Stephanie Lane has been a licensed attorney
in Ohio for fourteen years, practicing before federal, state and local
courts. She is co-founder and partner of a boutique Cleveland law firm
that concentrates in such areas as contract disputes, employment and civil
rights, foreclosures and collections, and landlord-tenant issues.
She has assisted financially-challenged individuals and businesses in obtaining
satisfactory debt workouts, mortgage loan modifications, and bankruptcy
relief. Before entering private practice, she interned for two years with the
Ohio Civil Rights Commission. She graduated from the University of Akron
with a B.A. in Public Speaking and Interpersonal Communications, magna cum
laude, in 1995, and earned her law degree (J.D.) in 1998 from Case Western Reserve
University.
Find Stephanie at Schmelzer & Lane LLC. Stephanie can also be found on google+, Nolo, & Alllaw.
Articles By Stephanie Lane
If you live in California and a creditor gets a judgment against you, that judgment creditor may be able to collect from your retirement account.
If the collector or debt buyer can't prove it owns the debt, you might have a defense to a collection lawsuit.
Under the federal FDCPA, collectors may leave only limited-content voicemails.
If the statute of limitations—the time period in which a creditor must sue you—has run on an old credit card debt, a collection agency can still contact you and ask you to pay up. Read on to learn what the statute of limitations is, and why the creditor or collector can still demand payment from you.
If a creditor gets a judgment against you and you have a retirement account, then the judgment creditor may be able to seize all or part of the account. This will depend on whether your account is an ERISA-qualified retirement acount or a non-ERISA account. ERISA accounts are generally protected from
While your bankruptcy case is pending, any person or entity with an interest in your bankruptcy can request an opportunity to investigate matters related to you.
If you can't afford your car payments, you can give the car back to your car loan lender. But think carefully before you do this -- you might still owe the lender money.
If your car is repossessed, you might be able to get it back through redemption or reinstatement. Most states allow you to redeem your car (pay the full balance due, plus costs and fees).
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), you have a right to the fair and accurate reporting of your credit information.
Question How long does a creditor have to collect on a judgment against me? Answer That depends on the laws of your state, and the method that the creditor uses to try and collect on that judgment. Usually, judgments are valid for several years before they expire or “lapse.” In some states, a judgment
