Christy Weiss has written an article for the American Bankruptcy Trustee Journal, the publication of the National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees (NABT). The article is titled The Rise, “and Fall,” of Pro Se Debtors. In it, Christy looks at the sharp increase in people filing for bankruptcy without an attorney, and at the problems that trend creates for debtors, trustees and the courts.

Christy has served as trustee assistant to Chapter 7 Trustee John C. Bircher III for almost nine years. She draws on that daily work, and on data from the Clerk’s office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, to describe a clear trend:

• A steep increase. Pro se filings in the Eastern District of North Carolina rose from 69 in 2021 to 301 in 2025. Christy’s own pro se caseload went from 4 cases in 2020 to 31 in 2025.
• A high dismissal rate. Of the 301 pro se cases filed in the District in 2025, 135 were dismissed. The usual reasons were deficient filings, failure to submit documents for the Section 341 meeting, or failure to attend required hearings.
• “Naked debtors.” Many pro se schedules are nearly blank. They list no assets, no income and no creditor addresses, and exemptions are often left out entirely.

Christy points to economic pressure, the cost of hiring counsel and the growing use of AI tools as the main drivers. Online resources can make bankruptcy look simple. In her words, “the Bankruptcy Code is anything but simple.” She gives examples from her practice: debtors who sent documents to the wrong place, who confused what the court requires with what the trustee requires, or who left significant assets off their schedules. Each of these mistakes added delay and cost for everyone involved.

The article ends with a call for trustees and trustee assistants to work together on practical improvements. The goal is to balance efficient case administration with patience for people in real financial distress.

Christy earned her B.A. in Early American History and her paralegal certification from Old Dominion University. She is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association and the NABT. She joined the NABT’s Trustee Assistant Committee in 2025.