|
|
 Greetings!
I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. My family and I went on a ski vacation and had a great time. My daughter, Penelope tried skiing for the first time. She was apprehensive at first but seemed to enjoy it in the end.
Take Care,
Robert
|
|
|
|
You may have heard about Lamson & Goodnow Manufacturing Co. recently having to file bankruptcy. This 177-year-old cutlery company had millions of dollars of loan debt. For many people, filing for bankruptcy is a terrifying thing. They feel like a failure. They think people will judge them, thinking the person is unable to handle his or her finances. Although bankruptcy is scary, filing for bankruptcy does not have to mean you have completely failed. Many people have filed for bankruptcy and yet not allowed bankruptcy to prevent them from later being financially successful. Here are just two famous examples of success post-bankruptcy
Phineas Taylor Barnum
Many people have heard of P.T. Barnum of Barnum & Bailey Circus fame. Prior to his successful merger with James Bailey, though, Barnum had made several other business investments. One of these investments, Jerome Clock Company, led to him filing for bankruptcy in the mid-1850s. By 1860, he had pulled himself out of bankruptcy, and he was on his way to getting his business investments back on track. It was roughly another twenty years before the creation of Barnum & Bailey, one of the most well-known circuses in the United States.
Walter Elias Disney
Although he is now well-known for animation, Walt Disney did not become famous and rich overnight. Prior to forming Walt Disney Studios with his older brother, Roy, Walt had several financial setbacks. In 1923, Laugh-O-Gram, a studio he had formed only a short time before, had some financial problems, causing Walt to go bankrupt. Only a few years later, the rights to Walt's Oswald the Lucky Rabbit were stolen from him. He could have easily just decided this was the end of the road and he was going to give up, but fortunately Disney pressed forward. By the 1930s, Walt Disney Studios was finding great success with characters like Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy. Snow White and Seven Dwarfs as well as other full-length animated features including Dumbo and Pinocchio soon followed. Imagine what the world of animation would be like today if Walt Disney had allowed his early bankruptcy to define his future.
Of course, there are many other people who have found financial success after bankruptcy. You should not be embarrassed if you find yourself in a position where you are facing bankruptcy. A bankruptcy lawyer can help you through the process of filing for bankruptcy and can explain your options. Contact us to learn more about why a bankruptcy lawyer is so important and to start getting your financial situation in order.
|
|
|
 When Can You Have Your Spouse Pay for Your Legal Fees in a Divorce?
Divorce can be expensive and associated bills and legal fees can start to add up quickly. While it can seem like a daunting situation, under some circumstances, the court can require your spouse to pay for your attorney's fees. Your legal representation will need to demonstrate that an attorney was necessary for your divorce and that your spouse can afford to cover your expenses.
Requesting an Order for Legal Expenses
Once the court reviews all the documents presented and the situation, they will decide whether or not they will order your spouse to pay a retainer fee for your attorney. A retainer is essentially any amount that the lawyer requires to start on your case. It is an advancement that the attorney requests in order to cover any services or legal costs that may arise in the case. However, some lawyers may also require additional payment once a case closes, especially if it is drawn out at all.
You will need to follow these steps to properly request an order:
- Prove that you don't have enough money to pay
- Demonstrate that your spouse does have the finances to cover costs
- File a financial statement that documents your income, expenses, and assets
- Submit to the court for review of you and your spouse's financial statements
While hiring an attorney can seem daunting and expensive, you have legal options for obtaining the counsel and support you need. Just because your spouse has controlled your finances throughout your marriage and you are now struggling to obtain the means you need to cover your legal costs does not mean that you need to sacrifice on the representation you obtain. You can retain seasoned counsel and work with the court to enforce an order for your spouse to pay the retainer fee and potentially other related costs.
Don't go without the legal guidance you need during your divorce. Contact the Law Office of Robert W. Kovacs, Jr. if you would like to learn more about requesting and order from the court.
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
