Some people do not have to file bankruptcy at all, but are not aware of their options.

Others may choose a Chapter 7 bankruptcy just because they pass the income qualification, but do not know that other Chapters may be a better option.

Bankruptcy preparers and paralegals are not qualified to help them with this analysis. By handing out any information, no matter where she found it, she is stepping over the line, because she is not qualified to decide which information is relevant or important to the client.

Even the clerks at the county courthouse are prohibited from providing written information they find “right here on line”, because they are not trained to know when it applies to a given situation and when it does not.

I am all for giving the ordinary person low cost access to the court system and am happy to see many courts establish self-helf centers for divorces and other types of cases. But these services must be supervised by professionals who understand the law as well as the boxes on the forms.