Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy and Crayons Don't Mix

By Joseph McDaniel, Esq.

Just kidding!

I have two, and the white hair to prove it; and I love them beyond understanding.

But bankruptcy is serious stuff. You actually have to PAY ATTENTION when I'm talking to you, and if Johnny is chewing on the electrical cords, or wetting down the computer that I use during consultations, that might be...sub-optimal.

Most importantly, if you're paying attention to your child chewing on the electrical cord and pushing the hairpin into the outlet, as a good parent will, you're not paying attention to me when I tell you that you can GO TO JAIL if you don't list your assets. Or that the trustee will move to DISMISS YOUR CASE if you don't provide the materials demanded in the Trustee Letter you'll receive right after we file for you. Or that you MUST bring your social security card as well as your driver's license to the first meeting of creditors or you'll suffer from cranky trustee syndrome AND repetitive first meeting disease.

I want you, the hypothetical reasonable potential bankruptcy client, to have as good a chance as you can to survive the bankruptcy process with a whole skin, and as little pain as possible. You will not have a perfect chance of that if you spend our valuable time together concentrating on 1)ignoring little Johnnie while he draws with crayons on the walls of my office, or 2)correcting little Johnnie for coloring with crayons on the walls of my office, or 3)comforting me by letting me know that the crayons are washable, so there's nothing to worry about, or 4)letting me know that I don't need to thank you for the artwork I'm getting for free, or 5)preparing an invoice for the artwork that Johnnie and the crayons are providing.

My love is broad and wide; if you must bring your small, happy, energetic six kids to our meeting...I know a really good lawyer who loves to have kids running everywhere around in his office! With lots of crayons in their hands! And fingerpaint! And I want to show him that there are no hard feelings about his moving backwards on our deal in the McGillicudy Case!

And you'd do well at his office. Really. I'll give you the map! No, you don't need an appointment. Surprise him!

NOTHING HERE CONSTITUTES LEGAL ADVICE RE A CHAPTER 7, CHAPTER 13, CHAPTER 11, OR CHAPTER 12. FIND AN ARIZONA BANKRUPTCY LAWYER WHO IS BOARD CERTIFIED IN BANKRUPTCY LAW, AV RATED, AVVO 10 RATED, ON SUPERLAWYERS, OR JUST VERY EXPERIENCED AND A FORMER CHAIR OF SOME BANKRUPTCY SECTION OR COMMITTEE. NOTHING HERE MAY BE USED AS LEGAL ADVICE IN CONNECTION WITH ANY BANKRUPTCY, WHETHER THAT BANKRUPTCY IS IN PHOENIX, GLENDALE, TEMPE, MESA, SCOTTSDALE, OR ANYWHERE ELSE.

Full post as published by Arizona Bankruptcy Attorney Blog on June 30, 2009 (boomark / email).