ALERT: Foreclosure Help Tabled - But It’s Not Too Late

The following email press release just came across my desk. I’m printing it in its entirety because I think it’s important everyone hears about this, without delay or commentary from me:

p>Washington, DC - More than 15 national organizations (listed below) issued the following joint statement in response to the Foreclosure Prevention Act and its failure [...]

Credit Counseling Regulation Comment Deadline is April 1st!

This post at Bankruptcy Law Network by Kent Anderson, Oregon bankruptcy attorney, is of special import today. Briefly:
April 1, 2008, is the last day for citizen comment on an important regulation! The date may be full of irony but this deadline is no joke. The US Trustee has submitted a proposed rule that [...]

Back to Basics: What Happens to My Credit in Bankruptcy?

This is another post in our ongoing series “Back to Basics: Bankruptcy.” This post examines credit issues in the context of bankruptcy.
I hear many objections to bankruptcy from people who really ought to be considering it as an option, but by far one of the most frequently cited objections is this: “I don’t want my [...]

Why I Do What I Do

Someone identified only as “PaulMac” wrote here on this blog, in response to my post about Richard Bitner, the subprime insider who wrote about his experiences in the subprime industry, the following:
I would add another group of people who are profiting greatly from the subprime problems (and economy in general), and will continue to profit [...]

Are Companies in Bankruptcy Throwing Away Your Personal Info?

We’ll get back to the “Back to Basics” series later, but first, a bit of news on the intersection of bankruptcy and consumer privacy rights.
This article from MSNBC.com suggests the answer is “yes” and the privacy implications are alarming, to say the least:
As recently as August, First Magnus Financial Corp. was the subject of a [...]

Back to Basics: BAPCPA and a Brave New World for Bankruptcy Lawyers

This is the second post in a series called “Back to Basics” in which we’re going to examine both bankruptcy and consumer law from the point of view of the consumer who is looking for a basic understanding of these subjects. Today’s post: BAPCPA — the 2005 Act that changed the landscape of bankruptcy [...]

Back to Basics: What Is Bankruptcy?

This is the inaugural post in a new series called “Back to Basics” in which we’re going to examine both bankruptcy and consumer law from the point of view of the consumer who is looking for a basic understanding of these subjects. Today’s post: What Is Bankruptcy?
Origins of Bankruptcy Law
Bankruptcy law is federal [...]

Back to Basics: What This Series Is All About

We’ve been focusing on news-based entries here at the South Carolina Bankruptcy & Consumer Law Blog lately, so I thought it was time to get “back to basics.” Thus, we’re starting this series of posts to do just that — present the basics of bankruptcy and consumer law.
First up, this week, we’re going to talk [...]

When Retailers Go Broke: The Flip Side of Bankruptcy for Consumers

If you have a Sharper Image gift card lying around … well, I’m sorry to tell you but it’s worthless, at least for now. The company, which filed for Chapter 11 reorganization recently, suspended the acceptance of previously issued gift cards  until further notice pending a workout and acceptance of its plan for repayment of [...]

Senate Debating Bankruptcy Changes Now

From ConsumerAffairs.com:

In an effort to throw an additional lifeline to consumers facing the threat of foreclosure, the U.S. Senate is set to consider changes to U.S. bankruptcy law, giving judges wide authority to not only reduce interest rates, but actually reduce the amount of a homeowner’s mortgage.
Lawmakers are tentatively scheduled to debate the proposal on [...]