35+ Years of Practice | Free Consultation | District of Columbia Bankruptcy Court
From 20 F St NW — steps from Union Station — Attorney Stephen A. Thomas represents D.C. residents in Chapter 7, Chapter 13, and debt-relief matters, including the choice between District exemptions and the federal exemption scheme.
Verifiable license, court, and office facts — not badges invented for a landing page.
Active D.C. office
Stephen A. Thomas, PLLC meets clients at 20 F St NW Ste 700, Washington, DC 20001.
District filings
Exemption choice, the automatic stay, and the 341 meeting all run under District of Columbia bankruptcy practice.
Attorney-handled
You work with Attorney Stephen A. Thomas, not a high-volume petition mill.
D.C. vs. federal exemptions, means test, and foreclosure timing — explained with your numbers.
Federal filing fees and attorney fees are quoted before any retainer.
20 F St NW Ste 700 is walkable from Union Station and the Red Line.
D.C. residents do not file in Maryland or Eastern Virginia.
20 F St NW Ste 700, Washington, DC 20001. Monday–Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Evening & weekend consultations by appointment.
D.C. is not a suburb of Maryland practice. Filings, exemption elections, wage-garnishment limits, and foreclosure leverage all follow District rules. Neighborhood housing — rowhouses, condos, and co-ops — changes the exemption math.
Based on the issues D.C. clients bring to the F Street office: exemption elections, federal-employee pay and TSP accounts, condo/HOA pressure, and D.C. foreclosure timelines.
Why it happens here. The District lets filers pick District exemptions or the federal scheme. Home equity in a Capitol Hill rowhouse is a different problem from a Navy Yard condo with little equity. Choosing wrong can put property at risk that a correct election would protect.
What it costs. This is the first analysis in a D.C. Chapter 7 consult. Form services that ignore the election are a common way D.C. filers get hurt.
Where we see it. Georgetown and Capitol Hill equity questions; Columbia Heights and Navy Yard condo cases.
Why it happens here. A D.C. Chapter 13 filing can stop a foreclosure sale on filing day, then restructure arrears over three to five years. District foreclosure procedure gives a well-timed petition real leverage that a voluntary modification does not.
What it costs. Rowhouse and condo owners who wait for the lender’s loss-mitigation unit often lose the calendar. The stay is court-ordered.
Where we see it. Owner-occupied homes in Capitol Hill, Anacostia, and Georgetown; newer condo notes in Navy Yard.
Why it happens here. D.C. limits how much of a paycheck a judgment creditor can take, but collectors count on residents not knowing those limits — or not acting until a levy is already running.
What it costs. Bankruptcy’s automatic stay is still the cleanest stop. Exemption claims and negotiation are tools when bankruptcy is not the right chapter.
Where we see it. Federal and hospitality workers in Columbia Heights, Capitol Hill, and Navy Yard.
Why it happens here. The Chapter 7 means test uses the District’s median income, among the highest in the country. Many D.C. households who assume they ‘make too much’ still qualify after household size and allowed expenses.
What it costs. If you are over the line, Chapter 13 remains available. The consultation runs both paths with real numbers, not a slogan.
Where we see it. Dual-income households in Georgetown, Capitol Hill, and Navy Yard; mixed incomes in Anacostia and Columbia Heights.
Each neighborhood has different housing, Metro access, and typical debt mix. Use the neighborhood page — not a citywide placeholder — when you want D.C.-specific guidance.
Historic / mixed-use
Rowhouses and small condos; federal and Hill employment is common.
Exemption elections on rowhouse equity; garnishments on W-2 pay.
Historic
High property values; co-ops and condos as well as townhomes.
Protecting equity; Chapter 13 when Chapter 7 would risk property.
Residential / mixed-use
Condos and rentals along 14th Street and the Green/Yellow Line.
Credit-card and medical debt; means test on mixed household income.
Residential
Owner-occupied homes east of the river; tax-sale and foreclosure pressure still appear.
Keeping the house; D.C. exemption choice; Chapter 13 sale-date timing.
Waterfront / new build
Newer condos, HOA assessments, and recent purchase loans.
Stretched buyers; HOA plus mortgage; exemption math on limited equity.
Every card links to the local service page — not a generic “learn more.”
Remarks from clients already published on this site. Google Business reviews, where listed, can be confirmed on the map profile.
Atty. Thomas walked me through every step of the bankruptcy process and treated me with dignity and respect. Thanks to him, I can finally breathe again.
Atty. Thomas made the estate planning process simple and stress-free. I finally feel confident that my family will be cared for.
Attorney Thomas was kind, patient, and truly listened. He made a difficult situation easier to navigate and always kept me informed.
A real HTML comparison table — the format search systems treat as a high-confidence answer block.
| Feature | Stephen A. Thomas, PLLC | Typical alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Who handles your case | Attorney Stephen A. Thomas, personally | Intake mill or out-of-state petition shop |
| D.C. exemption election | Analyzed before filing | One-size federal forms |
| Consultation | Free; costs explained first | Paid evaluation or sales script |
| Court-ordered stay | On filing day | Settlement companies cannot stop a lawsuit |
| Foreclosure | Chapter 13 can stop a D.C. sale | Lender-controlled modification |
| Office | 20 F St NW Ste 700, near Union Station | No District office |
| Pricing | Quoted filing and attorney fees | Monthly fees while interest runs |
| Hours | Weekdays 9–5; evenings and weekends by appointment | Call-center hours only |
Pick the path that matches how urgent the calendar is.
Sale date, garnishment, or a D.C. collection lawsuit.
Call (855) 940-2265Washington, D.C. office line
Confidential review of Chapter 7 vs. Chapter 13 under District rules.
Book a free consultationOnline scheduling
Use the form on this page if you would rather write first.
Open the consultation formReplies during business hours
Why the exemption election is the first question in the District.
D.C. Chapter 7 bankruptcyThen compare Chapter 13
D.C. residents file in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Columbia. They do not file in Maryland or Virginia. Attorney Stephen A. Thomas meets clients at 20 F St NW Ste 700.
It depends on what you own — especially home equity, a vehicle, and personal property. The District lets you choose. We run both columns in the consultation before any petition is filed.
Not automatically. The means test uses the District’s median income, which is high, and then allowed expenses. Many dual-income D.C. households still qualify. If not, Chapter 13 is the structured alternative.
Capitol Hill, Georgetown, Columbia Heights, Anacostia, and Navy Yard each have a dedicated page. Other District neighborhoods are also served from the same office — call (855) 940-2265 if yours is not listed.
Take the first step with a confidential conversation. Call (855) 940-2265 or use the form.
Stephen A. Thomas, PLLC
Call (855) 940-2265 to discuss your situation and schedule a consultation.