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A diary of my day in court to help others
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skintsteve_2
Posts: 108 Forumite
Hello all!!
Well me and the OH had our court appointment today. How did it go? Well it wasn’t the most pleasant experience, I can tell you, but I feel strange and relieved that it has finally happened. My story below.
8.45am
Leave to get to the court with plenty of time to get there. Pull out of my road and STOP!! Cars queuing all the way down to the traffic lights.:mad:
8.55am
Finally get to the court office after really panicking and run around trying to find the right room. We finally sit down in waiting room dead on 10am
9.00am
Our clerk comes out and says “Hi my name is …..” follow me. We walk through an office, and it to what can only be described as a staffroom. He was nice enough and explained that he will go through the forms with us, told us what the judge would ask us?! “Does that mean he’ll want to see us?” He always sees BR appointments!! :eek:
We then go through the paperwork, I missed off my middle name, doh, and signed the forms where needed. We then go through the OH forms and they get signed. He asked if our SOA were merged which they were, so the OR and Judge would have to calculate the joint one etc….
He then asked us for the money, which he counted out in front of us. Even he admitted it’s stupid to ask for this kind of money in our position. He then said to wait here while he prepares the forms and he will be back, hopefully before 10am, so we can see the judge. Gave us a glass of water each and went away.
10.00am
After what felt like a lifetime (30mins), he came back and said this way. All very formal and we leave the room and go to the court. We enter court and are told to sit here. Now this isn’t very nice, there are people waiting to go in, being searched by security as they go in etc… this is where it hits home. We wait for 5mins then he comes out of the court, and says this way. We go through the door, and the judge asks us to sit down. Bricking it!! To be fair he was just doing his job, and he asks us, have you taken advice etc. I explained that we had spoken to the CCCS and CAB etc, and he says do you both know the serious nature of bankruptcy; you will not get credit for a long time. He then asks me why I haven’t discussed an IVA with my creditors!!! :oI told him that I was advised over 3 months, that as I don’t have any assets, i.e. house to protect that bankruptcy was my best option. He actually nodded as to say this was correct, and then starts the speech. “Skintsteve, of “Very Skint Drive, Skintsville. As of 10am Jan 14th 2009, you are now declared Bankrupt”. You can now leave! My shirt was like Tony Blair on his speech with sweat patches everywhere!
10.25am
We are lead out of the court and back into our little room. The Clerk asks what you thought of that. I said it’s just hitting home now. He says he needs to ask you those questions to see if you are prepared for what’s ahead. He tells me a guy was in on Monday, and he asked him if he had taken advice, and he said yes from his DAD?! :eek:They threw him out of court and told to reapply at a later date after seeking professional advice. You have been warned.
10.30am
The Clerk then says he will need 10-15mins to produce our forms, and contact the OR. He will be back shortly.
10.45am
Still waiting in the room. Not heard anything back yet. Feels like 4 hours.
11.00am
The clerk comes back in with our BR forms. He tells us that the phone will ring and that it will be him on the other end of the phone, he will then transfer us to the OR.
11.10am
The phone goes and he transfers me through to the OR. Very polite, nice lady indeed. She explains that it’s now the Blackpool office that deal with BR now, and that she will take the details, and pass it to them. They will then be in touch shortly. Took details, told us to inform our creditors to (try) stop the phone calls, spoke to the OH and then that was it.
11.30am
We finally get out of the Court house.
All in all, probably worse than expected, but also very professional. BR is a serious issue, so its not going to be in and out in an hour!
I hope this helps people with court dates coming up. Its really not that bad, and sometimes you dont even need to see the judge, so stick with it. It's still not settled in yet, but next thing is the OR interview. Thanks to everyone on this site who have helped! Halfway there
Well me and the OH had our court appointment today. How did it go? Well it wasn’t the most pleasant experience, I can tell you, but I feel strange and relieved that it has finally happened. My story below.
8.45am
Leave to get to the court with plenty of time to get there. Pull out of my road and STOP!! Cars queuing all the way down to the traffic lights.:mad:
8.55am
Finally get to the court office after really panicking and run around trying to find the right room. We finally sit down in waiting room dead on 10am
9.00am
Our clerk comes out and says “Hi my name is …..” follow me. We walk through an office, and it to what can only be described as a staffroom. He was nice enough and explained that he will go through the forms with us, told us what the judge would ask us?! “Does that mean he’ll want to see us?” He always sees BR appointments!! :eek:
We then go through the paperwork, I missed off my middle name, doh, and signed the forms where needed. We then go through the OH forms and they get signed. He asked if our SOA were merged which they were, so the OR and Judge would have to calculate the joint one etc….
