The United States Bankruptcy Trustee appoints an interim trustee upon the filing of a chapter 7 case. Unless the creditors exercise their right to elect a different permanent trustee at the Section 341(a) meeting of creditors, the interim trustee automatically becomes the permanent trustee. Then the permanent trustee serves as trustee until the case is closed.

You generally can not request a different trustee—except in the rare situation in which you have a previous relationship with the trustee that the bankruptcy court would recognize as a disqualifying conflict of interest.

In South Carolina, as in other states, when a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case is filed, the United States Bankruptcy Trustee appoints an interim trustee to oversee the case. This interim trustee is tasked with managing the debtor's assets and facilitating the bankruptcy process. If the creditors do not choose to elect a different trustee during the Section 341(a) meeting of creditors, which is a mandatory meeting where creditors can question the debtor about their finances and the bankruptcy petition, the interim trustee then becomes the permanent trustee for the duration of the case. The role of the trustee is to liquidate any non-exempt assets, distribute the proceeds to creditors, and ensure that the bankruptcy process is administered fairly. Debtors typically do not have the option to request a different trustee unless there is a substantial conflict of interest, such as a prior relationship with the trustee that could affect the impartiality of the trustee's actions. Such conflicts are rare, and any request for a change would need to be recognized and approved by the bankruptcy court.