Drowning in debt in Fort Worth? These 10 Tarrant County bankruptcy firms file thousands of cases a year.
Tarrant County bankruptcy cases are filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division. Chapter 7 (liquidation) wipes most unsecured debt in 4-6 months. Chapter 13 (reorganization) creates a 3-5 year payment plan that often saves a house from foreclosure. Texas has generous exemptions — your homestead, retirement accounts, and most household property are typically protected.
Fort Worth bankruptcy practice is high-volume and procedural. The Fort Worth Division of the Northern District has a few sitting bankruptcy judges, a small standing trustee bench, and a tight Chapter 13 trustee — Tim Truman — who handles most consumer Chapter 13s. A firm that files dozens of cases a month at the Fort Worth courthouse knows the trustee's preferences, the local 341 meeting style, and the standard plan templates that get confirmed without a fight.
Below are 10 of the most respected Fort Worth bankruptcy firms — from board-certified consumer bankruptcy specialists to high-volume statewide filers to business reorganization boutiques.
How we picked these 10: We reviewed published verdicts and settlements, peer rankings (Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell, Justia), client review patterns, and state bar specialty certifications. Firms that appeared consistently across at least two independent sources made the list. We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology →
Practice focus: Chapter 7, Chapter 13, foreclosure defense
Reed Allmand is Board Certified in Consumer Bankruptcy Law by the American Board of Certification. Largest bankruptcy filing firm in Texas. Featured on ABC, Fox News, and CBS News. Thousands of debtors helped statewide.
Practice focus: Chapter 7, Chapter 13, small business bankruptcy
Serves individuals, families, and businesses in Tarrant, Dallas, Parker, and Wise counties. Strong on Chapter 13 cure-and-maintain plans for homeowners behind on payments. Free initial consultations.
Practice focus: Chapter 7, Chapter 13, creditor harassment defense
Named top attorney in Fort Worth from 2012 to 2019. Member of the Tarrant County Bar Association and the Bankruptcy Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. Boutique practice with direct attorney access.
Practice focus: Chapter 7, Chapter 11, Chapter 13, business reorganization
Represents individuals and businesses in Fort Worth bankruptcy cases. Strong on the Chapter 11 small-business subchapter V cases that have grown since 2020. Multi-attorney bench with bankruptcy specialists.
Practice focus: Chapter 7, Chapter 13, foreclosure defense
David Shuster runs a Fort Worth-focused consumer bankruptcy practice. Strong client reviews for clear communication and willingness to take small cases other firms decline. Free initial consultation.
Practice focus: Chapter 7, Chapter 11, Chapter 13
Over 30 years of bankruptcy practice. Handles consumer Chapter 7 and 13 as well as small-business Chapter 11. Useful for clients who want a one-lawyer, hands-on practice.
Practice focus: Chapter 11 business reorganization, complex Chapter 7 trustee work
Boutique business-bankruptcy firm with reputation for complex Chapter 11 reorganizations. Useful when the case involves a business with secured creditors and operational restructuring.
Practice focus: Chapter 11, complex reorganization, creditor representation
Frank Wright has 35+ years of Texas bankruptcy practice including major Chapter 11 cases. Useful on the business side. Debtor-in-possession financing, plan confirmation, and asset sales under Section 363.
Practice focus: Large Chapter 11 cases, creditor committee representation, bankruptcy litigation
National AmLaw 100 firm with a North Texas bankruptcy bench. Generally handles cases above $10M in debt. Useful when the case is a complex restructuring or interstate creditor dispute.
Practice focus: Chapter 11 business bankruptcy, creditor representation, bankruptcy appeals
Fort Worth-based business bankruptcy boutique. Jeff Prostok and Bobby Forshey have decades of Northern District of Texas bankruptcy practice. Selected to Best Lawyers and Texas Super Lawyers.
Tell us about your situation and we will match you with vetted bankruptcy attorneys in Fort Worth. Free, confidential, no obligation.
Chapter 7 cases in Fort Worth typically take 4 to 6 months from filing to discharge. The 341 meeting of creditors happens 30 to 45 days after filing and lasts about 5 minutes for routine cases. Discharge follows 60 days later. Chapter 13 cases run 3 to 5 years on a confirmed plan, with confirmation typically 75 to 90 days after filing. Chapter 11 small-business cases (subchapter V) confirm in 4 to 6 months. Standard Chapter 11 cases run 12 to 24 months.
