The amount of time to file a bankruptcy case depends on the situation of each case. Once the Chapter 7 bankruptcy is filed, a hearing (known as the 341 Meeting of the Creditors) will take place within 30-45 days after the filing. During this hearing the trustee will ask questions regarding your assets and debts.
If the bankruptcy trustee determines that all your assets are exempt and cannot be sold, then the case will be closed fairly quickly, usually with 2-3 months after the hearing.
So long as there are no issues, the entire bankruptcy process can take up to 4-6 months. The bankruptcy court will then send you a copy of the discharge order, which is a judge's order that releases you from all legal liabilities of your dischargeable debts that you owed prior to filing your Chapter 7 bankruptcy case.
To make things move as quickly and painless as possible, contact an Orange County Bankruptcy Lawyer at 1st California Law for a free attorney consultation today!