Editor's Note: Part I was published in the May 2006 issue of the ABI Journal. Part II examines the legality of a mortgage creditor's attempts at post-closing collection of mortgage-related fees and charges incurred during the pendency of a …
Saving a principal residence from foreclosure and curing a mortgage arrearage are key reasons why many debtors file for chapter 13. While paying a home mortgage arrearage through a chapter 13 plan can cure that pre-petition arrearage, a hom…
Defendant Knowledge No Substitute for Service of Complaint Rule 4(m) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure requires dismissal without prejudice or service by a date specific unless a summons and complaint is served within 120 days of the …
[T]here is nothing wrong with the means test. People who make high incomes–lawyers, doctors and accountants are examples–and file bankruptcy, wiping out all their debts, who don't care who got hurt by their failure to pay and they care only…
Attend any bankruptcy-related legal conference, CLE or bar meeting (sometimes even happy hour at the local pub after a heavy day of §341 hearings) and the topic of the new mandatory credit counseling requirement isn't too far from someone's…
One of the primary reasons people file for bankruptcy is to obtain a stay 1 against certain creditor actions. Prior to the enactment of BAPCPA, 2 the stay went into effect the moment the case was filed, hence the term "automatic stay," and …
The passage of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 (BAPCPA) has been the subject of most of the articles in the Consumer Corner column of this Journal for the past year. Much of the discussion has focused on …
Under the Bankruptcy Code prior to the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 (BAPCPA), §1322(d), 1 "Contents of plan" stated: The plan may not provide for payments over a period that is longer than three years unle…
Allegations of the unauthorized practice of law, wrongfully withholding counseling certificates, failure to provide pro bono services, generally poor customer service: These are just a few of the issues that the mandatory credit counseling …
The last time I wrote a column was shortly after the birth of my son. Since then, I’ve been delightfully occupied with the all-important task of raising Harrison, who I am happy to report is a bright, handsome and happy little guy (don’t wo…