What do you do when your marriage breaks down and you need out?  There are two things you should do immediately: protect yourself and get good legal advice.

How do you protect yourself?  First, remove yourself from violence or abuse.  That may mean getting a restraining order or moving out.  Second, gather all the financial records you can, copy them, preferably electronically, and keep the copies in a safe place your spouse cannot access.  Focus especially on tax returns, bank and investment statements.

I want to talk about bankruptcy and your credit scores.

You already have a financial problem if you are reading this blog.  That means your credit score is probably already pretty low.  Or, maybe you have been really good at juggling your credit card payments but time is running out and sooner or later, you know you won’t be able to pay them all.  Your credit score may be good now, but it won’t last.
Frankly, your credit score is the least of your worries if you need to file bankruptcy.  You need to be thinking about your rent or mortgage, your car payments, your job, and your family and that lawsuit you might be facing.  Those things are much more important than your credit score.

Bankruptcy may hurt your credit score, but it may also save your life.  It may free you to live without fear again and allow you to start over with a new life and no financial stress.

Please call me at (805) 446-6262 and we will talk about how to deal with your credit score in a way that helps you the most.

Hello, my name is Vernon L. Ellicott, and I am a domestic violence attorney. I help clients in times of personal legal crisis, like when you need a domestic violence restraining order.  Today, I want to talk about domestic violence and what you can do to get a restraining order.

Domestic violence is a very sensitive and difficult topic to discuss.  No one wants to admit they are a victim of domestic violence.  And yet, the statistics are alarming about the number of women who say they have been sexually or physically abused in a relationship.

After a while, the victim begins to believe it is her fault that he hits her!  And, ironically, she protects her abuser when the police or others try to break her free.

One of the most satisfying things I do is to help domestic violence victims go from a victim mentality to a victor mentality.  It’s not easy, but it’s worth it!

I will be happy to personally walk through an analysis of whether you have been a victim of domestic violence and how to change that.  Call me at (805) 446-6262 for a confidential conversation.

I want to talk about what you can do if your business is failing.

You actually have a number of choices when your business begins to fail.  You can cut costs.  You can lay off employees.  You can cut down on advertising or increase advertising.  You can offer discounts to the public to bring in new business.
Those may or may not be good ideas, but what happens when none of those things work?  What happens if your business is shut down, like during the coronavirus pandemic?  What happens when you reopen but can’t catch up on the past due bills?
And, what happens if you, the owner, are personally liable for those bills?

Hello, my name is Vernon L. Ellicott, and I am a domestic violence attorney. I help clients in times of personal legal crisis, like when their significant other hit them.  Today, I want to talk about domestic violence and what you can do to protect yourself.

Domestic violence is a very sensitive and difficult topic to discuss.  No one wants to admit they are a victim of domestic violence.  And no one wants to be convicted of domestic violence.

But, let’s face it, most men are bigger and stronger than most women. Shouting is sometimes enough to get a domestic violence restraining order.

Of course, actual violence will cause a judge to grant a domestic violence restraining order, too.  Hitting, shoving, pulling hair, throwing cell phones and other things, and even blocking exits are all domestic violence that will result in a domestic violence restraining order.

Another type of domestic violence is revenge porn. That happens where you share intimate photos of yourself and your ex publishes them to the world after you break up. It is possible to get a domestic violence restraining order to block the future publication of those photos and even to get the originals back.  See my blog on Revenge Porn for more information about this subject.

I will be happy to personally walk through an analysis of whether you have been a victim of domestic violence, or whether you need to defend yourself against domestic violence charges.  Call me at (805) 446-6262.

Hello, my name is Vernon L. Ellicott, and I am a bankruptcy attorney. I help clients in times of personal legal crisis, like when they can’t pay their bills.  Today, I want to talk about how bankruptcy can save your life.

I just heard of a man who lost his job and then committed suicide.  He couldn’t pay his bills and couldn’t face his family.  What a shame!  And bankruptcy could have saved him!

