Dismissal, Conversion & Closing Of A Bankruptcy Case, What Are The Differences Between Them? | Central District of California (2024)

A) Dismissal vs. Closing of a Bankruptcy Case -- The main differences between dismissal and closing of a bankruptcy case involve discharge, ability to file another bankruptcy case, and the consequences of filing another bankruptcy case.

  1. Dismissal of a Bankruptcy Case – Dismissal ordinarily means that the court stopped all proceedings in the main bankruptcy case AND in all adversary proceedings, and a discharge order was not entered. Dismissal can occur because a debtor requested the dismissal and qualifies for voluntary dismissal. Dismissal can also occur without a debtor's consent if the court orders dismissal on its own, or a trustee or a creditor files a motion to dismiss the bankruptcy case and the court grants the motion. See related FAQs below.
  2. Closing of a Bankruptcy Case – Closing means that all activity in the main bankruptcy case is completed. This means that all motions have already been ruled upon, and if a trustee was appointed, the trustee has filed a statement that all trustee duties have been completed. See related FAQs below.

Closing does not mean that a discharge was entered unless all activities related to determining discharge have been completed.If a bankruptcy case is closed without a discharge because an individual debtor did not timely file a Certificate of Completion of Instructional Course Concerning Personal Financial Management, a debtor must file a Motion to Reopen the Case.

Closing does not necessarily mean that all adversary proceedings are finished. For information about adversary proceedings, see related FAQs below.

B) Conversion to Another Bankruptcy Chapter – Conversion means that the court has approved changing a bankruptcy case from one chapter to another chapter. Conversion may be requested by a debtor, by a trustee or creditor, or be independently ordered by the court. Sometimes conversion is automatically approved, and in other situations it is disallowed or requires a court hearing to approve a motion to convert. In some ways, conversion starts the bankruptcy case over because there are different rights and duties for the debtor and creditors. In other ways, conversion continues activities that are already taking place. It is highly recommended to consult a bankruptcy attorney to discuss a debtor's right to convert to another chapter and the impact of conversion. See related FAQs below.

Dismissal, Conversion & Closing Of A Bankruptcy Case, What Are The Differences Between Them? | Central District of California (2024)

FAQs

Dismissal, Conversion & Closing Of A Bankruptcy Case, What Are The Differences Between Them? | Central District of California? ›

Closing of a Bankruptcy Case -- The main differences between dismissal and closing of a bankruptcy case involve discharge, ability to file another bankruptcy case, and the consequences of filing another bankruptcy case.

Which of the following is a cause for dismissal or conversion of a Chapter 13 case? ›

Early on, Chapter 13 and Chapter 7 cases may be dismissed for similar reasons, almost all of them procedural: Failure to pay the court filing fee; improper preparation for, or failure to attend, the meeting of creditors; failure to attend the required financial management course; failure to file all required bankruptcy ...

What are the two situations in which a court might dismiss a Chapter 7 filing? ›

The court may deny a chapter 7 discharge for any of the reasons described in section 727(a) of the Bankruptcy Code, including failure to provide requested tax documents; failure to complete a course on personal financial management; transfer or concealment of property with intent to hinder, delay, or defraud creditors; ...

Is a bankruptcy discharge the same as a case closed? ›

A discharge in bankruptcy eliminates a debtor's legal obligation to pay debts that are discharged. The granting of a discharge (1) is not a dismissal of the case, (2) does not determine how much money, if any, the trustee will pay to creditors, and (3) does not always automatically result in the closing of a case.

Can you negotiate with creditors after Chapter 13 dismissal? ›

Experiencing a bankruptcy dismissal can be an overwhelming experience, especially when creditors start reaching out to you for payment. One way to handle this is through debt settlement. Debt settlement is negotiating with creditors to reorganize the debt by agreeing on a payment schedule.

What is a dismissal notice? ›

A dismissal letter is formal notice sent to an employee after they've been removed from their position. It outlines the reasons for the dismissal, the essential steps they should take next and what benefits or compensation they can still receive. These are also sometimes called an employee termination letter.

