Understanding the Role of a Delaware Bankruptcy Trustee
The Delaware bankruptcy trustee plays a crucial role in overseeing and managing bankruptcy cases within the jurisdiction. Here’s a breakdown of their responsibilities:
The Role of the Delaware Bankruptcy Trustee
The bankruptcy trustee is obligated to protect the bankruptcy estate. The bankruptcy estate is all the assets of a debtor. Assets can be categorized as exempt or non-exempt. Exempt means it’s protected, while non-exempt means not protected. Non-exempt assets can be liquidated by the bankruptcy trustee, and the net proceeds are used to pay creditors their pro-rata share.
Besides protecting the bankruptcy estate, the trustee also administers the case. So, the trustee handles the case from beginning to end. This means the bankruptcy trustee will ask questions at the 341 Meeting of Creditors regarding the debtor’s petition.
Any fraud with the debtor’s case also allows the bankruptcy trustee to file lawsuits to protect the estate, such as to recover fraudulent transfers of assets.
The Chapter 7 Trustee Versus Chapter 13
While the role of the bankruptcy trustee is the same regardless of which chapter in bankruptcy is filed, the work they do is different when it comes to Chapter 7 bankruptcy or Chapter 13.
In Chapter 7 cases, trustees are appointed to liquidate the debtor’s non-exempt assets and distribute the proceeds to creditors. In Chapter 13 cases, the trustee also has to manage the plan payments.
Note that the bankruptcy trustee is not the same as the Office of the U.S. Trustee, an agency of the Department of Justice, which supervises trustees to ensure accountability and adherence to their duties. The U.S. Trustee is an employee of the federal government, while the bankruptcy trustee is a private party.
Below is the list of Chapter 7 trustees in Delaware.
Jeoffrey L. Burtch
919 Market St., Ste. 460
Wilmington, DE 19801
P.O. Box 549
Wilmington, DE 19899 -1680
E-mail: jburtch@burtchtrustee.com
Phone: (302) 472-7427
Fax: (302) 792-7427
David W. Carickhoff, Jr.
Hercules Plaza
1313 N. Market St., Ste. 5400
Wilmington, DE 19801
E-mail: dwctrustee@gmail.com
Phone: (302) 504-0113
Fax: (302) 295-099
Alfred T. Giuliano
2301 E. Evesham Road
Pavillion 800, Suite 210
Voorhees, NJ 08043
E-mail: atgiuliano@giulianomiller.com
Phone: (856)596-7000
Fax: (856)767-3500
George L. Miller
1628 John F. Kennedy Blvd
8 Penn Center, Suite 950
Philadelphia, PA 19103
E-mail: gmiller@millercoffeytate.com
Phone: (215) 561-0950
Fax: (215) 561-0330
Jami Nimeroff
919 N. Market Street, Suite 420
Wilmington, DE 19801
E-mail: nimeroff@dech7trustee.com
Phone: (302) 428-8142
Ricardo Palacio
500 Delaware Avenue
8th Floor
Wilmington, DE 19801
E-mail: palaciotrustee@gmail.com
Phone: (302) 654-1888
Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Trustee
William F. Jaworski, Jr.
P.O. Box 1350
824 Market St., Suite 1002
Wilmington, DE 19899
E-mail: wjaworski@ch13de.com
Phone: (302) 656-0123
Fax: (302) 656-3660
Information regarding the Delaware bankruptcy court system can be found via this link. Information regarding the exemptions in Delaware can be accessed via this link.
Colleges and universities can purchase my bankruptcy law textbook directly from Routledge Publishing. For paralegals and students buying single copies, you can do so via Amazon Books. To access my YouTube channel, click this link. You can also listen to my podcast on Spotify.
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Please note that the information on this site does not constitute legal advice and should be considered for informational purposes only.