Recent Blog Posts
What to Expect When You Call Police Due to Domestic Violence
Domestic violence (DV) is a horrendous problem many couples and families deal with every day. Often emotional abuse can escalate to verbal clashes, and, ultimately, physical abuse. Defining Legal Domestic Violence Domestic violence appears in many forms, each of which can be devastating. According to Florida law, domestic violence is defined as actions including:… Read More »
Violence Survivors Who are Imprisoned
It may come as no surprise to learn that many women in prison have a history of being victimized by intimate partner violence. In time, these women eventually were convicted of murder or manslaughter. One woman stabbed a former boyfriend after being stalked for years. Another woman killed her partner, after he repeatedly raped… Read More »
Domestic Violence in Rural Communities
Domestic violence (DV) is a serious problem no matter where it occurs. In rural communities, the physical isolation itself is one of the key characteristics of DV. With roughly 30 percent of people in this country living in rural areas, there are unique challenges facing many residents. Women, for example, often earn less, and… Read More »
Involuntary Bankruptcy
While a bankruptcy filing is usually a step taken by a debtor who is facing crushing debt, in some cases creditors can force the debtor’s hand into filing for bankruptcy. This generally involves business debtors rather than individuals, but not always. When wealthy individuals who have significant assets that can be retrieved, creditors may… Read More »
Understanding Probable Cause
After watching crime shows on tv, we’ve all seen court cases that mention probable cause at some point. Probable cause gets talked about by law enforcement and attorneys alike, but what does it mean in the real world? In fact, probable cause is a legal standard. It indicates more than a reasonable suspicion of… Read More »
Victim Blaming in Intimate Partner Violence Cases
You’ve suffered abuse at the hands of someone who claims to care about you. It doesn’t matter if it’s the person you’re married to, someone you’re dating, or someone from your past: if an intimate partner harms you, it is domestic violence, and domestic violence is a crime. Why then, have you been made… Read More »
What You Need to Know About the Alien Enemies Act
Newark, New Jersey was the site of one of the first workplace raids of the new administration. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained multiple individuals—apparently both undocumented individuals and U.S. citizens—even though they did not have a warrant to enter the workplace or make arrests. The Newark mayor claimed the event was an obvious… Read More »
When Financial Changes Interrupt Chapter 13 Payment Plans
Job loss—medical emergency—natural disaster—who knows when a financial emergency could turn your world upside down. It’s bad enough during normal times—but what if you’re hit with a financial crisis when you’re in the middle of trying to pay off debt through a Chapter 13 restructuring? Don’t panic—even in this situation, you do have some… Read More »
Domestic Violence and Same-Sex Relationships
Just as many heterosexual relationships are healthy and rewarding, many gay and lesbian families enjoy satisfying and nurturing relationships. At the same time, between one-third and one-fourth of individuals in these relationships experience domestic violence (DV) at some point in their lives. What All Victims of DV Have in Common Regardless of one’s gender,… Read More »
Why Choose Chapter 7 Bankruptcy?
If financial pressures are building, you may be feeling trapped. You owe so much money to so many different places, it seems you’ll never get out from under the debt. What are your options moving forward? One that you should seriously consider is filing for bankruptcy. While it may sound drastic, it could be… Read More »