If you co-own real estate and your co-owner has filed for bankruptcy, you need to be aware that the bankruptcy Trustee has the authority to force a sale of the entire property, including your interest even though you are not filing. However, before a sale can take place, the Trustee must determine whether the property can be "partitioned", which would separate your co-owner's (i.e. the debtor’s) interest from yours. If the property can be partitioned, only the debtor’s portion will be sold. If partitioning is not possible, the bankruptcy court will approve a sale of the entire asset if doing so will result in significant gain to the bankruptcy estate.It should be noted, that prior to such a sale, the court must find that the benefit to the bankruptcy estate outweighs any detriment to you, the co-owner. This is done through an adversary proceeding by the Trustee against you (with the court’s permission). As with any such proceeding, you will have the opportunity to reach a settlement with the Trustee and possibly purchase the debtor’s interest at a discounted rate. If no agreement can be reached, the court will decide whether the property should be sold.Consequently, since this can all get a complex and confusing, it is advisable that you seek advice from a bankruptcy attorney in your area as to your rights/remedies.