Yearly Archives: 2011

Pennsylvania and Mayor of the City Harrisburg Seek Dismissal of the City of Harrisburgs Chapter 9 Bankruptcy

By

In another strange twist, the Mayor of the City of Harrisburg, the Honorable Linda D. Thompson, has hired counsel for the City of Harrisburg to seek dismissal of the Chapter 9 bankruptcy case filed by the City of Harrisburg.  Huh?  You read that right.  On October 16, 2011, a Sunday, Mayor for the City of Harrisburg filed a motion to modify or vacate an order by the Bankruptcy Court to send out notice to creditors of the Chapter 9 bankruptcy filing.  The Mayor seeks to prevent notice of the bankruptcy case from being mailed arguing the bankruptcy case should be dismissed entirely.

The Mayor of the City of Harrisburg claims that the Chapter 9 petition filed on behalf of Harrisburg was signed by an unauthorized council member.  It appears that four city council member voted in favor of filing bankruptcy for the city on October 11, 2011.  The Mayor did not agree with these four council members.  The Mayor is arguing that she has executive power over the city and only she is the governing municipal officer capable of signing a petition for bankruptcy.  The Mayor further argues that providing notice before the issue of whether the case can go forward would force the city to incur significant cost given that the number of parties to provide notice to would be in the thousands.  This is definitely a valid concern if the bankruptcy case will not go forward and is dismissed.  The cost and expense of notifying Harrisburg’s creditors would not only be expensive but cause further complications in the event the bankruptcy court rules in favor of the Mayor or the State of Pennsylvania regarding their requests for dismissal.

As the case moves along many creditors and parties in interest seek special notice of all documents filed in the case.  So far a group called Debt Watch Harrisburg and the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local Union No. 428, have filed requests for special notice with the court.

So, the Common Wealth of Pennsylvania is seeking dismissal of the bankruptcy case arguing the City of Harrisburg violated state law in filing the bankruptcy petition and now the Mayor of the City of Harrisburg on behalf of the city is arguing the petition for bankruptcy is invalid because the party that signed it lacks to the proper authority.  This case is facing an uphill battle from every direction.  A hearing will be held on November 23, 2011, regarding these various issues.  It will be interesting to see if this bankruptcy case will survive.

For more information from an experienced bankruptcy lawyer or bankruptcy attorney visit us at www.westcoastbk.com.

The Latest Chapter 9 Municipal Bankruptcy is the City of Harrisburg

By

The latest municipality to file a municipal bankruptcy case under Chapter 9 of the Bankruptcy Code is the City of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  The City of Harrisburg filed their petition for relief on October 11, 2011, bankruptcy case number 11-06938 in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.  According to court records the scope of the City of Harrisburg’s bankruptcy case is much larger than another recent municipal bankruptcy, the City of Central Falls.

The City of Harrisburg cites past due payments of a staggering $83 million.  This is primarily due to their failure to pay the guaranteed incinerator bond debt that is due.  Like any cities throughout United States the City of Harrisburg has issued bonds to fund infrastructure improvements.  Many cities must meet certain guidelines for the services they provide the public.  Many cities issue bonds to fund waste treatment plants, waste disposal and other services necessary to meet the public’s needs.  The City of Harrisburg had a $5.35 million deficit in 2010 and has projected a $3.0 million deficit for 2011 without adding in the cost of any of their guaranteed bond obligations.  It is no surprise that small municipalities are feeling having trouble meeting their obligations when many states also have budget deficits not to mention the enormous federal budget deficit.  Like many Americans struggling with mortgage debt and credit card debt municipalities are turning to the powerful tools available under the Bankruptcy Code to obtain relief.

On October 14, 2011, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the State of Pennsylvania, filed a motion seeking the dismissal of the City of Harrisburg’s bankruptcy case arguing that the City of Harrisburg does not qualify to be a debtor under the Bankruptcy Code.  Pennsylvania passed a state law, Act 26 of 2011, 72 P.S. §1601-D.1 (2011), arguably prohibiting a city such as the City of Harrisburg from filing a petition under Chapter 9 of the Bankruptcy Code.  The Pennsylvania state law includes a section providing that if a municipality such as the City of Harrisburg were to file a petition under Chapter 9, all state funding to the filing municipality will be suspended.  Whether the City of Harrisburg will be allowed to continue to seek reorganization of their debts under Chapter 9 of the Bankruptcy Code now remains to be determined.  The Bankruptcy Code is part of Title 11 of the United States Code, federal law.  The question of whether a state may enact laws to circumvent and prevent a municipality from receiving the benefits of bankruptcy is in question.

