The Bankruptcy Judge

June 7, 2008

The court official with the power to make final decisions in either an Oregon or Washington bankruptcy case is the United States bankruptcy judge, a judicial officer of the United States district court. The bankruptcy judge may decide any matter connected with a bankruptcy case, such as eligibility to file or whether a debtor should receive [...]

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Cars and Bankruptcy in Oregon and Washington

May 26, 2008

In figuring out what to do with a car in bankruptcy, the most important issue is, not surprisingly, the value of the car. Once you determine the private party Kelley Blue Book value of the car, the next step is determining the amount of your equity. If you subtract the amount that you owe on [...]

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About Me

May 23, 2008

I’ve been a consumer bankruptcy lawyer since 2002, helping people get out of debt in both Washington and Oregon. I am the managing attorney of Northwest Debt Relief Law Firm. We have bankruptcy law offices in Vancouver, Washington and in both Portland and Salem, Oregon. I grew up in Washington, D.C. but was lucky enough [...]

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List Every Debt in Your Bankruptcy

May 18, 2008

It can often be difficult to convince clients that that they need to include all of their debts in bankruptcy.  Generally this stems from the fear that if they list a house with a mortgage or a car with a car loan, they will lose their car or home in the bankruptcy proceeding   The [...]

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What is a Lien?

May 13, 2008

The determination of whether a debt is secured or unsecured hinges on whether there is a lien with respect to the property.  In general terms, a lien is a claim against specific property. Typically, the claim belongs to the person or the business that is owed a debt, usually a debt related to the property. It [...]

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Top Ten Tips for Dealing with Collectors in Oregon and Washington

May 4, 2008

Insist on specific information about the debt. Tell the collector you will not discuss the debt until you receive the documents and review them. That is the law — within five days after you are first contacted, the collector must send you a written notice detailing the amount of money you owe, the name of [...]

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Dealing with Collections Agencies in Oregon and Washington

May 4, 2008

In Oregon and Washington, if you stop making full payments on your bills, a creditor will likely turn your account over to a collection agency, a business that specializes in collecting unpaid bills. It is legal for a creditor to turn your bill over to a collection agency regardless of whether you’ve offered to make [...]

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Bankruptcy on the Rise

April 25, 2008

Estimates show that 1.1 million to 1.4 million Americans will file bankruptcy this year as tough filing rules get trumped by tougher economic woes.   The 2008 estimates are way below the more than 2 million bankruptcies in 2005, when a tsunami of cases ended up in court in anticipation of stricter filing laws taking [...]

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Bankruptcy Glossary

April 20, 2008

ADVERSARY PROCEEDING: A lawsuit filed in the bankruptcy court related to the debtor’s bankruptcy case such as complaints filed to determine whether the debtor should get a discharge or to determine the value of a lien. ARREARAGES: The amount you are behind on in making payments. If your monthly payment is $400, and you’re four [...]

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Seven Mistakes to Avoid Under the New Bankruptcy Law

April 19, 2008

The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 is enormously complicated and presents numerous challenges to lawyers representing consumer debtors in both Oregon and Washington.  Consumer bankruptcy lawyers cannot afford to be only dimly aware of these new requirements and to learn the new law in stages. Rather, they must be vigilant in [...]

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