John Belton Attorney At Law

After a severe auto accident, it’s not uncommon for the other party’s insurance company to try to settle while you’re still in the hospital. Since their job is to minimize their liability, it’s critical that you have legal representation to help you get every penny you have coming to you.

In Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you can usually keep your property. You will just have to earn wages or have another source of income for your payment plan.

It’s important to remember that bankruptcy isn’t a quick fix so much as it is a long-term solution. Even if you opt for a bankruptcy type with shorter proceedings, you’ll be unable to file again right away - usually for several years.

One fear people have about filing for bankruptcy is that everyone will know about it. While bankruptcy is a public legal proceeding, usually the only people that will know are your creditors.

If you’ve recently lost a job and had to take one for a lower wage, you may be having difficultly meeting all your financial obligations. Let’s talk about how filing for bankruptcy protection could help you to readjust payments to more affordable levels.

Let’s say that you’ve been arrested for a drug offense. How can a criminal lawyer help? An experienced lawyer will be familiar with drug counseling programs available in most jurisdictions. If you qualify for the program and complete all the requirements, the conviction will be removed from your record.

We recognize that it can be difficult to talk openly about your involvement in any criminal activities, but it’s necessary. Without having all the facts we’ll need to prepare your defense, it may not be possible to help you protect your rights once we’re in court.

Most financial experts agree that bankruptcy is the worst negative mark you can have on your credit report. An individual bankruptcy will remain on your credit report for at least seven years and as long as 10 years. While an average credit score, on a scale of 300 to 800, is about 660, a bankruptcy can lower a credit score into the low 500s.

So what exactly is a no contest plea? This is used in criminal proceedings as an alternative to a guilty or not guilty plea. Essentially, here the defendant is neither disputing the charges nor admitting to doing the crime.

Changes in bankruptcy law means that everyone filing for personal protection must undergo credit counseling before filing. Those who have previously undergone bankruptcy must also go through additional budget and credit counseling before debt can be discharged.

No one should ever face a legal case on their own. If you accept the first offer an insurance company offers after your injury, you are doing exactly that. It’s always smarter to speak to an attorney to see if that is the right offer- and if not, to help you get one that is right.

If you have been arrested, we recommend that you be cooperative but only up to a point. Don’t feel obligated to answer specific questions, but rather politely ask to speak to your attorney first.

Once you inform us of an injury accident, such as a car wreck, we will begin to collect as much evidence and information as possible. We understand the evidence that's necessary to prove your case in court, if the case should advance that far.