Real life Stories

T-Boz’s Bankruptcy Case Dismissed

04/03/12

In a high-profile example of the bankruptcy court’s discretion over your bankruptcy case, former TLC member T-Boz, whose real name is Tionne Watkins, was thrown out of bankruptcy court.  Can this happen to you? T-Boz had filed a personal Chapter 13 bankruptcy, claiming more than $750,000 in debts to various creditors.  But instead of granting [...]

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A Visit From the Sheriff Doesn’t Mean You’re Going to Jail

03/30/12

The Sheriff Came to My Home, Have I Committed a Crime? I received a call yesterday from a client who was concerned about a recent visit from the sheriff. After a Homeowners Association instituted foreclosure proceedings because of delinquent dues, the sheriff came by my client’s home to give notice of the upcoming foreclosure hearing. [...]

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Wells Fargo Account Freezing Okay in Some States, Not In 9th Circuit

01/30/12

Wells Fargo Freezing Accounts of Bankruptcy Debtors For years, Wells Fargo has taken an unusual and sometimes unpopular stance with regard to the bank account funds that bankruptcy filers have at their branches.  Every evening, Wells Fargo checks the notices of new bankruptcy cases, and freezes the bank accounts of people who have filed bankruptcy [...]

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SHOW ME THE BANKRUPTCYYYYYYYYYY!

01/24/12

You probably are more familiar with that line in its original form, “Show me the moneyyyyyyyyyyy!” as screamed over the phone by “Jerry Maguire” the sports agent played by Tom Cruise in the movie of the same name.  Well, now the real life sports agent that inspired the Jerry Maguire character, Leigh Steinberg has declared [...]

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The Power of the Bankruptcy Court

12/04/11

 In re: Moser, No. 09-11945 (Bankr. N.D. Calif., May 18, 2011). In your interactions with the bankruptcy court, it is important to be as kind and respectful, and honest as possible.  The bankruptcy court has a lot of discretion in making important decisions that will influence your life for a long time.  It is not [...]

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Compassion Fatigue in Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys and Mental Health Professionals

10/24/11

In September of 2011 I took an informal survey of National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorney (“NACBA”) members on professional burnout.  Through a post on the NACBA listserv discussion group I asked NACBA members to rate on a scale of 1 to 10 how burned out they had gotten from practice and what were the [...]

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Tucson Mayoral Candidate Arrested for Bankruptcy Fraud

09/12/11

A fringe candidate for mayor of Tucson was arrested for bankruptcy fraud a few months ago.  The 81 year old Marshall Home after filing on March 16, 2011, in United States Bankruptcy Court in Tucson an Involuntary Petition in Bankruptcy, seeking to place the United States in bankruptcy. Home claimed to have a claim for [...]

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Student Loans: Until Death Do Us Part

08/13/11

It is not unusual in my practice to see student loan debts well in excess of $100,000 and clients that have minimal prospects for ever paying back the debt. Since the standard for discharge of these debts in bankruptcy is so high (see article below), often I find clients who have resigned themselves to owing [...]

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Feds For Foreclosures into Rentals, Hey! How About Stopping Foreclosures?

08/11/11

Today was a most interesting read of the newspaper. Financial stories abound each day, the news is filled with tales of the stock market crash and the double dip recession (was there ever a rise to double dip?). Here are a smattering of headlines that caught my eye: Student Loans: A Crisis in Waiting? Americans [...]

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Case Study From Waukegan Bankruptcy Lawyer

07/28/11

This is the case study of Miss Wheeler.  Miss Wheeler has never filed a bankruptcy before.  She lives in Waukegan, Illinois, which is Lake County, Illinois.  She’s not a homeowner.  She’s renting on Glen Flora, and that’s a monthly lease.  She has no vehicle, so she’s on public transportation.  She has a checking account with [...]

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