| Volume 87 Number 1 |
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Forward this news alert to your family and friends
Helpful Links
Texas Consumer Complaint Center
Credit Reports and Identity Theft
Your Guide to Small Claims Court
Contact Us
1-713-743-2168
The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Don't let anyone steal your identity when they go "phishing".
Phishing is when an identity thief sends you a fake notice that looks like it's from a bank, creditor, credit card company, or PayPal, telling you there is a problem with your account and to reply.
Never reply to any email asking for personal information! If you think it is a real request, call the creditor to confirm it.
For more general information about the law, check out my website.
Click here for more.
Obama Wants Action on Student Loan Rates
If congress doesn't act by July 1, federal student loan rates will double.
In order to rachet up pressure on congressional leaders, President Obama held a press conference over the weekend highlighting the important of higher education for a strong middle class. If rates are allowed to double, the burden on the student could become unbearable.
A republican plan would set student loans in relation to the government's borrowing cost, which could dramatically increase the price of a loan. In fact, it would make school even more expensive than if the rates were simply left to double.
Will congress get a deal done before the July 1 deadline?
Click here for more.
Supreme Court to Decide on DNA Sampling
Do police have the right to take a DNA sample after an arrest?
In one of the most important criminal procedure cases in history, the Supreme Court of the United States will decide whether a DNA cheek swab violations the Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches.
28 states and the federal government currently take DNA samples from people under arrest, before any trial. Critics blast government officials for using the technique, arguing that it's intrusive and contains more personal information about individuals than their fingerprints.
DNA sampling has been instrumental in apprehending and prosecuting criminals across the nation, especially in cases of violent crime.
Click here for more.
Why You May Need More Liability Insurance
For just a few extra dollars a month, you may be able to increase your liability protection dramatically.
Whether you're involved in a car accident, or you cause damage to someone's person or property, you could get sued. Although most insurance companies will pay legal fees for covered incidents, you could still be on the hook for quite a bit more.
If you're sued and your liability protection is low, you could end up responsible for a massive judgement. If you're concerned that your insurance coverage isn't comprehensive enough, give your insurance company a call!
Click here for more.
Your Money
Check out some of the best ways to save on health care costs!
Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Lender who repossessed car violated bankruptcy stay.
The Second Circuit held that a car lender willfully violated the automatic stay in a Chapter 13 case by failing to return a repossessed vehicle to the debtor promptly after receiving notice of his bankruptcy petition. The court noted, “[The plaintiff] retained at least an equitable interest in the vehicle under New York law. Thus, under United States v. Whiting Pools, Inc., 462 U.S. 198 (1983), the filing of [the plaintiff’s] bankruptcy petition transformed the equitable interest into a possessory interest held by [the plaintiff’s] estate….” “We conclude that [the defendant] ‘exercised control’ over ‘property’ of [the plaintiff’s] bankruptcy estate in contravention of §362 when it failed to relinquish the vehicle promptly after it learned that a Chapter 13 petition was filed.”
Click here for more.