Your Questions Answered About The Fields Of Law

Hello, my name is Susan Farris and my hobby is learning about the law. I have an uncle who is an attorney and I've always looked up to him and that's why I find subjects on law very interesting. Through speaking with my uncle and doing research on my own, I've learned about all the different fields of law. Each field of law centers on its own subject and most attorneys specialize in a certain area of law. These include criminal, personal injury, family, bankruptcy, criminal, immigration and business. I find each one of these fields very interesting and I have the utmost admiration for lawyers because they help people through their legal struggles. I wanted to share this information with others who have questions about the different types of attorneys and the law.

Your First Bankruptcy Meeting: Show Up Ready To Unburden Yourself

Law Blog

Carrying around a burden of debt means dealing with a lot of stressful emotions. Your first bankruptcy attorney meeting is all about taking that initial step that ultimately ends in a fresh financial start. You can help unburden yourself of the emotional baggage and the debt all the more quickly if you come bearing the information your attorney needs to get your case started. Read on to find out what happens at your first meeting and how to prepare for it ahead of time.

Relax, You Are in a Safe Place

Bankruptcy attorneys and their office staff see people in financial distress every single day. They know that the people who find themselves in the position of filing for bankruptcy are not bad people. It can be incredibly easy to fall victim to medical bills, a job loss, divorce, and other issues that can prompt a domino effect of past due bills and punitive collection activities.

Give Your Bankruptcy Attorney Hints About Your Overall Financial Picture

The more of the items listed below you can bring to your first appointment, the better. However, you are not expected to spend hours gathering the information before you even meet the attorney. Estimates are fine – your attorney will ask for more detailed information later on and they will also be checking your credit report and any court filings. Try to have the following on hand for your first meeting:

  1. The total amount you owe in credit cards, personal loans, medical bills, student loans, and back taxes.
  2. Your mortgage payment and how far, if any, you are behind on paying it. If you are already in foreclosure, bring the most recent correspondence for the mortgage holder.
  3. The tax year that you owe money for and the amount.
  4. Your auto loan payments and how far you are behind. If you are being threatened with repossession, bring that information.
  5. Information about any court judgments (this is where a creditor took you to court) or that you have reason to believe will be taking you to court. Court judgments often result in liens and wage garnishments, so be sure to provide information about those issues as well.
  6. Most recent year's tax filing.

Additionally, your attorney may want to see:

  • Your driver's license or other government-issued photo identification.
  • Recent pay statement or paycheck stub.
  • Social Security card.

Why the Above is Important

Not only does the attorney need to learn about your financial big picture, but the information you provide can help the attorney advise you on certain time-sensitive actions that need to occur. For example, knowing that you are facing certain punitive actions like foreclosure, repossessions, court cases, and more, could mean you need to act as quickly as possible to invoke the automatic stay provided by a filing.

Contact a consumer bankruptcy attorney for more help.

Share

3 July 2019