Henrico County Bankruptcy Attorney — Chapter 7 & 13

By John G. Merna, Esq. | Last Reviewed: June 2026 | The Merna Law Group, P.C.

If you need a Henrico County bankruptcy attorney, Merna Law serves the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division. Henrico County surrounds Richmond City on three sides and is home to some of the most active bankruptcy zip codes in the entire EDVA. Between April 2025 and March 2026, Henrico County zip codes — including Glen Allen, Sandston, Short Pump, Innsbrook, and Varina — produced nearly 1,000 bankruptcy filings, more than any other single jurisdiction in the Richmond Division. Cases are filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division, at 701 East Broad Street, Suite 4000, Richmond, VA 23219.

Henrico’s bankruptcy profile reflects the county’s income diversity. Short Pump and Glen Allen filers tend to carry higher balances — credit cards, second mortgages, home equity lines — while Sandston and Varina filers more commonly face wage garnishment, medical debt, and mortgage arrears. Chapter 13 is the dominant chapter at 53%, meaning more than half of Henrico filers are protecting property and paying back debt through a court-supervised plan rather than seeking a Chapter 7 discharge.

Chapter 7 vs. Chapter 13 in Henrico County

Chapter 7 — Fast Discharge, Eliminate Unsecured Debt

Chapter 7 eliminates credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, and most unsecured debt through a discharge typically issued 90 to 120 days after filing. To qualify, your household income must fall below the Virginia median or pass the full means test expense calculation. Chapter 7 works well for Henrico residents with primarily unsecured debt, no significant home equity to protect, or who have already lost their home and need a clean financial restart. The process is straightforward — file, attend a brief 341 Meeting of Creditors by phone, receive your discharge.

Chapter 13 — Keep Your Home, Catch Up on Mortgage Arrears

Chapter 13 is the right choice for Henrico homeowners who are behind on their mortgage and need to stop a foreclosure, filers who earn too much to qualify for Chapter 7, or those with assets worth protecting. In a Chapter 13 case, mortgage arrears are paid through a three-to-five-year repayment plan. Filing immediately stops foreclosure through the automatic stay. At plan completion, the remaining unsecured debt — credit cards, medical bills — is discharged.

Henrico Chapter 13 cases are assigned to Trustee Michael Jones or Trustee Suzanne Wade in the Richmond Division. Both trustees carefully review plan feasibility, current income, and expense documentation at confirmation hearings.

The Automatic Stay — Immediate Protection at Filing

Filing bankruptcy in Henrico County triggers the automatic stay under 11 U.S.C. § 362, immediately stopping all collection activity — wage garnishments, bank levies, foreclosure proceedings, vehicle repossessions, and creditor calls. The stay takes effect the moment your petition is filed, before any hearing or court approval.

Virginia Exemptions — What Henrico Residents Keep

Virginia’s exemption laws protect significant property in bankruptcy. Henrico filers may keep: home equity up to $25,000 (or $50,000 if age 65 or disabled) under Va. Code § 34-4; vehicle equity up to $10,000 (Va. Code § 34-26(8)); all retirement accounts regardless of value; a $5,000 wildcard exemption applicable to any asset including cash; household furnishings up to $5,000; and tools of trade up to $10,000. Your Merna Law attorney will apply every available exemption to protect the maximum amount of your property.

Amounts verified June 2026 — Va. Code Title 34. Next CPI-U adjustment: April 1, 2027.

Henrico Communities We Serve

Merna Law represents clients throughout all of Henrico County, including Glen Allen, Short Pump, Innsbrook, Sandston, Varina, Lakeside, Tuckahoe, Mechanicsville Road corridor, and all zip codes in the 232xx range assigned to Henrico. Our Richmond office is minutes away, but your case is handled entirely remotely — no office visit needed.

How Merna Law Handles Your Henrico Bankruptcy — Step by Step

About Henrico County, Virginia

Henrico County is one of the oldest and most historically significant jurisdictions in the United States. Established in 1634 as one of the original eight shires of colonial Virginia, it was named after Prince Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales and heir apparent to the English throne. Stretching along both banks of the James River and surrounding the City of Richmond on three sides, Henrico encompasses more than 240 square miles of some of Virginia’s most diverse landscape — from the dense suburban corridors of Short Pump and Innsbrook in the west to the agricultural lowlands of Varina and the Chickahominy River basin in the east.

One of Henrico’s most distinctive characteristics is that it has never consolidated with the City of Richmond, despite sharing borders on three sides. Virginia’s unique structure of independent cities means Richmond and Henrico are entirely separate jurisdictions with separate governments, courts, and tax bases. This separation has driven decades of suburban migration — as residents and businesses moved from the city into Henrico for lower taxes, newer housing stock, and suburban amenities — making Henrico one of Virginia’s most economically significant counties.

The county’s western corridor — anchored by Short Pump and the Innsbrook Corporate Center — has become one of the most commercially active areas in the mid-Atlantic. Short Pump Town Center, one of Virginia’s premier regional malls, sits at the intersection of I-64 and Broad Street. Innsbrook hosts hundreds of corporate tenants including major financial services and insurance firms. The western corridor’s median household income is among the highest in Virginia, creating a bankruptcy filer profile distinct from the rest of the EDVA — more Chapter 13 plans to protect home equity, higher credit card balances, and more complex asset structures.

