney to give legal advice regarding personal bankruptcy in Philadelphia. As a result, these typing services will say that “they are only typing what you tell them”.
Also, keep in mind following: the legal phrase for this is “pro per”- which means that you must represent yourself in court. Unfortunately, in many cases you don’t even realize that's the case until the first court hearing. Because you are representing yourself, everything that goes wrong is your fault, and you have to fix it. The typing service or paralegal will not fix it because they are just typing what you tell them; it’s not their problem.
The fact is, most bankruptcy attorneys spend considerable amount of time each week helping people fix problems caused by inexperienced “financial advisers” that often just make matters worse. Remember, there are no minimal requirements to be a “paralegal” or “adviser”.
Most individuals will only file for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy in Philadelphia once in their life. Do you want to risk the handling of this once in a lifetime event on someone who may not have the experience to protect your best interests? Saving a little money now may end up costing you a lot more in the long run, because the fees that an attorney will charge for fixing a case that was not handled properly can be more than what it would have cost for them to handle the case from the beginning!
Most reputable bankruptcy attorneys will offer you a free initial consultation to fully review your specific situation, advise you on your options and the likely success of each option, as well as explain the costs and procedures for each case.
For most people this is money well spent, and that’s why we recommend you contact a Philadelphia bankruptcy attorney today to review your options regarding bankruptcy in Philadelphia and its alternatives.
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