Bankruptcy Discharge Injunction NOT applicable to Some Nondischargeable debts
People that file for bankruptcy often expect two things: the protection of the automatic stay when filing, and then the protection of the discharge injunction after they get their discharge. Another thing many debtors understand when it comes to bankruptcy is that some kinds of debts are nondischargeable, such as student loans or some kinds […]
KEEP READING . . .If you file for bankruptcy, are you harmed if YOUR attorney doesn’t go to court with you?
Any attorney who practices consumer bankruptcy has the contact of information of several “appearance” attorneys. When I go to 341 meetings, I’m often a little taken aback when a debtor, waiting for their case to be called, hears their name being called by an attorney they don’t know. A recent case from the bankruptcy court […]
KEEP READING . . .Case Review: Judge tells Louis Vuitton that sometimes it’s better “to smile or laugh than it is to sue”
Parties seek the protection of intellectual property (such as trademarks and copyright) to create a highly recognizable brand, separating itself from all the competition. When another party seeks to profit off of your designs, you expect to enforce your rights in your intellectual property by suing. What happens, though, when another party creates a parody […]
KEEP READING . . .Voluntary Retirement Contributions and Retirement Loan Repayments are reasonably necessary expenses for Bankruptcy Debtor
In bankruptcy news, a nice, debtor-friendly case came out of the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana. The question presented: whether a debtor’s voluntary retirement contributions and retirement loan repayments are reasonably necessary expenses for bankruptcy debtor. The answer according to this court: Yes!
KEEP READING . . .What does Limited Liability really mean for you and your business? A bankruptcy case explains it clearly.
When working with both individuals and businesses (both new and ongoing), I often get asked whether the corporation that is or was created will protect them from liability (in the general sense). I try to give my best response to such an open-ended question, which is usually something like, “[w]hen done right, a corporate entity […]
KEEP READING . . .Sometimes, (in bankruptcy) letting go is the best thing
People often tend to let their emotions govern their choices, especially in legal matters. It’s ultra-common in divorces, where the parties would rather battle over some issue, keeping the case open another few years and increasing attorneys fees, rather than coming to a sensible resolution. (I once saw a conference where the parties decided to […]
KEEP READING . . .Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Debtors MAY Object to Claims Filed Post-Confirmation
Chapter 13 bankruptcy offers debtors a flexible and versatile way to deal with debts, especially when they may not qualify for chapter 7 bankruptcy, or are attempting to obtain a result not available in chapter 7 cases. For sure, there may be bumps in the road, especially when institutional creditors file documents attempting to obtain […]
KEEP READING . . .Bank Tries to Disregard Loan Modification Agreement that IT OFFERED in Bankruptcy Court!
“Wow!” That was all I could think after reading this case. Unfortunately, poor lender practices, especially in the foreclosure and bankruptcy context, have become all too common. If you or someone you know had been dealing with a foreclosure, then you might be aware of the challenges that had to be overcome to gain some […]
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