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Detroit Bankruptcy Court Location

The Detroit Bankruptcy Court is located at 211 West Fort Street Detroit

The Detroit Bankruptcy Court is located at 211 West Fort Street in Downtown Detroit. 341 Meetings are held on the 3rd Floor and the Bankruptcy Judges as well as the clerks office is located in the upper level floors 17 through 19.

Most of my clients live in metro Detroit and therefore must attend their court hearing in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Michigan located in downtown Detroit. The court is located at 211 West Fort Street, Detroit MI 48226 just one-block from my main office.  It is next to the Comerica bank on the corner of Fort and Washington just up the street from Cobo Hall (TCF Center).  Everyone who files either a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy must attend what is called a Section .341 Meeting of Creditors or what we typically refer to as your court date. For my typical Chapter 7 bankruptcy case, you will only have to attend this one court hearing and it will generally be less than five minutes in length. Chapter 13 bankruptcy clients must attend the initial meeting of creditors, but must also usually attend their confirmation hearing. If you live in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, St. Clair, Sanilac or Lenawee counties, your court hearings will be held in the Detroit bankruptcy court. The bankruptcy clerk, as well as my office, will send you your official bankruptcy notice.  This notice is generated upon the filing of your case and will be mailed out to all of the creditors you listed on your bankruptcy as well. This notice will have your name, case number, your attorney’s name and contact information, as well as the date, time and place of your .341 hearing.

NOTE:  Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the Detroit Bankruptcy Court is operating remotely for most hearings until further notice.  Most Bankruptcy Court hearings and .341 Meetings of Creditors are being held either by telephone, Zoom or WebEx with instructions for attending the hearing on all official notices mailed out by the Court.

 The Court’s mail is being forwarded to the Flint Bankruptcy Court at the following address:

US Bankruptcy Court Clerk-Flint

226 W 2nd St

Flint, MI 48502

 

Directions to the Detroit Bankruptcy Court

From the East

I-94 west to I-75 south to I-375 downtown. Exit I-375 at Jefferson East and turn right on Congress Street. Continue on Congress Street until you reach Washington Boulevard (three blocks past Woodward Avenue) and then turn right. The court is one block up on the right side of the street.

From the West

I-94 east to Lodge Freeway south. Exit from the left lane at Larned Street and turn left at the traffic light, which is Washington Boulevard. The court is two blocks up on the right side.

From the North

I-75 south to I-375 downtown Detroit. Exit I-375 at Jefferson East and turn right on Congress Street. Continue on Congress Street until you reach Washington Boulevard (three blocks past Woodward Avenue) and then turn right. The court is one block up on the right side.

From the South

I-75 north to Lodge Freeway south. Exit from the left lane at Larned Street and turn left at the traffic light which is Washington Boulevard. The court is two blocks up on the right side.

Detroit Bankruptcy Court Parking

Most of my clients tell me that finding a free place to park can be difficult in downtown Detroit, but not impossible, except perhaps during the middle part of January when the auto show is at Cobo.  Most of my clients either find an open parking meter or park at the Washington Street garage right across the street from the Detroit bankruptcy court.  If you are unfamiliar with downtown, be sure to leave early to give you plenty of time to get situated before your hearing.  My office located in the Penobscot building has a valet service that presently charges just $10 per day.  Many bankruptcy attorneys park with Handy Parking located just one-block north of the bankruptcy court on the corner of Washington and West Lafayette Blvd. which is a bit less expensive than the covered parking structures.

What happens at the Bankruptcy Court date or .341 Meeting of Creditors?

The Chapter 7  trustee’s job at the hearing is to determine if you have any assets that are not exempt (exempt means protected for your fresh start after bankruptcy), sell them to generate cash to pay your creditors.

First of all keep in mind that the bankruptcy meeting of creditors is a relatively simple matter and should be nothing to lose sleep over. The Chapter 7  trustee’s job at the hearing is to determine if you have any assets that are not exempt (exempt means protected for your fresh start after bankruptcy), sell them to generate cash to pay your creditors. The Chapter 13 Trustee will do an initial check at this hearing and look over your paperwork as well as question your to be sure that you are paying what the law requires you pay back to your creditors in your payment plan. The Detroit bankruptcy trustees are professional and fair and are simply doing their jobs. The typical hearing lasts about five minutes and as long as you are truthful and accurate in your testimony, you have nothing to be afraid of. The trustees generally ask the same questions at Detroit .341 bankruptcy hearings. Your attorney will attend the hearing with you and prepare you beforehand. Nearly every one of my clients walks out of the hearing with me and says something like “Wow, that was easier than I though it would be.  Why did I get so worked up about it?”  For more information on what happens at a Chapter 7 bankruptcy hearing see my blog post on the Role of Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Trustees in Michigan.   For further reading about the bankruptcy Courts in Michigan, see my post What is the Bankruptcy Court?

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