In In re Stanley, 2012 Bankr. LEXIS 6031 (Bankr. N.D. Ga. Nov. 8, 2012), the debtors certified that they tried to obtain credit counseling but were unable to complete it because they needed to file their Chapter 13 petition to stop a foreclosure the same day.  Debtors requested a waiver and deferment of the counseling requirement under Section 109(h)(3)(A), which provides the following:

(A) Subject to subparagraph (B), the requirements of paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to a debtor who submits to the court a certification that—

(i) describes exigent circumstances that merit a waiver of the requirements of paragraph (1);
(ii) states that the debtor requested credit counseling services from an approved nonprofit budget and credit counseling agency, but was unable to obtain the services referred to in paragraph (1) during the 7-day period beginning on the date on which the debtor made that request; and
(iii) is satisfactory to the court.

Judge Diehl held that the imminent foreclosure scheduled for the same day constituted exigent circumstances that merited the waiver.

Scott Riddle’s practice focuses on bankruptcy and litigation. Scott has represented Chapter 7 and 11 debtors, creditors, creditor committees, trustees, court-appointed receivers and other interested parties in bankruptcy cases and bankruptcy litigation.  For more information, click here