A bankruptcy trustee is a person or entity who is independent of the bankruptcy court and is appointed to oversee your bankruptcy case. A bankruptcy trustee is appointed in most every case—except in Chapter 11 reorganizations and Chapter 9 municipality cases. The bankruptcy trustee is responsible for reviewing your bankruptcy forms, investigating and verifying your financial information, and making sure your bankruptcy filing is not fraudulent.
In South Carolina, as in other states, a bankruptcy trustee is an independent party appointed to manage the bankruptcy process for most types of bankruptcy cases, excluding Chapter 11 reorganizations and Chapter 9 municipality cases. The trustee's role is to review the debtor's bankruptcy forms, investigate the financial information provided, and ensure that the bankruptcy filing is legitimate and free of fraud. The trustee also has the authority to sell nonexempt property to pay creditors in a Chapter 7 case or to oversee the debtor's repayment plan in Chapter 13 cases. The appointment of a trustee is a standard part of the bankruptcy process and is intended to protect the integrity of the system by providing oversight and ensuring that creditors are treated fairly according to federal bankruptcy laws and South Carolina's specific statutes and exemptions.