Most firms make you book a consultation to find out what bankruptcy costs. Ours is on the page.
$0
down · Chapter 13 for W2 employed filers. Attorney fees are paid through your plan, subject to court approval.
$1,499
down · Chapter 7, single filers · $1,699 joint. Down payment toward a fixed attorney fee quoted at your consultation.
$338
Chapter 7 court filing fee, separate from attorney fees, payable in installments
A free, no-obligation call with our office. Bring two years of tax returns and a list of who you owe, and we can usually give you an answer the same day.
Free consultation, no obligation
One of a small group of attorneys certified in consumer bankruptcy law
Jesse Sweeney is certified in consumer bankruptcy law by the American Board of Certification, a credential that requires substantial experience, peer review and examination.
You work with the attorney
Your case is handled by Jesse, not passed to a case manager or a call center.
The price is on the website
You should not have to book a consultation to find out what something costs. Our starting fees are published here, and you get a fixed quote before you commit.
Five offices, or none at all
Southfield, Ann Arbor, Jackson, St. Clair Shores and Brighton. If getting to one is the problem, we meet by phone or video instead.
Since 2005, 1,000+ Michigan cases
Two decades of Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 filings across Michigan and Colorado, in front of the trustees and judges who will hear yours.
We move when it is urgent
Garnishment already started? A sale date on the calendar? In most cases, the automatic stay stops collection the moment the petition is filed.
The attorney who will actually handle your case
“I grew up poor, so I knew what it was like to live hand to mouth.”
Jesse Sweeney founded the firm in 2005 and has represented more than 1,000 clients in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cases across Michigan and Colorado. He is board certified in consumer bankruptcy law by the American Board of Certification, admitted to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, and a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute and the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys. He has taught continuing education for bankruptcy attorneys nationwide and writes the Detroit Bankruptcy blog.
He became a bankruptcy lawyer after watching his mother struggle with money. It is the reason the firm treats filing as a legal tool rather than a verdict on how someone has lived.
Jesse R. Sweeney, J.D. — Founder, Sweeney Bankruptcy Lawyers
Not near any of these? We handle cases statewide by phone and video.
1
Tell us what is happening. No forms to fill in first.
2
Income, debts, assets, and what you are trying to protect.
3
In plain English, before you commit to anything.
4
In most cases, the automatic stay takes effect the moment we file, and garnishments, calls and sale dates stop.
In most Chapter 13 cases, no. Chapter 13 is a repayment plan built to let you keep secured property while you catch up on arrears. Chapter 7 is different, and Michigan exemptions decide what is protected. This is the first thing we work out on the call.
Chapter 13 is a consolidation payment plan, in most cases without having to pay everyone back. Chapter 7 is not a payment plan, and in some cases you can lose property.
It depends on the means test, which compares your income to the Michigan county median, and on your disposable income.
You attend a 341 meeting of creditors. You typically never appear before a judge.
Chapter 7 stays on your record for 10 years, Chapter 13 for 7 years from filing.
