Bankruptcy: Essex County, MA

Where do we go for the creditors meeting after filing bankruptcy?

That’s a good question if you live on the Massachusetts north shore, specifically in Essex County.  Bankruptcy filers in Lawrence file petitions and attend creditors meetings in Worcester, MA.  However, those who file 19 miles away in Salem, MA file petitions in Boston and attend creditors meetings there.

That’s because Essex County is divided between two different divisions of the U.S. District Bankruptcy Court.  Some Essex County residents file bankruptcy petitions in Boston, while others file in Worcester. Boston is where petitions are filed and where creditors meetings are held for the Eastern Division of the Bankruptcy Court.  Worcester is where petitions are filed and where creditors meetings are filed for the Central Division of the Bankruptcy Court.

Here is a list of which towns are in which district:

If you live in the following towns, you are in the Eastern Division, meaning your creditors meeting will be in Boston: Amesbury, Beverly, Danvers, Essex, Georgetown, Gloucester, Groveland, Hamilton, Ipswich, Lynn, Lynnfield, Manchester, Marblehead, Merrimac, Middleton, Nahant, Newbury, Newburyport, Peabody, Rockport, Rowley, Salem, Salisbury, Saugus, Swampscott, Topsfield, Wenham, West Newbury

If you live in the following towns, you are in the Central Division and your creditors meeting will be in Worcester: Andover, Boxford, Bradford, Haverhill, Lawrence, Methuen, and North Andover.

The Eastern Division Court address is:

United States Bankruptcy Court John W. McCormack Post Office and Court House 5 Post Office Square, Suite 1150 Boston, MA 02109-3945

The Central Division Court address is:

United States Bankruptcy Court Donohue Federal Building 595 Main Street, Room 211 Worcester, MA 01608-2076

The above address is for the Worcester courthouse. But, the creditors meetings in Worcester are actually held at 441 Main Street, first floor, in a mirror-windowed high rise across the street from Worcester City Hall. There’s a multilevel parking garage in the back that connects.

New Hampshire Bankruptcy Filings

If you’ve read this far and you are filing in New Hampshire, things are much simpler there.  The entire state is covered by only one district.  All creditors meetings are held in Manchester, at 1000 Elm Street.

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