Legal Aid has released a new brochure, “Bankruptcy: What You Need to Know in Maryland.” The brochure answers questions such as “What can bankruptcy do for me?” “Will bankruptcy wipe out all of my debts?” “How does bankruptcy affect co-signers?” “Are there any reasons I should not file bankruptcy?” and “Are there different types of bankruptcy cases?”
To download the brochure, click here: Bankruptcybrochure1211.
Posted in access to justice, consumer law
Tagged bankruptcy, consumer law, Maryland Legal Aid
Lindsay Warnes, a staff attorney in Maryland Legal Aid’s Midwestern Maryland office (Frederick) was quoted in a Baltimore Sun article about robo-signing (“Consumer advocates want affidavits pulled in Md. debt-collection cases,” Oct. 3). The issue is tied to old consumer debts bought by companies who then sue to collect after filing affidavits swearing they have personal knowledge of the debts–and usually don’t.
“They’re trying to get more creative in the way they write them,” Warnes told The Sun. “But there’s still no personal knowledge whatsoever.” To read the article, click here.
Posted in consumer law, foreclosure
Tagged consumer law, debt collection, Maryland Legal Aid, robo-signing
A Maryland Legal Aid staff attorney was quoted in today’s Baltimore Sun lead story, “A push for more proof in debt-collection lawsuits/Consumer advocates cheer as Maryland’s highest court considers a change in rules.”
The issue is debt buyers who get judgments against no-show defendants without presenting enough proof–to the detriment of many poor and elderly defendants who often aren’t given notice of the lawsuits.
“Lindsay Warnes, a staff attorney for Maryland Legal Aid, suspects lack of information helps explain why she’s seen a lot of lawsuits filed more than three years past the point of default, which makes them too late for court action,” wrote the Sun‘s Jamie Smith Hopkins.
“‘They may not know the date of default — they might have no idea,’ she said. “So they just file it and hope nobody notices.’”
To read the article, click here.
Posted in access to justice, consumer law
A growing trend in today’s down economy is cash-strapped consumers paying credit card bills before mortgage payments–in part, because the consequences of skipping a mortgage payment seems far off, as legal wrangling over foreclosure can go on for months, the Washington Post reported yesterday.
Maryland Legal Aid’s Blake Fetrow, chief attorney of the Metropolitan Maryland office in suburban D.C., said he regularly counsels families to take care of bills first and creditors second.
“That’s a very personal thing,” Fetrow told the Post. “Is it going to be the heat? Is it going to be the water? What do I have to leave off to make i through this month?”
To read the article, click here.
Posted in consumer law, foreclosure
Tagged Blake Fetrow, consumer law, foreclosure, Maryland Legal Aid
A group of consumer advocacy programs shared a $2.4 million court award from leftover funds from a consumer class-action lawsuit–with Maryland Legal Aid taking the lion’s share, the Washington Post reported today.
“Thirteen legal programs in Maryland that help clients facing evictions, wage disputes and other civil cases will share the money, helping buoy programs battered by ongoing public funding cuts and drops in foundation donations,” the article said.
“Maryland Legal Aid in Baltimore received the largest amount — $911,000 — which its head, Wilhelm Joseph Jr., said will plug a funding hole linked to the current low interest rates on accounts that historically generate payments for legal aid programs. As rates dropped, so did the interest income on which Wilhelm’s groups and others heavily rely. ‘The great pain for me was watching our money decline just as more people needed our services,’ said [Joseph].”
To read the article, click here.
Posted in access to justice, awards, consumer law, fundraising
Tagged consumer law, cy pres, fundraising, Maryland Legal Aid
Legal Aid Housing/Consumer Law Unit senior attorney Louise Carwell
Exhibit A, a new online newspaper produced by The Daily Record, is debuting a consumer Q&A column, Advice for the Credit-Wise Consumer, written by Legal Aid senior attorney Louise Carwell. In this month’s column, Carwell tackles credit cards.
This month’s Exhibit A also features an interview with Legal Aid Executive Director Wilhelm Joseph. Asked what problems Legal Aid faces, Joseph says, “Too many clients, not enough resources.”
|
