TV Appearance on WTAE’s Plugged In Show

We were excited to share our new virtual law service with the TV audience this morning.  For those who might have missed it, the link is attached. 

WTAE’s Plugged In Show called Local Law Firm  Goes Virtual on January 17th, 2007 hosted by Ashley DiParlo.

 Let us know what you think.  The feedback thus far has been very positive.   If you get a chance, visit our podcast page with a growing list of free legal topics.  We add at least one broadcast every week.  Let me know if there is a particular show you’d like us to do and I will likely find a local expert and do that show for you. 

Again, thanks for all of your support. 

Updated Bankruptcy Standards For Necessary Expenses, Housing and Utility Expenses

Most individual debtors filing for bankruptcy relief are required to complete either Official Bankruptcy Form 22A or 22C (Statement of Current Monthly Income and calculations). Bankruptcy Form 22A is the form chapter 7 debtors will complete for “means testing” purposes; Form 22C is the form chapter 13 debtors will complete. [The Official Bankruptcy Forms can be found on the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts Web site.]

A debtor must enter income and expense information onto the appropriate form (i.e., Form 22A or Form 22C)and then make calculations using the information entered. Some of the information needed to complete these forms, such as a debtor’s current monthly income, comes from the debtor’s own personal records. However, other information needed to complete the forms comes from the Census Bureau and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).   Some of the allowable expense items required on Form 22A and Form 22C have been revised.   

Effective January 1, 2008, there are new National Standards for five necessary expenses: food, housekeeping supplies, apparel and services, personal care products and services, and miscellaneous. Those updated standards can be found on the Internal Revenue Service’s website.   Also on January 1, 2008, new standards take effect for Pennsylvania housing and utility expenses. The Pennsylvania standards can also be found on the on the Internal Revenue Service’s website.  If the standards are not high enough to cover your actual budget then you will need to provide documentation as to what you really spend.

Expectation in Privacy With Your Computer

On October 15, 2004, Kenneth Sodomsky took his computer to a Circuit City store in Pennsylvania. A store technician, while working on the computer, saw files that “appeared to be pornographic in nature”. The police were called, the computer was seized, and Mr. Sodomsky was arrested.The trial court suppressed the search of the computer. An appeal was filed to the Pennsylvania Superior Court.The Superior Court said that Mr. Sodomsky gave Circuit City technicians access to the hard drive and that the technicians at Circuit City were testing the computer in a “commercially accepted manner.”The appeals court in December reversed the trial court’s suppression order and sent the case back for trial.In short, the Superior Court ruled that there was no expectation of privacy in the computer once it was left at the store to be worked on by the technicians. “If a person is aware of, or freely grants to a third party, potential access to his computer contents, he has knowingly exposed the contents of his computer to the public and has lost any reasonable expectation of privacy in those contents.” On December 19th, 2007, Mr. Sodomsky asked for reconsideration of the Superior Court decision.  No word as to whether reconsideration will be granted.