Bond & Botes, PC

There’s no question that bankruptcy is a negative on your credit report. A Chapter 7 bankruptcy case stays on your credit history for 10 years, and a Chapter 13 case for seven. It will come as no surprise that most creditors don’t love to see bankruptcy when they’re reviewing your credit report. That said, the impact of a bankruptcy filing on credit scores differs significantly depending on your starting point—an important piece of the puzzle that is often overlooked when people offer generalized advice about bankruptcy and credit. Filing for Bankruptcy with a High Credit Score Although the general statement…Read   More

Technically, any individual can file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy unless the debtor, in the preceding 180 days, either: Had a bankruptcy petition dismissed because he or she willfully failed to appear in court or to comply with orders of the court, or Voluntarily dismissed a bankruptcy case after secured creditors sought leave of the court to recover collateral A bankruptcy filing will also typically be dismissed if the debtor has not completed the required credit counseling in advance of filing and submitted a certificate of completion with the bankruptcy petition. Of course, when people ask whether they can file Chapter…Read   More

If you are struggling to pay your auto loan debt, you are not alone. According to the New York Federal Reserve, more than 7 million people in America are seriously delinquent on their auto loan debt through the end of 2018. A serious delinquency is defined as being at least 90 days past due on the loan. Subprime Lenders, High-Risk Borrowers People under age 30 saw the sharpest rise in delinquencies while those over age 30 saw their delinquencies rise more slowly. The rise in delinquencies may be due to the presence of subprime auto lenders in the market. These…Read   More

 Frank Ward is a highly respected and well regarded lawyer who handles cases throughout North Alabama. He is best known for representing individuals who find themselves in the unenviable position of having been charged with Driving Under the Influence (or “DUI”). Simply being charged with a DUI can be detrimental to one’s career and standing in the community so it is best to have a skilled DUI lawyer on your side. Frank focuses on all aspects of DUI law to include driver’s license issues and, down the road, possible expungement under Alabama law. Frank has an extensive background in trial work and really is able…Read   More

Working as a secret shopper, being paid to have your car wrapped with a company logo, and winning the lottery all have one thing in common—they are all tactics scammers are using to try to steal your hard-earned money. Although overall FTC fraud complaints have declined slightly since 2016, from 2.98 to 2.68 million, Alabama is ranked 8th in the country for fraud reports per capita. A check-cashing scam is a major part of this problem. The scams have been increasing in complexity. Even though they are typically run by people living overseas, scammers have gone a step further and…Read   More

On this Thanksgiving Day, we are thankful for the things we have.  We generally celebrate Thanksgiving by eating a large meal to include meat and vegetables.  Our local radio station had a radio program on this week and discussed what are called Food Deserts prompting me to research it a little. What is a Food Desert? The USDA defines a food desert as a part of the country without access to affordable fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat milk and other healthful whole foods.  These so-called “deserts” are due to a lack in access to grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and other…Read   More

This episode of the Next Lawyer Up podcast features attorney Andy Segal.  The last thing that anyone wants to deal with is being charged with a crime. Although we are innocent until proven guilty in our country, simply being accused of wrongdoing comes with a great deal of dread and trepidation. Your first call should thus be to an attorney like Andy Segal. Andy and his wife Sandy of the law firm of Segal and Segal are very skilled and accomplished criminal defense lawyers. They are personable, empathetic, compassionate and smart. Any prospective client who has a criminal matter or concern is in great hands with…Read   More

This episode of the Next Lawyer Up podcast features attorney Cary Flitter. When I first had the idea to do this podcast, I had in the back of my mind to do a segment with attorney Cary Flitter who practices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and throughout the country with the law firm Flitter Milz. I first met Cary as a speaker at a consumer law conference several years ago. Cary has an engaging, straight forward speaking manner and, as a result, is a much sought after speaker on many areas of consumer law. True to form, Cary spoke on…Read   More

This episode of the Next Lawyer Up podcast features attorney Scott Berry. I first met Scott a number of years ago as a worthy adversary in Jackson County, Alabama. Scott practices in Scottsboro, Alabama and it seems like every time I have a case in court there, Scott is, unfortunately for me, on the other side! Scott is a very talented lawyer and he knows his stuff so I would prefer that he not be on the opposite side to mine! In any event, we have become good friends over the years and I think of Scott anytime the town…Read   More

Bond & Botes, P.C., is pleased to announce the winner of our undergraduate Financial Hardship Scholarship for 2016. Monica D. Penny, a 2016 graduate of Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School, is starting her collegiate academic journey at Alabama State University, Montgomery. The $2,000 Bond & Botes scholarship will go toward Penny’s first-year tuition. The law firm honored Penny’s academic achievements in an award ceremony on Oct. 21 at the Bond, Botes, Shinn & Donaldson, P.C., office in Montgomery. Attorney Bradford W. Botes extended congratulations from all the firm’s attorneys and staff members. “You have really worked hard to achieve all…Read   More