Texas Bankruptcy Lawyers - "What happens if creditors try to collect while bankruptcy is pending?"

If creditors attempt collection any debt while a Texas bankruptcy case is pending, court sanctions may be ordered by the court. Creditors and their lawyers are allowed to collect only specific debts and take specific actions which are authorized by the court. 11 U.S.C. 362 sets forth exceptions to the automatic stay. If a creditor desires to proceed with collection efforts, a motion must be filed seeking permission. Creditors who fail to obtain court permission are subject to sanctions. If creditors attempt collection of a discharged debt after a case is closed, the procedure is similar. The debtor or the debtor's lawyer may ask the court to reopen the case and impose sanctions upon the creditor. Available sanctions include a finding of contempt of court, specific injunctive relief, and the imposition of fines and incarceration. The most common sanction is the imposition of a civil fine.

Texas Bankruptcy Lawyers & Employer Liability

The code also specifically prohibits employers and their lawyers to discriminate against employees because of bankruptcy. To become actionable, the employee's bankruptcy proceeding must be the sole basis for discrimination. In practice, employers are well versed on discrimination law, and well advised by their attorneys concerning "plausible deniability." Any other basis, such as those commonly documented by memorandum warning of poor job performance, often relieve employers from liability. For employees, the bankruptcy discrimination statute is grossly ineffective.

All debtors and their attorneys have questions about current laws. Board certified consumer bankruptcy specialists in Texas refer to the Code regularly, as well as review slip opinions of new case decisions as they become available. The process is organic, in that the law, benefits, rights and duties of debtors changes in response to the current political environment, and in turn, require a constantly changing approach in court to gain favor. Also be aware, each debtor and their attorney are responsible for legal compliance with all Texas bankruptcy laws regardless of actual knowledge of recent changes. For this reason, debtors filing pro se seldom achieve the results as favorable as debtors who are represented by a qualified consumer specialists who is familiar with current changes and requirements.

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