While summer is winding down in West Michigan, many may have noticed an uptick in mosquitos in the area. Though annoying, these minor pests are not long for this world. Fall, then winter, will soon be upon us and many will be longing for the days when a mosquito bite...
Most people possess one or more bank accounts. Normally, we can handle our finances without assistance. However, there are times in our lives when age, illness, or other circumstances prevent us from managing our financial affairs. Generally, this affects us most when...
One thing I often find myself saying to clients is, “Don’t throw away anything!”, particularly if they are being pursued by a debt collector or collection attorney. Although people being sent threatening letters likely have little interest in reading them, those...
There is a common misconception among debtors, lawyers, and judges that when someone is sued on a debt, say medical or consumer debt, that they not only owe that debt, but they have no valid defenses or counterclaims against the party suing them. In today’s...
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) is under attack. Enacted in 1991 for the express purpose of protecting consumers from telemarketer harassment and so-called “robocalls,” the Act has become a powerful tool for consumer-protection attorneys to discipline...
How do you turn a $25 debt into potentially thousands of dollars in damages from a debt collector? Guardian Alarm Company, a Michigan business, sought to collect $25.16 from one Gary Nitzkin through its in-house counsel, Robert Craig. That may sound well and good, but...