A court filing in Hennepin County, MN on September 26, 2023 (court file no. 27-CV-23-12137), claims from 2013 to 2020, Hoglund, Chwialkowski & Mrozik P.L.L.C. n/k/a Hoglund & Mrozik, P.L.L.C. engaged in massive interstate advertising and marketing fraud spanning multiple states on its website, Google map location and lawyer listings, and by its conventional advertisements. 

Side gigs are booming. With delivery, Etsy shops, and various other apps having a side gig is usually an easy way to score extra money, if needed. If you are considering bankruptcy you may be wondering how having a side gig may impact your filing.  

Inflation is hitting everyone hard right now. From utilities to groceries, it seems the cost of living all around is increasing daily. When you file for bankruptcy you will receive advice to reprioritize or restructure your budget, this blog will go into ideas on doing so.

When filing a bankruptcy petition the debtor must file a financial statement which includes a schedule of the assets that are part of the bankruptcy. This includes any current or future interests the debtor may have, including causes of action possessed by the debtor at the time of filing. 

     We get this question often. Can this be denied? If we are talking strictly in terms of percentages, over 99.9% of all Chapter 7 debtors get a discharge of their debts. There are some who will not. Why? If you are hiding assets before or during your bankruptcy filing you will be in trouble. If you refuse to cooperate with the administration of your case, you will be in trouble. In short, honest debtors get relief and dishonest debtors do not.

A conversion is when you convert (or flip) your case from one bankruptcy chapter to another. They are common with chapter 13 to chapter 7 cases, but can also go the other way from a chapter 7 to a chapter 13. This blog will explore what may trigger a conversion during a bankruptcy. 

    Recently, a Hennepin County court filing claims Hoglund Law: “Hoglund buried its clients’ complaints concerning its fraudulent advertising by soliciting and publishing nothing but positive reviews via “review—gating” software, and falsely claimed five-star Google reviews for nearly all of its offices via its website when—in reality—most of its offices did not have five-star reviews.” 

Filing for bankruptcy is available to honest debtors to allow them respite from their creditors. Even those debtors that have previously filed for bankruptcy relief are allowed to file again for bankruptcy. For those debtors with previous bankruptcy filings, they may not be entitled to a discharge or other protections allowed to bankruptcy debtors depending on the status of their previous cases and when their previous bankruptcies were filed. 

     A court document filed on September 26, 2023 in Hennepin County, Minnesota alleges Hoglund Law, based in Roseville, MN, engaged in massive advertising and marketing fraud. More blogs regarding this topic will follow. 

An amendment is the official term used, when you change information in your case. There are many reasons to file an amendment to your bankruptcy case, below are a few of the most common: 

A pro se filing is where a person has filed a case by themselves, without an attorney. Pro se cases may be fine for some things, but they are frowned upon for bankruptcy filings. This is because bankruptcy law is nuanced and complex. 

Under section 523(a)(6) in the bankruptcy code, "any debt . . . for willful and malicious injury by the debtor to another [person]" is not dischargeable. 11 U.S.C. §523(a)(6). 

To determine “willful and malicious injury” the facts of the incident must be analyzed. The bankruptcy code itself lacks definition for these terms. 

If you have asked around about bankruptcy, you may have heard horror stories, where so-and-so’s bankruptcy was blasted all over the local newspaper and everyone in their home town found out about it. To my knowledge, in Minnesota, there are no major newspapers who report bankruptcy filings. That being said, bankruptcy is public information and below are the most common ways someone can find out about it. 

Starting the bankruptcy process can seem like a lonely time. It can be defeating to feel like you have no other options, but the bankruptcy process is meant to provide individuals relief. And even though you may feel like no one you know has had to file bankruptcy, you may be surprised to learn all the people you know who have had to file bankruptcy in the past. 

Whether you are receiving a gift or have given a gift prior to filing bankruptcy, keep the following things in mind. 

Most bankruptcy cases go extremely smoothly and you get your bankruptcy discharge without a hitch. An important factor to this, is hiring a good lawyer.