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At its September 2002 session, the Judicial Conference
approved proposed amendments to the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure and
the Official Bankruptcy Forms which will implement the conference policy on
privacy and public access to electronic court files. Barring Congressional
Action, these amendments will take effect December 1, 2003.
Key Changes:
 | The petition, Official Form 1, will contain only the last four digits of
the individual debtors’ Social Security numbers. (Rule 1005) |
| The debtor will be required to submit a verified statement containing the
full nine-digit Social Security number. (Rule 1007) |
| This new Statement of Social Security Number will not be filed in the
case or become part of the case file available to the public at the court or
over the Internet. |
| The Section 341 Meeting of Creditors notice, Official Form 9, sent to
creditors, the debtor, the trustee and the U.S. Trustee will include the
debtor’s full Social Security number. |
| Filers - not the clerk - are responsible for redacting Social Security
numbers and other personal identifiers in documents they file with the
court. |
Additional information regarding the new privacy requirements is available on
the Federal Rule Making page of the Judiciary’s website at www.uscourts.gov.
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