What if a debtor's bankruptcy forms are not prepared by an debt relief agency attorney?.

It is not legally required that a debtor's bankruptcy forms be prepared by or under the direction of an attorney. However, it is difficult to properly prepare bankruptcy forms without giving legal advice to the debtor. Because many non-attorney bankruptcy preparers attempt to give legal advice to debtors without having the legal training and knowledge necessary to give such advice, Congress has passed an amendment to the Bankruptcy Code that deals with non-attorney bankruptcy preparers. This law requires all non-attorney bankruptcy preparers to sign and print their names on the documents that they prepare and to give copies of all filed documents to the debtor. This law also provides that if a bankruptcy case is later dismissed because of the fraud or incompetence of the preparer, or if the preparer commits an inappropriate or deceptive act, the debtor may recover actual and statutory damages from the preparer, plus attorney fees and costs. A bankruptcy preparer may also be enjoined ...  more