When a new bankruptcy petition is filed by an individual who is not represented by an attorney, the Clerk's Office sends the debtor a copy of this notice together with a form statement regarding payment advises, tax returns, and domestic support obligations. The notice is NOT sent when an attorney files the petition on behalf of the debtor.

The court expects that attorneys representing debtors will provide this information to their clients at the onset of the case if not earlier, during the initial consultation. Typically, the trustee will ask the debtor at the meeting of creditors whether he or she has read this notice.

This is a reminder that debtors' counsel should provide a copy of this notice to their clients and ensure that they understand a debtor's obligations in a bankruptcy case.