Bankruptcy chapter 7 discharge occurs when the court proceedings are over and the debtor is basically free of debt. It is the desired outcome when filing for bankruptcy and in most uncomplicated cases takes anywhere from 60 days to 6 months. Of course, the more completely and honestly the paperwork is filled out, the better chances for a fast discharge. Most chapter 7 debtors never have to appear in court, but every case is different. Some cases involve a lot of non-exempt property and some do not. If there is a lot of non-exempt property, a trustee will be appointed to sell the assets in order to pay the creditors. If this must be done, naturally, it will take some time. How much time depends on the property and the demand for the property. A chapter 7 discharge can occur only after all of the demands of the bankruptcy laws are met. It is the judge who handles the bankruptcy chapter 7 discharge even though the debtor, in the course of the bankruptcy, might not even have seen him or her. Although bankruptcy as a whole is very complicated, chapter 7 is the easies and quickest form of bankruptcy. 99% of chapter 7 bankruptcies end in discharge.