Yes, bankruptcy may save your life.  It may free you to live without fear again and allow you to start over with a new life no financial stress. It may take away the financial tension in your marriage.  It may free you to breathe without that pain in your chest because of mounting bills you can’t pay.  It may take away the reason for that anger and frustration that makes bad choices even worse.

Please call me at (805) 446-6262 and let’s talk about how bankruptcy can save your life.

Hello, my name is Vernon L. Ellicott, and I am a domestic violence attorney. I help clients in times of personal legal crisis, like when your ex is showing off intimate photos to others. Today, I want to talk about revenge porn and what you can do about it.

Revenge porn is a type of domestic violence. It happens where you share intimate photos of yourself and then your ex publishes them to the world after you break up. Photos you thought you were sharing with someone close to you are now being used to blackmail you, embarrass or harass you. And, it’s working!

Second, you can sue your ex or others who publish those intimate photos for civil damages.  I was involved in a case like that against the LAPD.  The case resulted in a seven-figure settlement.

Third, you can file a police report and the other person may be arrested.

I will be happy to personally talk with you about revenge porn and how we can help. 
Call me at (805) 446-6262 for a confidential conversation.

This blog is about what you can do if your mortgage or rent payments are behind.

The reality is that landlords and banks rarely want to evict or foreclose.  They will frequently allow you to get several months behind before they take any action against you.  But, sooner or later, you either pay or move.

So, what can you do?
You can fight, which is usually a losing process and only delays eviction. 
You can move, but you will still owe the back rent and maybe the mortgage.
Or, you can file bankruptcy.

Once you move, a Chapter 7 will discharge, a fancy word for get rid of, your back rent.  However, for most people, a Chapter 13 is better option.  It allows you to get back on your feet financially and to repay the back rent or mortgage over a five-year period.  And you can’t be kicked out while you do this.

Most people who are behind on their rent or mortgage are also behind on other bills, like credit cards or taxes.  Bankruptcy can help with those things, too.

Please call me at (805) 446-6262 and we will talk about how to keep you in your house.

Hello, my name is Vernon L. Ellicott, and I am a domestic violence attorney. I help clients in times of personal legal crisis, like when someone got a domestic violence restraining order against you.  Today, I want to talk about domestic violence and what you can do to defend yourself against a restraining order.

Domestic violence is a very sensitive and difficult topic to discuss.  And no one wants to be convicted of domestic violence or have a domestic violence restraining order against them.

The first thing you should do if you’ve been accused of domestic violence is get a good domestic violence attorney to defend you.  I don’t say that because I am a good domestic violence attorney.  I say that because it’s true!  I can’t tell you how many people try to defend themselves but end up losing because they do not know the law or the game to play in court.  Only good domestic violence attorneys—and prosecutors--do!

The second thing you should do after you get a good domestic violence attorney is to shut up! That’s right!
Stop talking to friends and family about what happened or what you are accused of doing.  And, don’t post your side of the story on social media. Nothing you say will help you and I guarantee it will hurt you.

Whatever you do, don’t contact your accuser!  And don’t have a friend contact your accuser either.  Getting arrested for violating a domestic violence restraining order will only make things much worse.

I will be happy to personally talk with you about domestic violence accusations and how to defend you. 
Call me at (805) 446-6262 for a confidential conversation.

I want to talk about bankruptcy and when you should file for bankruptcy.

Most people really do not know their financial situation.  They have not made a budget or added up their credit card debt.  When they do, they are surprised.

So how do you know if you can actually pay off your credit card debt, or if you should file bankruptcy to get rid of the credit card debt?

I have used a simple formula through the years to determine whether someone should file for bankruptcy or not.  Here it is: If your total credit card debt is 25% of your total annual income, you are in major financial trouble. You may be able to pay off the credit card debt if you incur no more debt and really buckle down on your expenses.

I will be happy to personally walk through an analysis of whether you have too much debt and need to file bankruptcy.  Call me at (805) 446-6262 and we can talk about whether you need to file for bankruptcy or not.