As part of your divorce settlement, you will need to divide the marital estate. This not only includes assets, bank accounts, and money, but it also includes any debts that were incurred during the marriage. The marital estate includes any property owned by both spouses jointly. This includes real estate, cars, valuable assets, retirement accounts,...

Generally speaking, the Indiana courts favor situations in which both parents have custody and access to the children. In other words, the courts assume that it is in the child’s best interests to have both parents play a role in the children’s lives. In order to deviate from this presumption, the courts must find evidence...

Divorce mediation is an alternative form of dispute resolution that involves a neutral third party who assists a divorcing couple in reaching a divorce agreement. In some counties, divorce mediation is mandatory for contested divorces. The couple must at least try mediation prior to asking the court to intervene on their behalf. The mediation process...

Committing fraud during bankruptcy can result in serious consequences. You can be denied a bankruptcy discharge, fined, or even face criminal charges. Filing for bankruptcy is an honest way to gain a fresh start. However, you must play by the rules. Any dishonesty during the bankruptcy process could rise to the level of fraud. Indiana...

On February 22, 2023, the Supreme Court of the United States weighed in on a bankruptcy case involving fraud. The court ruled that debtors whose debts were incurred by fraud may not have such debts discharged even if the debtor did not participate in or even have knowledge of the fraud.  In the case of Bartenwerfer...

As an Indiana bankruptcy lawyer, one question we are frequently asked is: Which chapter of bankruptcy should I file under? The answer is by no means intuitive, and there are several questions that must be answered before we can successfully advise our clients. In this article, the Indiana bankruptcy attorney, Chris Arrington, will discuss the...

There are several ways to dissolve a marriage in Indiana. Going to battle in court is only one of them. Today, alternative dispute resolution measures such as mediation or collaborative divorce are two ways to dissolve a marriage that do not involve the expense and headaches of litigating in court. The Avon divorce attorneys at...

The very first bankruptcy laws were passed by Henry VIII in 1542. At that time, bankrupt individuals were considered criminals and, therefore, subject to punishment under the law. The bankrupt party may be sentenced to debtors’ prison or face other punishments.  In the U.S., the first bankruptcy laws were passed in 1800 as a response...

If you are pulled over, and a police officer suspects you of operating your vehicle under the influence of alcohol, that officer can request that you take a breathalyzer test to confirm their suspicions. The officer must first establish probable cause to require you to take a breathalyzer test. This is accomplished based on a...

The decision to file for bankruptcy is a difficult one. Many want to ensure that they have exhausted all other options before filing. In these cases, you may be so bogged down with debt that you cannot reasonably afford to ever pay it back. However, you will want to consider several factors before you file....