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Texas Bankruptcy Laws - State Bar Association
The state bar provides contact information for city and county bars associations that maintain
local listings of lawyers who specialize in Texas bankruptcy law. The state bar also provides instructions for
filing grievances against lawyers. In general, all lawyers are governed by professional rules of conduct. These
rules specifically regulate disclosures which lawyers must provide clients regarding fees, fee agreements, and
work performed. Also, a reasonable standard of care must be honored by all attorney while representing clients. Should work
performed fall below a reasonable standard of care, attorneys may be subject to grievances, civil liability, or
both.
State Bar of Texas
1414 Colorado St.
Austin, TX 78701
Phone: (800) 204-2222
Website: Texas State Bar
The most common grievance filed is based upon failure to return phone calls. State bar associations routinely
sanction or reprimand attorneys who do return client phone calls. State Bar rules require all lawyers to
adequately inform clients about case progress, new developments, and changed circumstances. A violation of this
duty, if no actual harm is caused to the client, usually results in a private reprimand for a first offense. An
offense based on negligent behavior which directly harms a client may be actionable in a private civil lawsuit
for damages.
Because of the unlimited homestead exemption, Texas bankruptcy laws are unique within all states. Be aware however, effective as of October 17, 2008, federal preemption limits the availability of exempt value in Chapter 7 and 13. The effect of preemption is to replace existing Texas statutes with the federal statute which provides less protection for debtors.
Back to Texas Bankruptcy Law summaries.
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