Bankruptcy Lawyer in Takoma Park, Maryland

Sheereen E. McNair, Esq.
Aug 14
4 min read

If you live in Takoma Park and a creditor is garnishing your paycheck, your bank account was frozen, or the calls will not stop, bankruptcy may be the fastest legal way to make it stop. Takoma Park is in Montgomery County, so your case is handled by the Greenbelt Division of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland. Middleton Legal is a virtual firm serving clients across Maryland, and Sheereen E. McNair works directly with every client. Most people keep their home, their car, and their retirement. Call 240-896-3253 for a free consultation.

Where Takoma Park Cases Are Filed

Takoma Park is in Montgomery County. Montgomery County cases go to the Greenbelt Division of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland, at the Federal Courthouse, 6500 Cherrywood Lane, Suite 300, Greenbelt, MD 20770, phone (301) 344-8018.

The court allows new petitions to be filed with the Clerk's Office in either the Baltimore or the Greenbelt Division, and the process is remote from end to end. Your consultation is a phone call, your documents are uploaded through our secure client portal, your case is filed electronically, and your meeting of creditors is normally held on Zoom, where you appear on camera to verify your identity. The courthouse is rarely somewhere you actually have to go.

What Bankruptcy Actually Stops

The moment your case is filed, a court protection called the automatic stay takes effect. Wage garnishment stops. Frozen bank accounts can be released. Foreclosure sales pause, so if a sale date is coming, filing before the sale can stop it. Repossession stops, and if your car has not been sold yet you may be able to get it back. Collection lawsuits and creditor calls stop, because creditors have to go through the bankruptcy court instead of coming after you directly.

What We See Most in Montgomery County

Wage garnishment. Once a creditor has a judgment, Maryland law lets them take up to 25 percent of your disposable income directly from your paycheck once the court issues a garnishment order. The automatic stay stops it the moment you file.

Bank levies. A judgment creditor can freeze your account. If your account has been frozen, call immediately, because timing matters enormously here.

Home equity. Maryland now protects up to $125,000 of equity in owner occupied real estate, raised from roughly $27,900 effective June 1, 2026. For many Montgomery County homeowners that means equity that used to force a long Chapter 13 may now be fully protected in a Chapter 7. Married couples cannot double it and there is no separate senior amount.

Chapter 7 or Chapter 13

Chapter 7 wipes out most unsecured debt in about three to four months. Credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, deficiency balances after a repossession, old judgments. The court filing fee is $338. You have to pass the means test, which compares your household income to the Maryland median for your family size.

Chapter 13 reorganizes your debt into a three to five year plan. It is the tool for catching up on a mortgage or a car you want to keep, and for people whose income is too high for Chapter 7. The filing fee is $313.

Most people who file Chapter 7 in Maryland keep everything they own. There is no separate car exemption here, but vehicle equity is protected through the wildcard, up to $6,000 of cash or property of any kind. Maryland has also opted out of the federal exemption system, so you use the Maryland exemptions.

Takoma Park sits at Montgomery County's edge next to the DC line. Montgomery County cases are handled by the Greenbelt Division. We look at your actual numbers before recommending a chapter.

What It Costs

The court filing fee is $338 for Chapter 7 and $313 for Chapter 13. Attorney fees are separate, and we offer payment plans. In Chapter 13, most of the attorney fee is typically paid through the plan rather than up front.

Working With Middleton Legal

You work directly with Sheereen, not a case mill. Middleton Legal is a BBB Accredited Business with an A+ rating. Everything is handled remotely, so you get a Montgomery County bankruptcy lawyer without driving anywhere. We treat bankruptcy as a strategic move that gives you a fresh start, not something to be ashamed of.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are Montgomery County bankruptcy cases filed?

In the Greenbelt Division of the United States Bankruptcy Court, at the Federal Courthouse, 6500 Cherrywood Lane, Suite 300, Greenbelt, MD 20770. The court also allows petitions to be filed in either the Baltimore or Greenbelt Division, and most of the process is electronic.

How fast does bankruptcy stop a wage garnishment in Takoma Park?

The same day you file. The automatic stay takes effect immediately and your employer must stop deducting from your paycheck.

How much can a creditor garnish in Maryland?

Up to 25 percent of your disposable income after they sue you, win a judgment, and obtain a garnishment order from the court. Filing bankruptcy stops it.

Can I keep my house in Takoma Park if I file Chapter 7?

Usually yes. Maryland protects up to $125,000 of equity in owner occupied real estate as of June 1, 2026. Married couples cannot double it and there is no separate senior amount. Most Chapter 7 filers keep their home.

A creditor froze my bank account. What do I do?

Call an attorney immediately. Timing matters a great deal with a frozen account, and filing bankruptcy triggers the automatic stay, which stops further collection.

Do I have to come into an office to file bankruptcy?

No. Everything is remote. Your consultation is a phone call, your documents are uploaded through our secure client portal, your case is filed electronically, and your meeting of creditors is normally held on Zoom.

Getting Garnished in Takoma Park? Filing Stops It the Same Day.

Free consultation, everything handled remotely, straight answers about whether bankruptcy helps you and what it costs. Call 240-896-3253 or book online.