At issue is the Tenth Amendment of the United States Constitution.  The Tenth Amendment provides that powers not granted to the federal government nor prohibited to the states by the Constitution are reserved, respectively, to the states or the people.  The age old power struggle between the rights of states to govern themselves versus the power of the federal government is not new.  This issue may find its way the United State Supreme Court.

For more information about Chapter 9 bankruptcy you may contact our bankruptcy attorneys or bankruptcy lawyers.

Garnishment Laws

By

Garnishment is the result of a lawsuit and the enforcement of the judgment obtained in the lawsuit.  The good news is that filing for bankruptcy protection will stop the wage garnishment and get rid of the lawsuit forever.

Many collection agencies threaten to garnish wages to attempt to scare people into making payments on delinquent accounts.  The fact is that they must first file a lawsuit against you, served you with the lawsuit, obtain a judgment, then writ of garnishment or writ of execution, then serve the earnings withholding order on your employer.  Whew, that is a lot of steps.  The hardest part of this process is usually personally serving you with the lawsuit.  Once they have served you it will only be a matter of time before they can obtain a judgment against you.  Of course you may have a valid defense.  If so, seek the counsel of an experienced attorney to represent you.  In most cases that involve credit cards there are no valid defenses.  It is a straightforward breach of contract for failure to pay.  So if you are behind on a credit card or owe money to someone the question always is, “Are they going to take the time, effort and money to follow the garnishment laws and actually be able to legally garnish your wages?”  Who knows?

What is certain is once all the necessary steps have been completed to garnish your wages it hurts your income severely.  The amount that can be garnished varies from state to state, but what is garnished is deducted from your net income.  Yes, after federal and state taxes are deducted, healthcare costs or other deductions, then thee garnishment is deducted.  Ouch.  Each state has exemptions you can claim to reduce the amount that can be garnished each paycheck.  Depending upon your circumstances, like have ten kids you have to feed, you could reduce the amount garnished quite a bit.  Even though you can be legally garnished that does not mean you will not be allowed to live and eat.

Every check will be garnished until the judgment is satisfied in full up to ten years.  The judgment is only good for ten years and must be renewed if it is not satisfied in full.  The amount of the judgment will be more than what you originally owed too.  Do not forget that there will be attorney fees and costs added into the judgment and you will have to pay that back too.

For more information about garnishment and how bankruptcy can help, contact our Oakland bankruptcy lawyers today.  If you are located on the Peninsula, contact our Redwood City bankruptcy attorneys for more information about garnishment and bankruptcy.

What is the Principal Paydown Plan?

By

For more than five years various plans were submitted to our lawmakers to help with the mortgage crisis.  The HAMP program is the most widely known.  The last big push was to amend the bankruptcy code to allow first mortgages on bankruptcy filers primary residences to be modified when filing a chapter 13 bankruptcy.  The first mortgage on a primary residence is the sacred cow in bankruptcy.  It cannot be modified.  This law change was killed in the Senate though.

The Principal Paydown Plan is the new attempt to help people with undersecured or underwater mortgages get some relief and help them to keep their homes.  An undersecured mortgage exists when the value of a house falls below what is owed on the mortgage(s).  How does the PPP work?

The PPP would allow homeowners with underwater mortgages to file a chapter 13 bankruptcy and reduce the interest rate on the mortgage to 0% for the term of the chapter 13 plan.  Reducing the interest rate to 0% would allow all of the monthly mortgage payment to be applied to the principal owed on the mortgage instead of principal and interest.  The monthly mortgage payment could be reduced too.  How much the monthly mortgage payment is would be calculated by taking 31% of the bankruptcy filer’s gross income.  This is similar to how a modified mortgage payment is calculated in the HAMP program.  The maximum length of a chapter 13 plan is five years.  So a homeowner would be able to pay down the principal owed significantly over the five years and reduce the negative equity.  After the five year chapter 13 plan is complete, then the remaining balance owed is amortized over 25 years at the Freddie Mac survey percentage rate.

