FOCUS ON OWNERSHIP: You can’t give away or sell what you don’t own! Property rights are important under the law. Often, clients fail to consider the important question, “Who owns the property?” Ownership is not the same thing as possession. You … [Read more...]
Does lighting strike twice? – Timelines for filing a new bankruptcy case.
If you have filed bankruptcy in the past and you find yourself in a position where you need to file again, you need expert legal advice to make sure you get it right. Job loss, divorce, medical emergencies, business closing, or other unexpected … [Read more...]
Hearing Wait Time Decreases, but Overall Processing Time Continues to Rise at the Social Security Administration
As is often the case with Social Security, good news usually is followed by bad news. First, the good news: the number of cases awaiting Social Security hearings continues to drop. The bad news: the average time it takes for a claimant to receive a … [Read more...]
April Showers Often Bring a Spike in Auto Accidents
Spring is here…the colors are splashed all across the state of Texas. With the warm temperatures, though, come the warm spring rains, necessary to give all the budding life a good start. But those showers can also wreak havoc for motorists, in many … [Read more...]
Equifax Updates – Drivers’ License Numbers Stolen
In 2017, Equifax, Inc., a credit-reporting firm, suffered a cyber-attack that resulted in a data breach that affected millions of customers. After the company disclosed that the identities of roughly 148 million individuals were compromised, the … [Read more...]
Automatic U.S. Citizenship by Blood
Clients often ask about the path to citizenship. Most are eligible for the long and time consuming path to citizenship through visas, petitions, and Adjustment of Status. However, some are eligible for direct citizenship by blood via the N-600 … [Read more...]
Study Reveals Positive Effect of Professional Representation at Social Security Hearings
A Government Accountability Office (GAO) study of hearings-level award rates for disability claims revealed that “claimants who had representation at their hearings, were allowed benefits at a rate nearly 3 times higher than those without … [Read more...]
HANDLE WITH CARE
Perhaps you have seen “HANDLE WITH CARE” stenciled on the outside of a container or crate. If you’re like me you may have tried to child-proof a room or dealt with the consequences of placing an item in harms’ way. As we get older we accumulate more … [Read more...]
No Man’s Life, Liberty, or Property are Safe while the Legislature is in Session
No Man’s life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session. ~ Gideon Tucker For as long as anyone can remember, alimony has been tax deductible. In Texas, we do not call it alimony instead, it is referred to as Post Divorce … [Read more...]
BUDGETING 101
After 18 years practicing bankruptcy law, I am still amazed that clients often do not understand the importance of monthly budgeting. For individuals facing bankruptcy, a solid, realistic monthly budget will usually be the difference between success … [Read more...]
SO, YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEVIL?
Let’s call the Independent Medical Examiner (IME) “Devil”. The insurance carrier can request you see one of their own chosen doctors once every 180 days or after you have seen a Designated Doctor (DWC Appointed). From my experience, these doctors are … [Read more...]
Dram Shop Laws in Texas: Holding Bar Owners Accountable
If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident in Texas and the other driver was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash, you may have a claim against the person or establishment that served the alcohol to the at-fault driver. … [Read more...]
