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Bankruptcy Observation Program for Students

The U. S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of North Carolina offers an orientation program for students at the high school, community college, and university levels interested in learning about bankruptcy and the United States Courts. The program consists of a site visit to the clerk’s office which are located in Raleigh, NC and Greenville, NC. Students will be offered a tour of the court facilities and will meet with a court employee who will give a history of the court and answer general bankruptcy questions. Additionally, students may attend court hearings, 341 meeting of creditors, and a Chapter 13 debtor education class.

Attend Court Hearings

Students are welcome to attend court hearings. To access court calendars, visit the court’s website at www.nceb.uscourts.gov and click on the Calendars button in the middle of the page. Select the name of the judge and the location of hearings you would like to attend. Click on the Calendar link on the desired date and you will see a list of hearings for that day.

There are three bankruptcy judges in the Eastern District.

Chief Judge David M. Warren – primary court location is in Raleigh, NC. Judge Warren also holds court in Wilmington.

Judge Joseph N. Callaway – primary court location is in Greenville, NC. Judge Callaway also holds court in New Bern.

Judge Pamela W. McAfee – primary court location is in Raleigh, NC. Judge McAfee also holds court in Fayetteville.

Once you have selected a court date to attend, please contact Stephanie Butler by email at stephanie_butler@nceb.uscourts.gov with the following information: name of school, class and instructor, and the number of students. If you will be attending without the class group, please include your name. This information will be forwarded to the judge and courtroom staff so that they will be aware of your upcoming visit. On the day of the hearing, please let the courtroom deputy know that you are there before the start of the court session. If time permits, the judge will meet with you and answer questions about the court proceedings at the conclusion of the court session.

Attend 341 Meeting of Creditors

Students are welcome to attend 341 meeting of creditors. To access 341 meeting calendars, visit the court’s website at www.nceb.uscourts.gov and click on the Calendars button in the middle of the page. Select your desired location and click on the “341” link for the date to view that day’s 341 calendar. The top of the calendar provides the meeting date, start time, chapter of cases being heard, and the location of the 341 meeting.

You do not need to contact the court regarding your attendance at the 341 meeting of creditors. When you arrive for the 341 meeting of creditors, please inform the court security officer that you are a student and there to observe the meeting.

Attend Chapter 13 Debtor Education Class

Chapter 13 debtor education classes are held on the same date as chapter 13 341 meetings. The class begins at 9:00 am. Please note that the instructor will not allow entry into the class after 9:10 am.

Things to know before attending

Any time you plan to visit any court facility, you should be aware that:

• you will pass through a security screening to enter the building,
• you must have a valid photo ID to show the court security officer,
• no weapons are allowed (this includes pocket knives, mace and pepper spray),
• no cell phones are allowed in the courtrooms,
• no cameras are allowed in court facilities, and
• you should dress appropriately (no shorts, tank tops, flip flops, caps, etc…).

You will be directed to take any unauthorized items to your vehicle before entering the building.