Structure of Bankruptcy Courts
As part of preparing to file for bankruptcy, understanding the structure of bankruptcy courts is helpful. By appreciating the manner in which bankruptcy courts are structured, you obtain a clearer understanding of how your own case is processed.
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Function
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The U.S. Bankruptcy Courts have limited and exclusive jurisdiction over bankruptcy cases. No other court-state or federal-is vested with authority to hear bankruptcy cases.
Features
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Bankruptcy courts maintain a panel of judges under the direction of a chief judge. Each individual bankruptcy court is able to make its own rules of procedure, provided they do not conflict with the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.
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Size
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There are 94 individual bankruptcy court districts in the United States. Each of these bankruptcy court districts handles thousands of cases each and every year.
Geography
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Each state in the U.S. maintains at least one bankruptcy court district. Colorado is an example of a state with a single bankruptcy court district. Other states, including California, have multiple bankruptcy court districts.
Trustee
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The bankruptcy trustee is an officer found in each individual court. The trustee is responsible for overseeing day to day matters involving debtors, including compliance with court created debtor payment plans.
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References
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