In exchange for a mortgage company and/or servicer accepting this treatment in a chapter 13 plan of reorganization, the borrower waives any future right to sue the mortgage company or servicer for title or loan litigation.

The idea is that the homeowner will exit the chapter 13 bankruptcy with a house that is worth closer to what is owed on the mortgages.  For some homeowners the value of their home has decreased so much over the last 5 years that no reduction in interest rate will help them obtain equity in their home any time soon.  This plan does have limitations, but anything is better than the current loan modification system.

For more information about bankruptcy contact our Redwood City bankruptcy attorneys or San Jose bankruptcy lawyers today to schedule a free consultation.

Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA ) and Collection Agencies

By

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act controls how and when collection agencies go about collecting outstanding debts.  Congress determined that collection practices were abusive, deceptive, and unfair debt collection practices by many debt collectors.  To combat inadequacies in existing laws, the FDCPA was passed.  The purpose of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is to insure collection agencies do not use any abusive collection actions and to make sure there is consistent State action to protect consumers from collection agencies.  A large limitation of the FDCPA is that this law only applies to collection agencies, not the original creditor attempting to collect a debt.

What is a Violation of the FDCPA?

A collection agency may not contact a person owing a debt during an unusual time, an unusual place or a time or place that is known to be inconvenient.  A convenient time is assumed to be between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.  A debt collector may not contact a consumer if the debt collector knows the consumer is represented by an attorney and the attorney’s contact information is readily available.  A collector may not contact a person at their place of employment if they know the employer does not allow such phone calls.  Collection agencies may not call or speak with any person other than the consumer who owes the debt or their attorney.  If a consumer sends in writing a cease and desist letter to the debt collector, the collector shall not communicate any further with the consumer unless it is to advise that the collection agency is terminating all collection efforts or a remedy to the nonpayment of the debt is being chosen.  A deb collector may not take any action to harass, oppress or abuse any person in connection with an attempt to collect a debt.  The following are defined as harassment: the use and/or threat of use of violence or harm to reputation and property; the use of profane language; advertisement of sale debt to force payment.  A collector may not represent they are attorneys or part of the State or Federal governments.

What are the Penalties for Violation of the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act?

A consumer may collect actual damages incurred by a violation of the FDCPA, but not exceeding $1,000 and the cost of the action including reasonable attorney’s fees.  The court may consider any violation of this act, the frequency and persistence of the violations of this act and the extent the noncompliance was intentional when considering if liability is present.

If you are tired of harassing phone calls, contact our Redwood bankruptcy lawyers or Fremont bankruptcy attorneys to find out if bankruptcy is right for you.  Call toll free, 1-877-963-9543 to schedule a free consultation.

How Can Filing For Bankruptcy Help Release My DMV License Suspension?

By Kitty J. Lin, Attorney at Law

There may be many reasons why the Department of Motor Vehicles (“DMV”) may suspend your driver’s license.  If your license was suspended due to debt, you may be able to file for bankruptcy to eliminate the debt and have the DMV release your license.  One of the most common examples of when the DMV may suspend your license is if you were in a car accident and you did not have insurance, or you were under-insured.  If you were at fault and you do not have the funds to pay the other party’s personal injuries or property claims, your license may be suspended until you are able to pay the funds in full.

Having your license suspended may put you in a financial bind, especially if you commute long distances for work and there is no convenient public transportation.  If you don’t have your license, you cannot get to work.  If you cannot get to work, you won’t have the funds to repay your debt and may even end up owing more in credit card debt.  There are also those people that rely on having a driver’s license for their work, like delivery people or repairmen.  For these people, having a driver’s license is crucial.

So, how can you get your driver’s license suspension released?  You can either pay the judgment/debt in full, or, if you don’t have the funds, you can file for bankruptcy.  A Chapter 7 bankruptcy, if you qualify, will help you wipe out your dischargeable debt, including any civil judgments or monetary damages for car accidents.  Once you are able to show the DMV that your debts are included in your bankruptcy filing, the DMV would release your driver’s license.  A Chapter 13 bankruptcy would also help you get your driver’s license re-instated as well.  Chapter 13 bankruptcies are especially helpful if you have non-dischargeable debt.

