Official Form 411B, Special Power of Attorney, is the bankruptcy form that lets a creditor (the "claimant") authorize someone else to attend the meeting of creditors and vote there on the claimant's behalf. It belongs to the Official Bankruptcy Forms approved by the Judicial Conference and published by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the official PDF is published at uscourts.gov.
Last updated
What is Official Form 411B?
Official Form 411B, Special Power of Attorney, is the United States Bankruptcy Court form in which a claimant authorizes an attorney in fact to attend the meeting of creditors of the debtor and to vote on the claimant's behalf at that meeting.
The text printed on the form names the attorneys in fact at the top ("you, or any one of you") and sets the scope of the authority. They may attend the meeting of creditors or any adjournment of it, vote on any question that may lawfully be submitted to creditors at that meeting or adjourned meeting, and vote for a trustee or trustees of the estate of the debtor. The form offers an optional bracketed phrase, "and with full power of substitution," to be kept only if desired.
The form is tied to a specific case: the heading asks for the bankruptcy court district, the debtor's name, the case number and the chapter. The signature block records the date, who signs, in what capacity ("By" and "as") and an address, and the form closes with an acknowledgment. Separate acknowledgment wording is printed for an individual, for a partnership and for a corporation.
According to the agency page, this is an Official Bankruptcy Form, approved by the Judicial Conference and required to be used under Bankruptcy Rule 9009. The authority it grants is limited to the meeting of creditors and the votes described above.
Who needs to file Official Form 411B?
The main user is a claimant, meaning a creditor in a bankruptcy case, who wants another person to attend the meeting of creditors and vote for them. The claimant signs the form; the people who receive the authority are the attorneys in fact named in the "To" lines at the top, each with a state mailing address.
The form covers three kinds of claimant, each with its own acknowledgment wording:
- an individual;
- a partnership, where the person signing says he or she is a member of the partnership named on the form and is authorized to execute the power of attorney for it;
- a corporation, where the person signing says what office he or she holds in the corporation named on the form and is authorized to execute the power of attorney for it.
The authority granted is only what is printed on the form: attending the meeting of creditors or an adjournment, voting on questions lawfully submitted to creditors there, and voting for a trustee or trustees of the estate of the debtor. The form does not describe any other use.
When to file Official Form 411B
The triggering event is a claimant's decision to be represented at the meeting of creditors of the debtor by an attorney in fact. The form covers that meeting and any adjournment of it, so one completed form is not tied to a single session. No deadline, filing window or expiration date is printed on the form, and the agency page gives none; because the form is case-specific, it is completed with the court district, debtor, case number and chapter of the bankruptcy case it relates to. Check the notice of the meeting of creditors in your case for its date.
How to fill out Official Form 411B
Enter the court and case details
In the heading, enter the district of the United States Bankruptcy Court, the debtor's name after "In re," the Case No. and the Chapter.
Name the attorneys in fact
On the "To" lines, enter the name of each person you authorize and their state mailing address, marked with an asterisk. The form authorizes "you, or any one of you."
Decide on full power of substitution
The bracketed words "and with full power of substitution" are printed "if desired." Keep them only if you want the attorneys in fact to be able to substitute someone else.
Enter the date
Fill in the Dated line with the date you sign the power of attorney.
Sign and state your capacity
Sign on the Signed line. On the "By" and "as" lines, show who is signing and in what capacity, which matters when the claimant is a partnership or a corporation.
Add the claimant's address
Enter the claimant's address on the Address line.
Complete the matching acknowledgment
Use only the paragraph that fits: individual, partnership or corporation. Enter the date of acknowledgment and, for an entity, the name of the person signing and, for a corporation, the office held.
Complete the official's character line
The acknowledgment closes with the line "[Official character.]". Leave it to be completed by the person before whom the acknowledgment is made.
Review, sign and download the PDF
Check the case details, names, addresses and the acknowledgment wording. Then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and sign it where required.
How to submit Official Form 411B
The form prints no mailing address, portal, fee or filing instruction of its own. What it does print is who receives the authority: the attorneys in fact named in the "To" lines, each with a state mailing address, and the case information in the heading (court district, debtor, case number, chapter).
For how a completed power of attorney is to be presented at or before the meeting of creditors, rely on the notice you received in the bankruptcy case or ask the bankruptcy court clerk for the district shown on the form.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels that apply in your bankruptcy case.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving the court district, debtor name, case number or chapter blank in the heading, so the power of attorney is not tied to a specific bankruptcy case.
- Omitting the state mailing address (marked with an asterisk) for the attorneys in fact named in the "To" lines.
- Keeping or deleting the bracketed phrase "and with full power of substitution" by accident instead of deciding whether it is desired.
- Signing for a partnership or corporation without completing the "By" and "as" lines that show who signs and in what capacity.
- Completing the wrong acknowledgment paragraph: the form has separate wording for an individual, a partnership and a corporation.
- Leaving the acknowledgment date and the official's character line empty after signing.
- Expecting the form to authorize anything beyond the meeting of creditors, an adjournment of it and the vote on questions and on a trustee or trustees of the estate.
Frequently asked questions
What is a special power of attorney in a bankruptcy case?
On Official Form 411B, a special power of attorney is the document in which a claimant authorizes an attorney in fact to attend the meeting of creditors of the debtor, or any adjournment, and to vote on the claimant's behalf on questions lawfully submitted to creditors and for a trustee or trustees of the estate.
Who signs Official Form 411B?
The claimant signs it. The Dated, Signed, By, as and Address lines record the date, the signature, the capacity of the person signing and an address. The attorneys in fact named at the top receive the authority; they do not sign the form to grant it.
Can Official Form 411B be used by a partnership or a corporation?
Yes. The form prints separate acknowledgment wording for an individual, a partnership and a corporation. The person signing says he or she is a member of the partnership, or holds an office in the corporation, and is authorized to execute the power of attorney on its behalf.
What can the attorney in fact do under this form?
Attend the meeting of creditors of the debtor or any adjournment, vote for the claimant on any question lawfully submitted to creditors there, and vote for a trustee or trustees of the estate of the debtor. The form grants no other authority.
What does "full power of substitution" mean on this form?
It is an optional phrase printed in brackets with the words "if desired." The form does not define it further. Keep the words only if you want that wording to apply; otherwise the authority runs to the named attorneys in fact as printed.
Is Form 411B an official bankruptcy form?
Yes. The agency page identifies B 411B as an Official Bankruptcy Form, approved by the Judicial Conference and required to be used under Bankruptcy Rule 9009. The revision printed on the PDF is 12/18.
Can I fill out Official Form 411B online on FillingPDF?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service, not the court or the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, and it does not file or deliver the form; you follow the process in your bankruptcy case.
Ready to fill out Official Form 411B?
Fill out Official Form 411B now