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The court provides any interested person free forms, schedules, and
instructions for filing bankruptcy. An attorney is not required. Debtors
who represent themselves are known as pro se debtors, and are
nevertheless responsible for all aspects of legal compliance as if
represented by an attorney. Filing yourself, and representing yourself
throughout the Chapter 7 process is notoriously fraught with problems.
Innocent errors and mistakes frequently result in dismissal. Once
dismissed for cause, re-filing is barred for 180 days. The small
attorney fee saved by filing yourself is seldom justified by the
catastrophic damage that may be caused in all cases except those in
which a debtor has no significant assets. Even then, the potential for
nondischargeable imputed tax liability resulting from angry creditors
subjects do-it-yourself debtors to unacceptably high risk.
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