Non-Dischargeable debt

There are certain debts that are not dischargeable in bankruptcy, and therefore the DMV will not release the suspension on your driver’s license until the money judgment is satisfied.  If you were in an accident while driving under the influence (“DUI”), any monetary judgment for personal injuries or personal property claims awarded to the other party is not dischargeable in a bankruptcy case.  This means that you would have to pay the debt in full – bankruptcy will not be able to help you get rid of that debt.  Additionally, any punitive damages or restitution ordered by the court related to the DUI will not be dischargeable.

Even if it was not a DUI, if the debt was incurred due to a willful or malicious injury to a person or property, that debt is also non-dischargeable.  Thus, if you intentionally use your car to run into your noisy neighbor’s fence or tree, the resulting damages are not dischargeable in bankruptcy.

Other non-dischargeable debt include arrears in alimony or child support payments, as well as parking tickets or other debts owed to a governmental unit for fines or penalties.  Since these debts are non-dischargeable, it means you need to pay off these debts before your driver’s license can be released.

How to get your driver’s license released for non-dischargeable debt

So if you have non-dischargeable debt and you need your driver’s license released, one way you can do so is if you file a Chapter 13 bankruptcy.  In a Chapter 13, you will be able to provide a payment plan to pay off the non-dischargeable debt in a period of three to five years.  As long as you can show that you are making payments on your Chapter 13 plan, the DMV will be able to release your license.  However, if your case is dismissed for any reason, including non-payment, then the DMV has the power to re-suspend your license again because the debt has not been paid.

If you have any questions regarding how you can get your driver’s license released, contact a San Jose bankruptcy lawyer or Fremont bankruptcy lawyer today for a free consultation.  Call 1-877-9NEW-LIFE to get that fresh start you deserve.

Should I File Bankruptcy?

By

This is a common question, “Should I file bankruptcy?”  Well, that depends upon many factors and only the person who is actually filing for bankruptcy protection can answer that.  Bankruptcy is designed to provide an individual or business filing for bankruptcy relief from their creditors and discharge their eligible debts.  After the discharge is entered by the court the individual or business can continue without the burdens of the discharged debts and lead a healthy productive life.  Bankruptcy is designed to provide a fresh start.

So how is the question whether to actually file bankruptcy answered?  Each individual or business needs to weigh the positives and negatives of filing bankruptcy and then make the best financial decision.  There are no easy answers when debts become so much of a burden that bankruptcy help is sought.

During one of our free consultations we will discuss your income, expenses and assets to determine what is possible.  Do you qualify to file a chapter 7 bankruptcy and receive a complete discharge of your eligible debts, or is a chapter 13 necessary to reorganize your debts.  Not everyone will qualify to have all of their eligible unsecured debts discharged in a chapter 7 bankruptcy.  Filing a chapter 13 case is not the end of the world though.  Filing a chapter 13 reorganization could result in the discharge of most or all of eligible unsecured debts, depending upon the circumstances, just like in a chapter 7.  Chapter 13 requires that the filer pay back what they can afford to pay back, usually over three to five years.  The monthly chapter 13 plan of reorganization payment could be very little, or quite a bit depending upon your income, expenses and assets.

In 2005 the Bankruptcy Code was modified to include a test to determine whether a filer has any disposable income to pay their unsecured debts with after normal living expenses.  This is probably the largest area of confusion.  Just because a bankruptcy filer spends $1,000 a month on food does not mean that expense will be allowed.  If you have family of 6 or more people though, spending $1,000 a month may be very reasonable though.  It all depends upon the circumstances.  Or an expense for yoga lessons costing $1,000 a month.  Is that reasonable in light of having a mountain of credit card debt?  Yoga lessons will most likely be deemed not reasonable and need to be stopped so that the person can afford to pay something to their creditors.

The bottom line is that filing bankruptcy is a personal decision that must be made by the person or business filing for bankruptcy protection.  How a person or business fits into the bankruptcy box depends upon income, expenses and assets, and there are all different.  That is why it is important to seek the counsel of an experienced bankruptcy attorney.

For more information about filing bankruptcy, contact one of our bankruptcy lawyers or Redwood City bankruptcy lawyer today and schedule a free consultation.

