Consumer Corner

Consumer Bankruptcy Jan 11, 2017

Make a Difference Volunteer for Ch. 7 Pro Bono Cases

It often comes as a surprise to first-year lawyers, but there is not "justice for all" in the American legal system: There is justice for those who can afford counsel, and for those fortunate enough to qualify for a legal services or pro bono lawyer. Even if an

Consumer Bankruptcy Jan 11, 2017

Bankruptcy Petition Preparers: What Is the Future?

A number of reported decisions and anecdotal reports indicate that despite the efforts of Congress to curtail, if not eliminate, bankruptcy petition preparers (BPPs), this "industry" continues to thrive. BPPs run the gamut from the single office to at least one

What Is a Briefing and Will It Reduce Filings

In order for an individual to be a debtor under BAPCPA, he or she must first comply with the credit counseling provisions of §109(h). Under this new provision, a debtor is required to receive an individual or group briefing from an approved nonprofit budget and credit

Jan 11, 2017

In re Jamo 1st Circuit Increases Creditor Leverage in Reaffirmations

The consumer creditor community recently received a gift from an unlikely source—the First Circuit Court of Appeals. In the case of Jamo v. Katahdin Federal Credit Union (In re Jamo), 1 the appeals court set aside the holding of the bankruptcy court and the First