The information contained within the Iowa Northern Pro Se Information Center is accurate as of the date of publication, but it should not be cited or relied upon as legal authority. This information is provided solely as an overview to the bankruptcy process, and should not be used as a substitute for reference to the United States Bankruptcy Code (title 11, United States Code), the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure, or to local rules or standing orders of this court. Finally, the information contained within this site should not substitute for the advice of competent legal counsel.

The bankruptcy process can be very complicated. Although the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Clerk's Office staff provide a variety of services, they are not permitted to assist with the preparation of the voluntary petition, schedules, or other documents, nor may they provide legal advice. You may want to seriously consider retaining an attorney to assist you with your case. Your local bar association may be able to refer you to an attorney. The number for the Iowa Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service is: 515-280-7429 or 800-532-1108 (In state). Their web address is www.iowabar.org. Click on "Find a Lawyer" to reach the referral service page.

Click here to read the article entitled 4 reasons to hire a bankruptcy attorney.

KNOW YOUR OPTIONS - Before you prepare and file your bankruptcy case, you should first have an understanding of the different chapters and relief available to you under bankruptcy law. Click here for the Clerk's Notice to Debtors to learn more about the services available from a credit counseling agency and the different chapter/types of bankruptcy cases.

INFORMATION CENTER DESIGN - You will note that as you navigate through this Information Center, the layout of the page in front of you remains the same. The menu bar on the left side of the page will take you to links specific to the current area of interest, while the menu bar across the top of all pages (except this home page) will lead you to other areas of interest. A majority of the information in this Pro Se center is presented in Adobe PDF format. To view, print or save these forms you will need Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Acrobat Reader. To download either of these programs, click here.

To view the entire contents of this web site, click on the Site Map.