A bankruptcy petition is a set of forms (also known as schedules) on which a debtor filing for bankruptcy discloses detailed financial information to the bankruptcy court. These forms will require you to list all of your assets (real property and personal property), your monthly income and expenses, and the debts you want to eliminate or discharge in bankruptcy. Your bankruptcy case begins when you file the bankruptcy petition with the clerk of the bankruptcy court.
In Oregon, as in all states, a bankruptcy petition is the formal document filed by an individual or business to initiate bankruptcy proceedings. The petition includes a series of forms, often referred to as schedules, which provide the bankruptcy court with detailed information about the debtor's financial situation. These schedules require the debtor to list all assets, including both real and personal property, monthly income and expenses, and all debts that the debtor seeks to discharge. The filing of the bankruptcy petition with the clerk of the bankruptcy court marks the official start of the bankruptcy case. Federal law, specifically the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, governs the process, while local rules and procedures can vary slightly from one district court to another. In Oregon, the bankruptcy courts are part of the Ninth Circuit, and debtors must adhere to the rules and forms prescribed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon.