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Biography
I am a magna cum laude graduate of Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. I have practiced bankruptcy law for over 40 years, working for some of the biggest and best bankruptcy firms in Southern California. I retired a few years ago and moved to Colorado but California is home so I moved back here and I'm living in Santa Barbara. I've started a website (bankruptcysage.com) to offer advice and counsel to people considering bankruptcy. I don't want to work full time but I do want to use my skills to help people who are trying to figure out this crazy thing called bankruptcy. I'll answer your questions (mostly on my blog) and help you fill out your paperwork.
Practice Area
- Bankruptcy
- Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Debt Relief
Fees
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Free Consultation
I offer a free half-hour phone consultation. At the end of the consultation, if you want to retain me to perform additional work, we'll discuss fees. - Credit Cards Accepted
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Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
As a bankruptcy attorney, I can't take credit cards but I do accept debit cards and payments over direct methods such as Zelle and Venmo
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
- California
- State Bar of California
- ID Number: 76132
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- 9th Circuit
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Professional Experience
- Owner
- Martha Warriner Jarrett Consulting
- - Current
- Consulting services including bankruptcy consultation, legal research and writing, blog posts, paralegal services
- Owner
- Blackboard Copy
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- Copywriting for B2B, law firms, websites and blog posts
- Sole Practitioner
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- Represented chapter 7, chapter 11 debtors, creditors (adversary proceedings), and business litigation
- Contract partner
- Reid & Hellyer
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- Represented chapter 7 and chapter 11 debtors, trustees and creditors committees
- Contract attorney
- The Summit Law Corp.
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- Contract attorney representing chapter 11 debtors and business clients
- Contract attorney
- Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
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- Contract attorney representing chapter 11 debtors and creditors, business acquisition, and business litigation
- Sole Practioner
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- Represented individual and business chapter 7 and chapter 11 debtors.
- Contract partner
- Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP
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- Represented chapter 11 debtors, creditors and creditors' committees
- Associate
- Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP
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- Worked on various chapter 11 cases including a multi-national real estate case and local oil company.
- Associate
- Gendel, Raskoff, Shapiro & Quittner
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- Part of the team that represented Apex Oil Co., one of the largest privately owned company to file chapter 11. Drafted plan and disclosure statement, negotiated with unsecured creditors committee, and handled numerous adversary proceeding, real estate sales, etc.
Education
- Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
- J.D. (1977) | Business Law
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- Honors: Magna Cum Laude
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Professional Associations
- State Bar of California # 76132
- Member
- Current
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Websites & Blogs
- Website
- The Bankruptcy Sage
Legal Answers
60 Questions Answered
- Q. If my home is declared my Homestead, will the home be exempted if I declare Bankruptcy in Puerto Rico?
- A: The amount of the homestead exemption that you are entitled to claim varies from state to state. I'm a California attorney, but I looked it up on Google and it appears that you are entitled to an unlimited homestead exemption in Puerto Rico. However, before you proceed, you should consult a local bankruptcy attorney. Many offer free consultations.
- Q. My wife has file bankruptcy. She paid an attorney up front. After 4 months, they've done nothing. What should she do?
- A: Has she given them all the paperwork that they asked for? If not, she needs to provide them with everything. Next, she should ask how long it will take until it is ready to file. If you think it's taking too long, she can ask for her money back and hire another attorney. However, she should not expect to get all of it back. Most attorneys (including me), ask for some portion of the fees on a non-refundable basis to cover the work they have done to get the case started. Obviously, she should let the attorney know that she is not happy with the fact that little or nothing has been done and the case is still not ready to file.
- Q. Violent Ex-husband filed bankruptcy 2x since Divorce. trying to have his debt to me deemed Unsecured. Can he do this?
- A: Obligations arising out of a divorce judgment are mostly non-dischargeable so he should not be able to get away with what you describe. You should consult a local bankruptcy attorney who can advise you on your particular situation and, if you want, represent you in challenging his bankruptcy. Most offer free consultations. Probably also a good idea to consult a tax attorney. If you do nothing, and depend on the Bankruptcy Court or the law to protect your rights, he might get away with it. Good luck.
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