ABA, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation Release First National Study On Attorney Substance Use, Mental Health Concerns

Of 11,278 attorney/participants 20.6% scored at a level consistent with problematic drinking. . . . Of 11,489 participants, 36.4% . . . score consistent with hazardous drinking or possible alcohol abuse or dependence. A significantly higher proportion of women (39.5%) . . . scored consistent with problematic use compared with men (33.7%) . . . A total of 2901 participants (22.6%) reported that they have felt their use of alcohol or other substances was problematic at some point in their lives; of those that felt their use has been a problem, 27.6% reported problematic use manifested before law school, 14.2% during law school, 43.7% within 15 years of completing law school, and 14.6% more than 15 years after completing law school.

The study also looks at drug abuse and mental health issues.

Click here for the study.

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From the Editor – Fair Debt Collection Practices Act

February 2, 2020

By The Honorable William Houston Brown (Retired) Class action certification on predominance. The Eleventh Circuit remanded, finding that the District Court had abused its discretion in refusing to certify a class on a predominance theory for former debtors who had obtained discharge of personal liability on residential mortgages and who asserted violations of the FDCPA by a loan servicer. The...

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New Judge Appointed

The Academy

June 18, 2023

Appeals Court Names Erie Lawyer as Newest Bankruptcy Judge – John C. Melaragno has been named the new judge for the Erie Division of U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania

The Bankruptcy Moot Court Experience – Duberstein 2019

August 25, 2019

By Cameron Kelly & Michael Carroll, Law Students, The University of Texas School of Law I. Starting the Journey Instead of starting class by cold-calling people, Professor Westbrook chose to suspend my terror briefly. While I was thankful for the reprieve from what would inevitably be a disappointing cold call, I was more thankful for what he had to say....

Critical Case Comment – Bad Faith to Not Pay Both Tests?

Henry E. Hildebrand, III

February 27, 2022

Chapter 13 debtor is not obligated to pay both the disposable income pool and the best interest of creditors test pool to achieve confirmation, only the larger of the two; it is not a manifestation of bad faith that the debtor does not pay both the disposable income pool and the best interest of creditors test amounts. (Altenberger) In re...

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Sub V Update

Paul W. Bonapfel

April 14, 2024

Many of you are familiar with the extensive outline on Sub Chapter V that the Honorable Paul W. Bonapfel, United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Georgia, produces. This is a FREE resource and is freshly updated!! Thank you Judge Bonapfel!

Lawyers are People Too: An Interview with Jenny Doling

M. Jonathan Hayes

March 17, 2024

IT’S NACTT REGISTRATION TIME!! Boston on the 4th of July PLUS a Phenomenal Consumer Bankruptcy Conference. We're excited to welcome Jenny Doling as a new addition to our lineup of skilled speakers for this year. She'll be teaming up with Chapter 13 Trustee John Jansing and The Honorable Selene D. Maddox for a session titled "Evaluating Tax Returns and Other Financial Documents." Together, they'll delve into a comprehensive exploration of the complexities surrounding the scrutiny of debtors' tax returns and financial records.

The Untouchables – Starring Social Security Income

Nicole P. Novak

March 5, 2023

In a recent opinion, an Ohio bankruptcy court joined the majority of other courts by holding the Code excludes Social Security Act (“SSA”) benefits from disposable income.i The issue was brought before the Court by the Chapter 13 Trustee’s objection to confirmation. The objection to confirmation asserted the Debtors failed to commit all disposable income to their plan and included...

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Progeny of Taggart: In re Gravel and Newrez, LLC v. Beckhart

September 12, 2021

By Lawrence R. Ahern III, Brown & Ahern (Nashville, TN) Introduction In re Taggart In 2019, the Supreme Court in In re Taggart1 ruled that the acts alleged in that case to be in violation of a discharge injunction did not empower the bankruptcy court to find the creditor in contempt. In so holding, the Court ostensibly attempted to strike...

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The NCBJ Is Turning 100

The Honorable Deborah L. Thorne, The Honorable Kathy A. Surratt-States

April 21, 2024

Judge Deborah Thorne, NDIL, and Judge Kathy Surratt-States, EDMO, on behalf of the NCBJ’s DEI Committee, have written two articles about some of judicial firsts.

From the Editor – Debtor’s Attorney

May 17, 2020

By The Honorable William Houston Brown (Retired) Sanctions for including foreclosed property in petition. On creditor’s motion, sanctions for attorney fees and costs were awarded against Chapter 13 debtor’s attorney for scheduling as property of estate real property that had been foreclosed and on which debtor’s redemption period had expired. Under Rule 9011(c), a safe harbor letter from the creditor...

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