How the U.S. Trustee monitors attorney conduct
The United States Trustee Program (USTP) is a component of the Department of Justice that oversees the administration of bankruptcy cases. Part of that oversight includes monitoring attorney conduct.
What the U.S. Trustee monitors
- Fee reasonableness -- Reviewing attorney fee disclosures under Section 329
- Petition accuracy -- Checking for patterns of inaccurate filings under Section 707(b)(4)
- Debtor audit compliance -- Ensuring random audit requirements are met
- Means test compliance -- Reviewing means test calculations for accuracy
- Pattern filing issues -- Identifying attorneys whose cases show patterns of problems (high dismissal rates, frequent amendments)
How to contact the U.S. Trustee
Each federal judicial region has a U.S. Trustee's office. Find yours at justice.gov/ust. You can report concerns about attorney conduct, fee issues, or case irregularities.
U.S. Trustee actions
The U.S. Trustee can:
- File motions to review attorney fees
- Seek sanctions against attorneys who file inaccurate petitions
- Refer attorneys to state bar disciplinary authorities
- File motions to dismiss or convert improperly filed cases
- Object to fee applications in Chapter 13 cases
The U.S. Trustee is a resource: Many debtors do not know that the U.S. Trustee's office exists or that it can help with attorney conduct issues. If you have concerns about your attorney's behavior, contacting the U.S. Trustee is a legitimate option.
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