Our home office is right downtown at 1 Dearborn Square — and when you call, you reach a local attorney, not a call center. Plain-English help with Chapter 7 and Chapter 13, from the firm that's headquartered here in Kankakee.
Here's the local fact that shapes every Kankakee filing: if you live here, your bankruptcy case is not handled in Chicago. It belongs to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of Illinois, Urbana Division.
That difference is practical, not technical. The Central District runs on its own filing procedures and local rules, and your case is assigned to one of its trustees — different from the ones who handle Northern District cases in Chicago. And the one routine hearing most filers attend, the 341 meeting of creditors, is held virtually over Zoom for cases filed on or after September 1, 2023 — so most Kankakee filers never set foot in a courtroom at all.
This is the district we work in. Our headquarters is right here on Dearborn Square, and the Central District is where we file. Kankakee isn't a market we advertise into — it's home.
Where a Kankakee County bankruptcy case is actually handled.
U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Central District of Illinois, Urbana Division — 201 South Vine Street, Room 203, Urbana, IL 61802.
Kankakee County cases are heard in the Central District of Illinois, Urbana Division — not the Northern District courthouse in downtown Chicago. Our Kankakee office files there, so you're working with someone who knows that court.
Whichever chapter fits your life, the work happens here: your case prepared at our downtown office and filed in the district Kankakee belongs to.
Wipe out credit cards, medical bills, and personal loans for good. Most Chapter 7 cases are discharged in about three to four months — and with the 341 meeting held over Zoom, there's no drive to court for most Kankakee filers.
Learn more about Chapter 7
Behind on a mortgage in Kankakee, Bradley, or Bourbonnais? Chapter 13 stops a foreclosure and folds the missed payments into one court-protected monthly plan — so you catch up gradually and stay in your home.
Learn more about Chapter 13You'll find us at 1 Dearborn Square, in the heart of downtown Kankakee. This is the firm's home office — where your case is prepared, where your questions get answered, and where you can sit across the desk from the attorney actually handling your filing.
We work with neighbors across Kankakee County. And if Joliet, La Grange, or Round Lake Park is closer to you, we can meet you at one of those offices instead.
Chandraiah Law Firm · Headquarters
No. Bankruptcy cases for Kankakee County residents are handled by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of Illinois, Urbana Division — not the Northern District court in Chicago. It's the local fact that surprises a lot of Kankakee filers, and it shapes the procedures, local rules, and trustees your case will see. It's also the district our Kankakee office works in.
Usually not. The one routine hearing most filers attend — the 341 meeting of creditors — is held by video over Zoom for cases filed on or after September 1, 2023. It's typically a short, plain conversation with the trustee, and we're on the call with you from start to finish. Most Kankakee clients never set foot in a courtroom.
The court filing fee — set by the federal court, the same no matter who represents you — is $338 for Chapter 7 and $313 for Chapter 13. If your income is low enough, the court can let you pay the Chapter 7 fee in installments or waive it entirely. Your consultation with us is always free, and we'll walk through every cost in plain numbers before you commit to anything.
It comes down to the means test. For cases filed on or after April 1, 2026, the Illinois median income is $73,180 for a one-person household, $93,934 for two, $113,625 for three, and $137,902 for four, plus $11,100 for each additional person. Below the line for your household size, you generally qualify automatically — and above it, the full test deducts your real living expenses, so many people still pass. We run the numbers with you for free.
For most people, yes. For cases filed in 2026, Illinois protects up to $50,000 of home equity for an individual — $100,000 for co-owners — plus $3,600 of vehicle equity with a $4,000 wildcard you can stack on top. In Chapter 13, you can also stop a foreclosure and catch up on missed mortgage payments through your plan. We map out exactly what's protected before anything is filed.
The moment your case is filed, a federal court order called the automatic stay takes effect. It immediately stops most collection calls, wage garnishments, and lawsuits — creditors are required to go through the court instead of calling your phone. For many of our clients, the first quiet week is the moment bankruptcy starts feeling real.
Free, confidential, and judgment-free — at our downtown Kankakee office or over the phone. Let's find your fresh start.