How to File a Low Cost Bankruptcy with a San Mateo County Lawyer

By

To file a low cost bankruptcy in San Mateo County choose West Coast Bankruptcy Attorneys.  The first issue to resolve is whether filing for bankruptcy protection is in your best financial interest.  During your free consultation, and not all attorneys will provide their time for free, we will discuss your income, expenses and assets to determine if you qualify to file a chapter 7 bankruptcy, or if there is a reason why filing a chapter 13 case would be best.  In most chapter 7 and chapter 13 cases you will be able to keep all of your stuff like household goods, vehicles and other assets.  After determine that bankruptcy is an option that can help you we will discuss the costs to file bankruptcy.

Reasonable Attorney Fees

All of our attorney fees are extremely reasonable and they are flat fees.  You may call us a hundred times with a hundred questions and the amount you pay us will be the amount you agree to in the retention agreement.  Some attorneys will charge you for each call or limit you to only a few phone calls.  Not only do we not limit your contact with us, but you will speak to an actually attorney to have your questions answered.  You should not accept have to speak with unlicensed and inexperienced paralegals or legal assistants.  You should not be paying $2,000 or more in attorney fees for a no asset Chapter 7 bankruptcy case.

Least Expensive Required Courses and Credit Reports

The reforms of the Bankruptcy Code in 2005 require that two courses be completed when filing for bankruptcy.  The first course must be completed before the bankruptcy case is filed.  The second course is completed after the case is filed.  At West Coast Bankruptcy Attorneys we do not increase the cost of these courses to make more money.

1. Credit Counseling Course – FREE or $5.00 Per Person

The first course, Credit Counseling, must be completed before your bankruptcy case is filed. We have found a Court approved provider of the Credit Counseling course for FREE if your income is less than the median income for the number of people in your household. Other attorneys will not only charge you for the course, but increase the fee for the course by $20-$30 so that they pocket some money each time a client of theirs completes the course. We believe this is wrong and a disservice to our clients in their time of greatest need.

2. Financial Management Course

The second course, Financial Management Course, must be completed within 45 days of the Meeting of the Creditors. See the Chapter 7 Time Line or Chapter 13 Time Line for all the steps necessary to complete the bankruptcy process. At West Coast Bankruptcy Attorneys we are constantly searching for the lowest prices for this course. We have found a Court approved provider of this course for $9.99 per person. Again, other attorneys will not only charge you for the course, but increase the fee for the course by $20-$30 so that they pocket some money each time a client of theirs completes the course. We believe this is wrong and a disservice to our clients in their time of greatest need.

3. Credit Reports

At West Coast Bankruptcy Attorneys we only charge are clients exactly what it costs us to obtain your credit report from all three credit bureaus. Again, other attorneys will not only charge you for the credit report, but increase the fee for the credit report by $20-$60 so that they pocket some money each time a client they obtain a credit report for their clients. We believe this is wrong and a disservice to our clients in their time of greatest need.

At West Coast Bankruptcy Attorneys we are committed to providing the best bankruptcy experience for the lowest cost possible.  We do not increase the costs of the required courses or credit reports to pocket extra money. Call us now toll free at 1-877-9NEW-LIFE to start your new life without your burdensome debts.  Visit our Redwood City bankruptcy lawyers or Fremont bankruptcy lawyers on-line now.

More Trouble for the Dodger’s Bankruptcy Here Comes The Ad Hoc Creditors Committee of Season Ticket Holders

By

On August 16, 2011, a group of season ticket holders filed documents with the bankruptcy court to attempt to form an ad hoc creditors committee.  This ad hoc creditors committee would represent the interests of season ticket holders of the Dodgers.  The parties seeking to create the ad hoc committee are Frank Sinatra and Jeffrey Berkowitz (1958), Wershow Ash Lewis (1964), Roland and Susan Simons (1981), Jack/Vera/Mark Stutman (1962) and Custom Services (1981).

The formation of a committee by unsecured creditors is common in large chapter 11 bankruptcy cases when significant assets are at stake.  Section 1102 provides authority for the United States Trustee to appoint a committee.  In large chapter 11 cases there can be hundreds of unsecured creditors all with the same interests.  It is not efficient for each unsecured creditor to hire an attorney, so a committee of the largest unsecured creditors is formed and the same attorney will represent the committee to make sure the unsecured creditors’ interests are protected.  The unsecured creditors committees’ attorney is paid by the debtor’s estate and not directly by the unsecured creditors.

