Purpose of Bankruptcy

A legal proceeding regarding a person or business that is struggle to repay unpaid debts. The bankruptcy process begins with a petition filed by the borrower (most common) or on behalf of lenders (less common). All of the debtor's property are measured and evaluated, whereupon the assets are used to repay some of outstanding debt. After the successful completion of bankruptcy proceedings, the debtor is relieved from the debt obligations incurred before filing for bankruptcy.

Bankruptcy laws help people who can no longer pay their creditors get a fresh start - by liquidating assets to pay their debts or by making a repayment plan. Bankruptcy laws also safeguard struggling businesses and provide for orderly distributions to business creditors by way of reorganization or liquidation. Theoretically, the capability to file for bankruptcy may benefit an overall economy by giving individuals and businesses another chance and offering creditors with a measure of debt repayment.

Bankruptcy filings in the United States can fall under one of several chapters in the Bankruptcy Code, such as Chapter 7 (that involves liquidation of assets), Chapter 11 (company or individual "reorganizations") and Chapter 13 (debt repayment with reduced debt covenants or payment plans). Bankruptcy filing specifications vary widely among various nations, leading to higher and lower filing rates based on how easily an individual or business can complete the process.

Bankruptcy in the United States is a matter placed under Federal jurisdiction by the United States Constitution (in Article 1, Section 8, Clause 4), which allows Congress to enact "uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States". The Congress has enacted statutes governing bankruptcy, mainly in the form of the Bankruptcy Code, located at Title 11 of the United States Code. Federal law is amplified by state law in some places where Federal law fails to speak or expressly defers to state laws.

While bankruptcy cases are always filed in United States Bankruptcy Court (an adjunct to the U.S. District Courts), bankruptcy cases, particularly based on the validity of claims and exemptions, are often based upon State law. State law therefore performs a major role in several bankruptcy cases, and it is often impossible to generalise bankruptcy law across state lines.

Normally, a debtor declares bankruptcy to obtain relief from debt, and this is accomplished either through a discharge of the debt or through a restructuring of the debt. Usually, whenever a debtor files a voluntary petition, his or her bankruptcy case commences.

The goal of bankruptcy is two fold:

(1) to give the debtor (the party filing bankruptcy) a fresh start and

(2) to pay creditors in an orderly manner. Bankruptcy is governed by federal law which often trumps state law when it comes to the actions of both the debtor and creditors.