Bankruptcy Attorney Serving Blount County, Alabama
You don’t have to live in Birmingham to need a bankruptcy attorney, and you don’t have to hire one in Birmingham either — but you may end up filing there.
The Law Office of Stephen Bulgarella, LLC represents individuals and families throughout Blount County, including Oneonta, Cleveland, Hayden, Locust Fork, Blountsville, and the surrounding communities.
Blount County Bankruptcy Cases Are Filed in Birmingham
This is the thing most Blount County residents don’t know: bankruptcy is federal, and the federal bankruptcy court that covers Blount County sits in Birmingham.
Specifically, Blount County is part of the Southern Division of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Alabama, along with Jefferson and Shelby Counties. The courthouse is at 1800 5th Avenue North in Birmingham.
The Blount County Courthouse in Oneonta handles state matters — probate, circuit court, and county business — but not bankruptcy.
Practically, that means one drive down I-65 or Highway 79. From Oneonta it’s roughly 45 minutes to downtown Birmingham.
Communities We Serve in Blount County
- Oneonta (the county seat)
- Cleveland
- Hayden
- Locust Fork
- Blountsville
- Snead
- Susan Moore
- Allgood
- Nectar
- County Line
- Highland Lake
- Rosa
- Trafford
You Probably Don't Have to Drive to Birmingham at All
This is the part most people don’t expect, and it’s the reason distance shouldn’t stop you from calling.
Your meeting of creditors is held by video. The Northern District of Alabama has conducted § 341 meetings remotely since 2020. You’ll receive a link with your case paperwork and attend from home. It typically lasts a few minutes, there’s no judge, and Stephen attends with you.
We handle the rest of your case remotely too. Consultations, document gathering, signatures — all of it can be done by phone, email, and video. It’s how this office prefers to work, and it’s usually easier for everyone.
You can still come in if you’d rather. Some people want to sit across a desk from their attorney, and that’s completely reasonable. The office is downtown at 420 20th Street North and you’re welcome anytime.
Filing where you live doesn’t change the outcome. Blount County cases go to the same court, the same trustees, and the same judges as Jefferson County cases. There’s no disadvantage to being from a smaller county — and no advantage to hiring someone with an office closer to you, because nobody’s going anywhere either way.
How We Help
Stopping Wage Garnishment
Under Alabama Code § 6-10-7, a creditor with a judgment can garnish up to 25% of your wages every pay period for a consumer debt. Filing bankruptcy triggers the automatic stay, which requires most creditors to stop — usually within days.
Many Blount County residents commute into Jefferson County for work, which means the garnishment is processed by an employer in another county. It doesn’t change anything about how it stops.
Stopping Foreclosure
Alabama’s non-judicial foreclosure process is fast because the lender generally doesn’t have to sue you first. In more rural parts of the county, where a home may sit on acreage that’s been in the family a long time, that speed catches people badly off guard.
A Chapter 13 filed before the sale date stops the sale and lets you cure the arrears through your plan. After the sale, options narrow sharply.
Stopping Vehicle Repossession
Alabama permits repossession without a court order once you’re in default. In a county where public transit isn’t a realistic option and many people drive into Birmingham for work, losing a vehicle is rarely just a vehicle problem.
If it hasn’t happened yet, filing stops it. If it already has, call the same day — recovery depends heavily on how recently and whether the lender has sold it.
Chapter 7 and Chapter 13
Chapter 7 discharges qualifying unsecured debt within months. Chapter 13 restructures debt into a three-to-five-year plan and is the tool for keeping a house or car you’re behind on.
Other Matters in Blount County
Probate
Estates for Blount County residents are handled through the Blount County Probate Court in Oneonta — unlike bankruptcy, this one stays local
Personal Injury
We represent injured people in Blount County. Alabama's two-year filing deadline and its contributory negligence rule apply the same way here as anywhere else in the state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you handle bankruptcy cases in Blount County?
Yes. Blount County is part of the Southern Division of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Alabama, the same division that covers Jefferson and Shelby Counties, so Blount County cases are handled exactly the same way as Birmingham cases.
Do I have to file bankruptcy in Oneonta or in Birmingham?
Birmingham. Bankruptcy is a federal matter, and the federal bankruptcy court covering Blount County sits in Birmingham. The Blount County Courthouse in Oneonta handles probate and state court matters, not bankruptcy.
How far is the bankruptcy court from Oneonta?
Roughly 45 minutes to downtown Birmingham, depending on your route and traffic.
Do I have to drive to Birmingham for my case?
Usually not at all. Meetings of creditors in the Northern District of Alabama are conducted by video, so you attend from home. Consultations, document gathering, and signatures can be handled by phone, email, and video as well. If you’d prefer to meet in person, you’re welcome at the office downtown — but it’s your choice, not a requirement.
Is it better to hire an attorney closer to Oneonta?
It makes very little practical difference. Your case is filed in Birmingham regardless of who represents you, and since the meeting of creditors is by video, neither you nor your attorney is driving anywhere. What matters is experience with the court your case lands in.
Is a probate matter handled in Oneonta or Birmingham?
Blount County probate matters are handled by the Blount County Probate Court in Oneonta. This is different from bankruptcy, which is federal and goes to Birmingham.
Do you serve Cleveland, Hayden, and Locust Fork?
Yes — and Blountsville, Snead, Allgood, and the rest of the county.
Serving Blount County — Mostly Without the Drive
You don’t need to find an attorney in Oneonta to handle a Blount County bankruptcy. The case goes to Birmingham either way, your meeting of creditors is by video, and we can handle nearly everything else remotely.