He then asked us for the money, which he counted out in front of us. Even he admitted it’s stupid to ask for this kind of money in our position. He then said to wait here while he prepares the forms and he will be back, hopefully before 10am, so we can see the judge. Gave us a glass of water each and went away.
10.00am
After what felt like a lifetime (30mins), he came back and said this way. All very formal and we leave the room and go to the court. We enter court and are told to sit here. Now this isn’t very nice, there are people waiting to go in, being searched by security as they go in etc… this is where it hits home. We wait for 5mins then he comes out of the court, and says this way. We go through the door, and the judge asks us to sit down. Bricking it!! To be fair he was just doing his job, and he asks us, have you taken advice etc. I explained that we had spoken to the CCCS and CAB etc, and he says do you both know the serious nature of bankruptcy; you will not get credit for a long time. He then asks me why I haven’t discussed an IVA with my creditors!!! :oI told him that I was advised over 3 months, that as I don’t have any assets, i.e. house to protect that bankruptcy was my best option. He actually nodded as to say this was correct, and then starts the speech. “Skintsteve, of “Very Skint Drive, Skintsville. As of 10am Jan 14th 2009, you are now declared Bankrupt”. You can now leave! My shirt was like Tony Blair on his speech with sweat patches everywhere!
10.25am
We are lead out of the court and back into our little room. The Clerk asks what you thought of that. I said it’s just hitting home now. He says he needs to ask you those questions to see if you are prepared for what’s ahead. He tells me a guy was in on Monday, and he asked him if he had taken advice, and he said yes from his DAD?! :eek:They threw him out of court and told to reapply at a later date after seeking professional advice. You have been warned.
10.30am
The Clerk then says he will need 10-15mins to produce our forms, and contact the OR. He will be back shortly.
10.45am
Still waiting in the room. Not heard anything back yet. Feels like 4 hours.
11.00am
The clerk comes back in with our BR forms. He tells us that the phone will ring and that it will be him on the other end of the phone, he will then transfer us to the OR.
11.10am
The phone goes and he transfers me through to the OR. Very polite, nice lady indeed. She explains that it’s now the Blackpool office that deal with BR now, and that she will take the details, and pass it to them. They will then be in touch shortly. Took details, told us to inform our creditors to (try) stop the phone calls, spoke to the OH and then that was it.
11.30am
We finally get out of the Court house.
All in all, probably worse than expected, but also very professional. BR is a serious issue, so its not going to be in and out in an hour!
I hope this helps people with court dates coming up. Its really not that bad, and sometimes you dont even need to see the judge, so stick with it. It's still not settled in yet, but next thing is the OR interview. Thanks to everyone on this site who have helped! Halfway there
BR 14th Jan 2009
No. 23 BR Jan Club
No. 23 BR Jan Club
0
Comments
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Steve, were you asked for ID in court?0
-
Glad your Br is sorted - must be a relief. Enjoy a drink tonight and a good nights sleep :-)I cant change the past, but the future is mine to play with!
No 3 February 2009 Club0 -
Skint Steve, thanks for posting that account, it will help so many people.
Thank you also for the anecdote about the person who hadn't taken advice, just proves what we say.
Here's to a lovely debt free future.Namaste DeeDee x0 -
Brilliant diary and well done for getting through it.:cheesy: K2nga :cheesy:
BSC Member 176
BR 23/06/08
ED 22/01/09
Credit file BR fall off date: 24/06/14 :beer:0 -
Glad you survived today, as you said halfway there! Not far now and all this will seem like a bad dream. Waiting for our OR interview now, one more thing to lose sleep over :rolleyes:0
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well done skintsteve and thanks very much for posting up your diary, it really does help.
BSC #215/No.1 Jan 09 Club0 -
Well done.
With my BR I didn't even see the judge, paid the ££ with cashiers, filed BR form and came back for BR order a few hours later.
The clerks were friendly, professional and swift. Was such a relief, almost skipped out of court!0 -
Thanks for that - our BIG day is next week on the 23rd and I am already in a fair old state about it. I just keep telling myself that in 9 days time we will be BR and by this time next month we will also have had the OR interview - absoluely dreading it all, so posts like yours are a great help.
I wonder how many people faint in the court????:eek::j BSC 221 :jJanuary 2009 Club Number 7BR 30.01.090 -
hi, my BR ends on the 9th June this year..yipee. Its not as bad as people think I, now live on the cash in have and its so great not to worry about an overdraft, bank loan and credit cards.
I was lucky and didnt see a judge.
I also had help of the CCCS and the OR was glad I had taken there advice..best wishes to anyone whos BR or going BR...X0 -
Hi Mr E.
No i wasn't asked for ID. Just took my forms, money & Wife:DBR 14th Jan 2009
No. 23 BR Jan Club0
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