The past matters. No, you don't have to run a background search or hire a private investigator, but it's a good idea to know about your potential lawyer's background. Find out where he or she went to school, and if they graduated high in their class. Ask to hear aboutforever 21 bankruptcyor testimonies from previous clients. Check to see if they have any awards. While a new attorney can still be a good representative, a lawyer who's been in practice for fifty years with nothing to show for it should be avoided.
Whether or not it makes sense to sue the lawyer is not an easy decision. I know you take the lawsuit personally-it represents a large threat to your personal and financial well-being. Naturally you want to strike back, personally, at the human person you see on the other side. The question is, though, is this the decision most likely to give you the most benefit? Is it most likely to cause them to drop the case and leave you alone?
Now that you understand how bankruptcy works, you can learn about how it will affect your FICO score. The first thing that probably comes to mind is that your score will end up in the toilet, but this is not necessarily true. People who are in danger of going bankrupt are less likely to have a high credit score in the first place, so there really is not much to lose when you do go bankrupt. When you are in danger of going bankrupt, you likely already have a history of late or missed credit card payments and other issues that affect your credit score negatively. In fact, sometimes the only way for that number to go is up because it was already so low in the first place. This is slightly good news hot on the heels of bad news.
A. Collect all bills together and calculate your monthly payments and find out about your monthly expense.Have a clear picture of your financial condition. Get every credit report checked and bring it to the attorney's attention in case of any discrepancies. If a certain item has not been bought by you make a note and get back to the attorney. Credit reports often have certain faults.
They have good communication skills, and will keep you reasonably well informed at all times. The last thing you want is a lawyer who just repeatedly assures you that everything is progressing smoothly without supplying cold, hard facts. Ask how you will be let into the loop - through regular emails, phone calls or faxes, or perhaps through a sit-down meeting every other Tuesday (which you'll be paying for!). You may want to insist upon a regular timetable for updates - then again, you may not.
How much experience? Experience is worth it's weight in gold. Great lawyers will know the personalities of the judges in your jurisdiction and can use this knowledge to your advantage. See if they work with other experts like psychologists that could support your case.
A lot of nra bankruptcy filing firms - especially larger ones - will "outsource" some of the work related to your case to a paralegal or administrative assistant. This isn't always a bad thing. There's a lot of work involved with your case that is relatively simple paper work. Having someone else do it might mean a lower cost. Always ask about this before contracting a bankruptcy attorney.
Many do not fully understand "bankruptcy proof" judgments. Just because you have a judgment for fraud, does not mean it will survive your judgment debtor's bankruptcy filing. My understanding is, in BK cases, one must bring their claim of non-dischargeability to the attention of the bankruptcy court, which usually means paying a lawyer, to attempt to keep the judgment alive.
