Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Domestic Violence: Financial Suggestions
When most people think of domestic violence, (DV) they probably zoom in on the physical and emotional abuse that goes on. While these are, indeed, very serious, another often overlooked facet of DV is that perpetrators inflict financial abuse in nearly all cases, as well. It’s a control tactic that effectively holds victims trapped… Read More »
Is Debt Forgiveness an Option for Your Credit Card Debt?
If you are feeling overwhelmed by credit card debt, you’re certainly not alone! By the end of 2023, credit card debt had well exceeded a trillion dollars, with the average household in debt to the tune of nearly $8,000. The average APR on credit cards at that time was near 25 percent, but, according… Read More »
First Steps When Facing Felony Charges
You don’t quite know what to think of your situation: you’ve just been charged with a felony! What will that mean for you? How should you behave? Should you answer all of the questions the police are throwing at you to prove that you are innocent? Should you do whatever it takes to get… Read More »
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy: Means Testing
If you have been overwhelmed by debt in the state of Florida, you may be looking for a way out from under the pressure of debt collectors. You’re not alone: nearly 27,000 Floridians filed for bankruptcy in 2022 alone. One of the most common pathways out of debt is through a Chapter 7 bankruptcy… Read More »
Domestic Violence Can Persist After Couples Break Up
When the romantic relationship between two women ended after seven months, Lilniece Harris didn’t take it well. The control she’d exacted during the relationship had given her power that she wasn’t ready to give up on. So she used harassment as a tool to try to get what she wanted from her former lover…. Read More »
Discharging Student Loans in Bankruptcy Just Got Easier
If the possibility of bankruptcy is in your future but you’re concerned because you’ve heard that your student loans are exempt from the process, there may be some good news for you. That’s because the federal government has made it easier for Americans who are burdened with crippling student debt to get out from… Read More »
When Do Judges Issue Gag Orders?
Free speech: the First Amendment guarantees this right in America. Even so, we know judges issuing gag orders in high-profile cases, plainly restricting the speech of individuals involved in both civil and/or criminal trials. How can both things be true? Why Gag Orders are Issued Typically judges issue gag orders—or non-dissemination orders—as a way… Read More »
Double Jeopardy
Double jeopardy: we’ve all heard about the Constitutional Amendment protecting people from enduring two criminal trials for the same offense, but many people likely do not understand the caveats to this important protection. The fact of the matter is, two separate trials could occur based on the same act under very specific circumstances. For… Read More »
When Domestic Violence Ends in Murder
To the families of domestic violence victims who lost their lives, the terror and misery of the abuse suffered will never be a distant memory. Instead, they will relive the moments of fear and anguish, asking themselves over and over again if there was something more they could have done to protect their loved… Read More »
Guns and Domestic Violence
Power and control: that’s what domestic violence (DV) is all about. When an intimate partner engages in intimidation, manipulation, emotional or physical harm, financial domination, or other methods of domineering, it is domestic violence. It occurs across all ages, socioeconomic groups, genders, races, gender identities, and ethnicities, and hurts individuals, families, and society at… Read More »