Bankruptcy case Robinson vs Hagan emphasized this process and made the news in the process. The Bible in question was a very rare 1st Edition Mormon Bible published in 1830 and is worth an estimated $10,000. When the proceeding was initiated the bible was listed as “an old Mormon Bible” and the attorney stated that the debtor was told that the Bible would be exempt under the laws of that state. The bankruptcy trustee however decided to challenge the exemption and declared that the exemption applied to regular family Bibles but not to very valuable and rare ones. The bankruptcy court actually agreed with the trustee but the decision was reversed by a higher court.
The final consensus was that when the state declared Bibles being exempt they meant ALL Bible including rare and valuable ones. If you have questions about any part of the bankruptcy process or are considering a Texas bankruptcy and own possessions that you are unsure of their exempt status, contact a qualified bankruptcy attorney to get the advice you need to move forward.