Bart R. Anderson, lawyers in Bellevue, WA, Washington

Alimony and Support Claims

Filing for bankruptcy does not suspend or stop the obligation to pay child support or alimony. Whether an obligation imposed by a divorce decree is dischargeable depends on whether it is characterized as support or as a property settlement. In many instances, obligations for property settlement can be discharged in bankruptcy, while obligations for child support and alimony cannot be discharged in bankruptcy. Bankruptcy law, not state law, determines whether an obligation is a support obligation or a property settlement obligation.More...

Equity Security Holders

An equity security holder is a holder of an equity security of the debtor in a bankruptcy case. Examples of an equity security are a share in a corporation; an interest of a limited partner in a limited partnership; or a right to purchase, sell, or subscribe to a share, security, or interest of a share in a corporation or an interest in a limited partnership. More...

Bankruptcy Crimes

Bankruptcy crimes exist to protect the goals of civil bankruptcy, which is a fresh start for consumers, the reorganization of businesses, and the equitable distribution of a debtor's assets amongst creditors. Almost every bankruptcy crime is preceded by a prior civil bankruptcy case. Consequently, courts have had to organize the coordination of several cases arising out of one bankruptcy. More...

Bankruptcy Reform - Will It Affect Eligibility?

The battle over bankruptcy reform seems to be an ongoing struggle between the would-be reformers and those who feel that debtors' rights would be adversely affected by reform of the bankruptcy laws. Despite the differences in opinion, many lawmakers agree with creditors that loopholes in the law need to be closed. More...

Bankruptcy During Divorce

Problems may result from the conflict of interests between domestic relations courts and bankruptcy courts when a couple files for bankruptcy during a divorce. The conflict arises because of the differing policies between the courts. Bankruptcy courts have a policy of providing a fresh start and distributing the debtors' assets equally among all of their creditors. Family courts have a policy of equitably dividing the property between the spouses. More...