What happens when your Chapter 7 is dismissed? ›

If you had the case dismissed because you do not qualify, typically then you can refile after converting it to Chapter 13 bankruptcy. If your case was dismissed due to a lack of payment or an error, you can still refile later. However, if you tried to defraud the system, you will be barred from refilling.

How soon can you refile a Chapter 7 after dismissal? ›

If the court dismisses your Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy case without prejudice, you can refile your case right away. If the court dismisses your bankruptcy case without prejudice, you can file another bankruptcy case—right away, even.

What happens when a Chapter 11 case is converted to Chapter 7? ›

After qualification of, or assumption of duties by the chapter 7 trustee, any debtor in possession or trustee previously acting in the chapter 11, 12, or 13 case shall, forthwith, unless otherwise ordered, turn over to the chapter 7 trustee all records and property of the estate in the possession or control of the ...

Under what circ*mstances might the court reject a debtor's Chapter 7 plan? ›

Your Debts Aren't Eligible for Discharge Under Chapter 7

For example, debtors generally cannot eliminate the following liabilities through a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing: Unscheduled debts (debts you fail to list on your bankruptcy filing) Debts arising out of a divorce. Debts arising out of a personal injury case.

What is the difference between discharge date and dismissal date bankruptcy? ›

Filers are usually hoping to get a bankruptcy discharge. That's the order that wipes out certain debts and gives you a fresh start. A dismissal is very different. It means your case has been stopped before the court granted a discharge.

What does it mean when a bankruptcy case is closed without discharge? ›

Your case could end without a discharge for various reasons, such as if you forget to file your debtor education certificate or don't complete your Chapter 13 plan payments.

How often are bankruptcies denied? ›

“In my experience, about 15% don't even get approved. From there, they can be dismissed before the process is completed for a lot of reasons.” Why would a Chapter 7 bankruptcy be denied and how can you avoid it? Let's take a look.

What happens to money if Chapter 13 is dismissed? ›

Your trustee will be holding the money and passing it to your creditors. If your trustee holds an amount of money that they are yet to distribute to the creditor at the time of the dismissal, the trustee may return the money to you. However, there is a process the trustee must follow before returning the money.

How many times can you file Chapter 13 after dismissal? ›

You can refile a Chapter 13 at any time as long as you meet the income requirements and were not previously barred by the court (this is very rare).

How long does a Chapter 13 dismissal stay on your credit? ›

How long does a Chapter 13 bankruptcy stay on your credit report? In most cases, a Chapter 13 bankruptcy stays on a credit report for up to seven years after the bankruptcy filing date. Once the seven years have passed, the bankruptcy should come off credit reports automatically.

Why would a Chapter 13 be dismissed? ›

Why Would a Chapter 13 Be Dismissed? Most Chapter 13 cases are dismissed because the debtor fails to make monthly payments. In Chapter 13 bankruptcy, the debtor must pay back some or all of the debts through a repayment plan. If the debtor stops making the plan payments, the court will dismiss the case.

What is conversion to Chapter 13? ›

All debtors acting in good faith have one opportunity to convert their bankruptcy from a Chapter 7 case to a Chapter 13 case. You will need to obtain credit counseling and create a debt repayment plan that allows for the repayment of a substantial amount of your debts.

What is the absolute right to dismiss a Chapter 13 case? ›

Under section 1307(b) of title 11 of the United States Code (the “Bankruptcy Code”), a debtor has an absolute right to dismiss a Chapter 13 bankruptcy case. 1 A bankruptcy case may be voluntarily filed under any chapter so long as the individual is eligible to be a debtor under the chapter selected.

What is the right to dismiss Chapter 13? ›

Chapter 13 – See Bankruptcy Code Section 1307 – A debtor has a right to dismiss its Chapter 13 bankruptcy case if the bankruptcy began as a Chapter 13 case, but the court may place restrictions on a debtor's ability to file a subsequent bankruptcy case.

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