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Archive for May, 2011|Monthly archive page

Choose a Minnesota criminal lawyer who will help you protect your freedom

In Criminal Defense, Criminal Defense Attorney on May 19, 2011 at 7:27 am

Your freedom may depend on the Minnesota criminal defense attorney you choose. If you are convicted of a crime, your family and friends will be affected too, and the cost of conviction isn’t just monetary. You lose your right to vote. It’s extremely difficult to be employed after a criminal conviction. You lose your reputation. You could lose your vehicle and driving privileges and your rights to own a gun, even your life.

You need a defense attorney watching out for you to make sure your constitutional rights are not being violated. They will make sure the evidence against you was properly seized and that the latest technology and experts are used in defense of your liberty.

Your Minnesota criminal lawyer will make sure the police had reasonable suspicion to stop your car and that they got a valid warrant to enter your premises. They will check for the proper chain of authority and make sure it was unbroken. If you didn’t have an attorney present when you were arrested, were your rights to remain silent explained to you? You need an attorney with you throughout the alarming process of being suspected of committing a crime to the arrest and throughout a criminal trial.

Choosing the best criminal defense attorney for your case is important to your future. The State of Minnesota requires attorneys to be certified specialists in certain types of law so check to see if the attorney is certified for the crime you are being accused of committing and how much experience they have defending people against that crime. It’s important to have their office located near you. Ask about fees and find out about how much time the whole process will take. You have a huge stake in this important decision.

What’s the difference between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy?

In Bankruptcy on May 6, 2011 at 6:55 am

The biggest difference between the two bankruptcies is that in Chapter 13, you have assets you want to keep and if your unsecured debt were reorganized you could pay something towards it, too; in Chapter 7, you have few assets and cannot pay your unsecured debts.

Both have a plan for you to keep your house. In Chapter 7, you need to be up to date on your payments and owe about the same as what the house worth. You are allowed to have some assets-just not a lot. You’ll probably be advised to file for Chapter 13, if you are behind on your house payments but can afford to pay the mortgage if you didn’t have to make up the back payments now. The past due amount can be added to the new court approved payment plan.

In Chapter 7 bankruptcy, if your car payment is current and there’s relatively little equity, you can probably keep it. However, if you owe money, the lien holder will probably insist that you pay what you owe them, in cash, at the time of the bankruptcy. They can decide to let you reaffirm the loan and again you have more options if you are current on your payments. If you file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you can keep the car even if there is equity but you will have to reaffirm the debt. If you own your car outright and its value is significant, the Trustee can force you to sell it to pay off your debts in Chapter 7 bankruptcy. In Chapter 13 you can keep it.

If you owe back taxes, Chapter 13, helps you put the amount you owe in with your other unsecured debt and the IRS has to accept the plan and has to stop adding interest and penalties to what you owe. You can’t do that with Chapter 7.

Arizona debt relief is available to you so, meet with an experienced Chandler Arizona Chapter 13 bankruptcy lawyer who will give you the best advice for your situation. There are pros and cons to each decision and everyone’s situation is unique

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