Tarrant County bankruptcy fees: Chapter 7 typically $1,200-$2,500 flat plus the $338 court filing fee (split into installments if needed). Chapter 13 typically $4,500-$6,000 with most of the fee paid through the plan (you put down a smaller upfront retainer). Court filing fee for Chapter 13 is $313. Business Chapter 11 fees run $15,000-$50,000+ retainers for subchapter V and $100,000+ for standard Chapter 11. Credit counseling course (required pre-filing) is $20-$50. Initial consultations at consumer firms are typically free.
Fort Worth has hundreds of attorneys advertising for bankruptcy cases. Most are competent. A few are problematic. The patterns to avoid:
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can guarantee a result. If a firm promises a specific recovery, dismissal, or court outcome, walk away.
The disappearing partner. You meet a senior partner at intake, then never speak to them again. The case is handled by an unsupervised junior or paralegal. Ask in writing who will be your day-to-day attorney.
Pressure to sign immediately. Reputable firms give you the retainer agreement in writing, time to read it, and the option to take it home. High-pressure intake is almost always a sign of a volume mill, not a craftsperson's practice.
No verifiable track record. The firm should be able to point to verdicts, settlements, peer rankings, or bar association recognition. "We have helped thousands of clients" is marketing copy. Specific numbers, named cases, and third-party rankings are evidence.
Vague fee terms. "Do not worry about cost" is a red flag. Every legitimate Fort Worth lawyer will give you a written engagement letter with the fee structure, what is covered, what triggers extra charges, and what happens if you fire them.
Most Fort Worth firms on this list offer a free or low-cost initial consultation. Use it. Bring a list of questions and write down the answers. Compare across at least two firms before you sign.
Fort Worth is its own market. The procedure, the local statutes, and the strategy are city- and state-specific in ways that matter to your outcome.
Texas exemptions are generous. Texas Property Code 41.001-41.002 protects the homestead with no dollar limit (urban: 10 acres; rural: 100 acres single, 200 acres family). Texas Property Code 42.001 protects up to $100,000 of household property for a family ($50,000 single). Most retirement accounts are 100% exempt. This is why many filers keep their house and car.
Chapter 7 has an income test. The means test (11 U.S.C. 707(b)) compares your household income to the Texas median. Above median, you may be presumed ineligible for Chapter 7 and forced into Chapter 13. As of 2026, Texas median income for a family of four is around $103,000 (updated semi-annually by the U.S. Trustee).
Chapter 13 saves houses. A Chapter 13 plan can cure mortgage arrears over 3-5 years while you make the regular monthly payment going forward. Once the plan is confirmed, the foreclosure stops. This is the single most common reason Fort Worth families file Chapter 13.
The Fort Worth division has its own local rules. Wage orders, plan templates, motion practice. All are calibrated to the local trustee and judges. A lawyer who files monthly in Fort Worth knows the templates that get confirmed without objection.
Chapter 7 attorney fees typically $1,200-$2,500 flat plus a $338 court filing fee. Chapter 13 attorney fees typically $4,500-$6,000, with most paid through the plan. Add a $20-$50 credit counseling course (required before filing) and a $20-$50 debtor education course (required after filing).
Almost never. Texas Property Code 41.002 gives the homestead an unlimited dollar exemption for up to 10 acres (urban) or 100/200 acres (rural). As long as you can keep making the mortgage payment, the trustee cannot take a Texas homestead.
Usually no. Texas Property Code 42.002 exempts one motor vehicle per licensed family member. If you are current on the car loan and the loan balance is close to the car's value, you can usually reaffirm the loan and keep the car.
Most income taxes 3+ years old can be discharged if the return was filed at least 2 years ago and assessed at least 240 days ago. Student loans are dischargeable only in narrow 'undue hardship' cases under Brunner; new DOJ guidance (2022+) has expanded eligibility but it is still difficult.
3 years if your income is below the Texas median, 5 years if above. Most Tarrant County cases are 5-year plans because the homestead-cure timeline drives the duration.
Most consumer firms offer a free 30-60 minute initial consultation. Business bankruptcy firms (Chapter 11) typically charge for the initial meeting because the analysis is more complex.