Eastern Henrico — including Sandston, Varina, and the areas surrounding Richmond International Airport — reflects a very different economic reality. Sandston and Varina are working-class communities where wage garnishment, vehicle repossession, and medical debt are the primary drivers of bankruptcy filings. Eastern Henrico filers are more likely to seek Chapter 7 discharges than the Chapter 13 repayment plans common in the west.

Henrico County’s history is deeply entwined with the Civil War. The county was the site of several major engagements during the Peninsula Campaign of 1862, and the eastern part of the county was crossed and recrossed by both Union and Confederate forces during the Overland Campaign of 1864. Cold Harbor Battlefield, one of the bloodiest engagements of the war, lies partly within what is now Henrico County. The Richmond National Battlefield Park preserves multiple sites throughout the county.

Major employers and institutions in Henrico County include Bon Secours Richmond Health System, HCA Virginia (Henrico Doctors’ Hospital), the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Dominion Energy (headquartered in the county’s western corridor), and numerous state government agencies with facilities along the Route 1 and Broad Street corridors.

All bankruptcy cases from Henrico County are filed at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, EDVA Richmond Division, 701 East Broad Street, Suite 4000, Richmond, VA 23219.

Henrico County Official Website · Henrico County on Wikipedia · U.S. Bankruptcy Court, EDVA

How Your Henrico Case Works

From your first call through your discharge, Merna Law handles your Henrico bankruptcy entirely by phone and Zoom. A free phone consultation reviews your debts, income, and goals. We then prepare your petition and schedules and collect your documents through a secure online portal — no office visit required. Your case is electronically filed with the EDVA Richmond Division (701 East Broad Street, Richmond), and the automatic stay takes effect immediately, stopping garnishments, repossession, foreclosure, and creditor calls. You attend a short phone or Zoom 341 meeting of creditors, typically under ten minutes. Most Chapter 7 cases discharge in about 90 days; Chapter 13 cases move to a confirmed repayment plan. Either way, you come out the other side with a fresh financial start.

Henrico — Local Context

Henrico County wraps around Richmond on the north, west, and east, and its bankruptcy filings reflect that range — from the office parks and retail centers of Innsbrook and Short Pump to older, established neighborhoods like Tuckahoe, Lakeside, and Highland Springs, plus growing areas around Glen Allen and Varina. Richmond International Airport sits in Henrico as well, bringing aviation and logistics jobs into the mix.

Whatever part of Henrico you call home, Merna Law’s attorneys handle your case entirely by phone and Zoom. Your filing goes through the EDVA Richmond Division, where our attorneys regularly appear before the same judges and trustees who hear Henrico cases.

Henrico County Bankruptcy — Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the bankruptcy court for Henrico County cases?

U.S. Bankruptcy Court, EDVA Richmond Division, 701 East Broad Street, Suite 4000, Richmond, VA 23219. The 341 meeting of creditors is conducted by phone or video — no in-person appearance required.

Why does Henrico have so many Chapter 13 filings?

Chapter 13 accounts for 53% of Henrico filings — unusually high — because Henrico has a large homeowner population, particularly in the Short Pump and Glen Allen corridors, where filers have significant home equity to protect. Chapter 13 lets homeowners catch up on mortgage arrears over 3–5 years while keeping their property. Chapter 7, by contrast, is better for renters or those without significant assets.

Can I stop wage garnishment by filing bankruptcy in Henrico?

Yes. The automatic stay under 11 U.S.C. § 362 takes effect the moment your case is filed, stopping all wage garnishment immediately. If your employer has already been notified, Merna Law can send a copy of your filing to have the garnishment reversed. Chapter 7 then eliminates the underlying debt entirely.

Who are the Chapter 13 trustees in the Richmond Division?

Henrico Chapter 13 cases are assigned to Trustee Michael Jones or Trustee Suzanne Wade in the Richmond Division. Both trustees carefully review plan feasibility, current income, and expense documentation at confirmation hearings. Merna Law prepares your plan to meet trustee requirements and represents you at the confirmation hearing.

How long does Chapter 7 bankruptcy take in Henrico County?

Most Henrico Chapter 7 cases are completed in 90–120 days from filing to discharge. The 341 meeting is typically scheduled 3–4 weeks after filing and lasts under 10 minutes by phone. Your discharge is issued roughly 60 days after the 341 meeting if no objections are filed.

Can I keep my home and car if I file bankruptcy in Henrico County?

In most cases, yes. Virginia’s homestead exemption protects up to $25,000 in home equity (or $50,000 if you are 65 or older or disabled) under Va. Code § 34-4. The vehicle exemption covers up to $10,000 in equity (§ 34-26(8)). Chapter 13 allows Henrico homeowners to catch up on missed mortgage payments over 3–5 years while keeping their property. Merna Law reviews your specific situation during your free consultation.

Merna Law serves Henrico County and surrounding areas of Virginia. This page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Bankruptcy laws and exemption amounts change — contact Merna Law at 1-800-662-8813 for current guidance specific to your situation.