I declared bankrupcy in Nov 2007, and have recieved my discharge. How will I know when the case is closed?

Question

I know it was still open after I received my discharge, because my car company still had me in the bankruptcy department.

Answer 1

If it was a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, did you reaffirm your car loan during the bankruptcy?  If not, it was discharged.  But even if they do not repo it, you will never get title to it unless you pay them what you owe them.

They might just not know about the discharge yet until you give them whatever they need for whatever you are trying to do.

Answer 2

Ask your attorney.

I can check if you like, send me your case number and bankruptcy district. Or you can go to the bankruptcy clerks office, and pull up your case number and see if it is closed.

The discharge is the main thing though.

Answer 3

You will have to send the discharge papers to your lenders to let them know it is settled. They are barred from calling you, etc, once you file BK. So it's pretty hard for them to track it down without getting sued.

Answer 4

your case is CLOSED as soon as the case is discharged.

If in doubt,

go to your Superior Court clerk and get a copy of the judgment;

then USE it!

Answer 5

If you turned over any assets to the trustee (car, tax refund, etc.), it may take awhile to close the case.  The trustee has to liquidate the assets, then make distribution to creditors.  This can take some time, especially if the trustee has a backlog of cases.  

If this wasn't the case for you, then you should have received the order closing the case in the mail.  Call your attorney for a copy, or if you filed pro se, contact the bankruptcy clerk's office for the division where you filed to find out the status.