Mon–Fri: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
404 E Watauga Ave in downtown Johnson City. Use Get Directions for turn-by-turn directions.
Chapter 7 focuses on discharging qualifying unsecured debts such as credit cards, medical bills, and personal loans through a structured bankruptcy process.
Restructure debts while keeping your business operating. We provide strategic legal support for businesses and individuals filing Chapter 11.
Create a manageable repayment plan while protecting important assets. Our team helps you understand every step of your Chapter 13 case.
Business bankruptcy can provide options for restructuring debt, addressing creditor pressure, and deciding how to move forward with the company.
If unsecured debt is becoming hard to manage, we help you review settlement options and work toward more manageable repayment terms.
Filing for bankruptcy may trigger an automatic stay that temporarily stops collection actions, foreclosures, and wage garnishments.
Find out whether you qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy by reviewing your income and financial circumstances.
Understanding federal debt frameworks in East Tennessee requires a clear look at your income versus local cost-of-living standards. Individuals and families who find themselves overwhelmed by unmanageable financial balances can deploy immediate legal protections to block aggressive collection actions.
Our firm directly guides you through the necessary qualifying assessments to shield your resources:
If your current financial standing places you outside standard limits, we immediately pivot your strategy to alternative court-backed restructuring paths that still protect your primary assets.
The vast majority of unsecured compounding liabilities can be discharged under the federal bankruptcy codes, giving you a total financial reset. We target the specific financial burdens that drain your local bank accounts and upend your stability.
While standard court frameworks do not dissolve foundational obligations like domestic support or criminal fines, we wipe away:
We utilize specific Tennessee legal exemptions to protect your property from bank foreclosures or sudden repossessions. We file the exact paperwork necessary to block lenders from stripping away what you own, allowing you to catch up on missed payments safely under court-ordered protection.
Bankruptcy cases from Washington County and nearby Carter, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Johnson counties fall within the Northeastern Division of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. The division’s clerk’s office is located at the James H. Quillen U.S. Courthouse in Greeneville.
The Pope Firm can help you understand where your case is filed, what documents are required, and what to expect throughout the bankruptcy process.
You do not have to be lost figuring out the complex federal court systems in East Tennessee. Our team provides a highly structured legal process designed to take the pressure off your shoulders and start working toward a fresh financial start.
Review your complete local financial profile
We analyze your outstanding liabilities, asset structures, and income sources right here in Washington County. Mapping out your specific financial situation allows our team to identify the legal protections that may be available for your property.
File your formal federal court protection
We execute and submit your customized legal paperwork directly to the federal bankruptcy court to activate an automatic stay. In most cases, the automatic stay requires creditors and collection agencies to pause lawsuits, garnishments, and collection calls while your case is pending.
Secure your permanent debt discharge order
Our team handles all courtroom negotiations and creditor meetings to guide your case toward a final resolution. If the court grants a discharge, qualifying debts are legally eliminated.
Attorney at Law | The Pope Firm | Tennessee Bar No. 015617
Charles Parks Pope is a business restructuring and bankruptcy attorney with 30+ years of experience helping companies and individuals across East Tennessee navigate financial challenges — both in and out of the courtroom.
Mr. Pope founded The Pope Firm with a focus on practical, results-driven counsel for businesses facing insolvency, reorganization, or complex debt situations. He works closely with business owners to evaluate all available options — from out-of-court workouts and debt restructuring to formal Chapter 11 reorganization — with the goal of preserving value, protecting assets, and positioning clients for a sustainable financial future.
Mr. Pope earned his B.A. from Rhodes College, an M.B.A. from the University of Tennessee, and his J.D. from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis. That combination of business training and legal experience helps him advise clients on the financial and strategic dimensions of restructuring — not just the legal ones.
Licensed in Tennessee since 1992, Mr. Pope also represents individual clients in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 proceedings, creditor negotiations, and consumer debt relief matters. The Pope Firm maintains offices in Johnson City, Kingsport, and Elizabethton and is one of the largest bankruptcy filers in the Tri Cities.
