Bond & Botes, PC

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

On May 27, 2015, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve released a survey regarding the financial health of the U.S. Economy.  The report, titled the “Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2014” focused on the current state of the U.S. Economy from the perspective of its citizenry.  The report is full of very useful and insightful information concerning the financial health of its citizens. However, one item in particular stood out for me.  In a category titled “Economic Fragility”, the survey found that forty-seven percent of all respondents could not cover an unexpected $400.00 expense…Read   More

Many people hear the word Bankruptcy and immediately have a picture in their minds of what that means.  In fact, there are several different kinds of bankruptcy, called chapters. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 is the most common type of bankruptcy and it is usually what everyone imagines when they first think about bankruptcy. This is also known as a Straight Bankruptcy or Liquidation Bankruptcy. If you have a lot of debt, but very little income and few assets, then Chapter 7 is probably going to be the best option for you. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 is the next most common…Read   More

After a debtor completes a Chapter 13 plan and makes all payments to the bankruptcy Trustee, he will receive a discharge of debt which basically frees him of the obligation to pay his debts.  There are certain limited circumstances in which a debtor can receive a discharge even if he or she has not completed the payments to be made under the Chapter 13 plan.  This is called a “hardship discharge.”  A hardship discharge may be granted if certain criteria are met. Conditions of a Hardship Discharge The criteria for a hardship discharge can be found in Section 1328 of…Read   More

As it happens there is a significant difference in being delinquent in repaying a student loan and being in default in the repayment of a student loan.  There is a further difference between delinquency and default for federally issued or guaranteed student loans and private student loans originating from commercial lenders, as well as for the methods of collection available between federal and private.  For most federally issued or guaranteed student loans, delinquency begins the day after the failure to make any timely monthly payment under your repayment plan.  If any regular monthly payment remains delinquent fifteen (15) days from…Read   More