The Dodgers Season ticket holders are not unsecured creditors though, or creditors at all.  It is not common for groups with other interests to form a committee to oversee the reorganization of a bankruptcy company.  Members of the committee have a fiduciary duty to represent the entire class they represent and make sure the entity that filed bankruptcy treats them properly under the bankruptcy code.

What will the committee of season ticket holders actually accomplish?  It will be interesting to see whether the United States Trustee and the bankruptcy court see the value of a committee to represent the interests of the season ticket holders at all.  None of the season tickets holders have a direct claim or are owed money from the Dodgers.  They will still be able to go to all of the games they have paid for during the season.  Will the formation of a committee of season ticket holders somehow make the Dodgers field a better team or somehow help to reorganize the Dodgers?

The formation of a committee of season ticket holders will increase the cost to administer the bankruptcy case.  The committee’s attorney is usually paid from the estate of the entity that files for bankruptcy.  The Dodgers will most likely argue that this additional expense is unnecessary.  You never know though.  Arguably the season ticket holders are the lifeblood of any organization.  Without the loyal season ticket holders that renew their seats each year most professional sports teams would not enjoy much financial success.  The Dodgers may recognize this and allow the season ticket holders to be part of the process that creates the new Dodgers post-bankruptcy.  Time will tell.

If you need additional information about creditor committees or bankruptcy in general you may contact our Redwood City bankruptcy lawyers or Fremont bankruptcy lawyers.

How Does the U.S. Debt Downgrade Affect Consumers?

By Kitty J. Lin, Attorney at Law

On Friday, August 5, 2011, Standard & Poor’s downgraded the U.S. Treasury Debt from an AAA rating to an AA+ rating.  S&P indicated that one of the major reasons why they decreased the rating was due to Congress’ plan to reduce the country’s debt did not satisfy S&P’s standards for stabilizing our country’s economic situation.  S&P’s explanation seems hypocritical given that S&P was one of the reasons we are in this financial crisis.  S&P had given high credit ratings to companies that did not deserve it and that was a factor that sank our economy.  A lot of companies that were issuing subprime mortgages were enjoying the effects of being in S&P’s favor until the bottom dropped out from underneath them when the real estate bubble burst.  This led to millions of Americans seeking protection from the bankruptcy court.

One of the biggest effects of the downgrade was stock volatility.  Once news of the debt downgrade hit, stocks tumbled drastically on Monday following the debt downgrade.  Consumers were panicked, and a lot of them flocked to U.S. Bonds, which is the safe haven in the world of investments.  On Tuesday, August 9, 2011, the Federal Reserve expressed their doubts about the economic recovery and promised that they were going to keep the federal funds rates at 0 to 1/4% until mid-2013.  This is the longest commitment period the Federal Reserve has ever made to keep the rates low.  The federal funds rates are what banks pay to borrow money.  Thus, theoretically, the lower rates the banks have to pay to borrow money the lower the rates consumers would have to pay to borrow money from the banks.  This is good news for consumers facing a credit crunch.  Hopefully consumers will be able to obtain better rates or refinance their existing debts to prevent bankruptcy.

One of the silver linings from this crisis is that mortgage rates will decrease or remain low.  Now is the perfect time to buy a home or refinance your loan.  Home values are still low, and now mortgage rates are also low.  If your financial situation allows you, now is the time to take advantage of the crisis and put yourself in a better position for the future.

Unfortunately, consumers that wish to just keep their money in their savings account with their bank will not see much increase.  In fact, the savings rate is practically non-existent.  Currently many people are trying to keep their money safe in banks.  Demand for loans still remains low, even with attractive low rates.  Most consumers currently do not have the ability to capitalize on the low rates; most of America is trying to survive on a daily basis and are living from paycheck to paycheck, never knowing if they will still have a job the next month.  Consumers in this group are essentially bankrupt and are in danger each month of defaulting on their debt payments.  Consumers that are in this group would not be affected much by the debt downgrade, as they normally do not have the credit to take advantage of the low mortgage rates or the available equity in their homes to refinance their loans.

If you need additional information about municipal bankruptcy cases or bankruptcy in general, you may contact one of our bankruptcy attorneys or bankruptcy lawyers.