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Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy is legally defined as an individual’s or business’ inability to pay its creditors. In some cases, known as involuntary bankruptcies, creditors can initiate the bankruptcy process by filing bankruptcy against a debtor in an effort to regain part of the money they are owned.

Primarily, though, bankruptcy is filed by a debtor strapped for cash. This type of bankruptcy is referred to as a voluntary bankruptcy.

Over 126,000 Californians filed for personal bankruptcy in 2008. While filing for bankruptcy can be distressing and upsetting, it’s important that you understand the process and work with one of the experienced bankruptcy attorneys at the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, Inc.

Bankruptcy laws are complicated, differ from state to state, and are changing regularly due to the passage of new legislation. Having the right legal representation can make a significant difference in the outcome of your bankruptcy case and your ultimate financial well being.

Types of Bankruptcy

While there are technically six different types of bankruptcies, known as Chapters, the most common forms of bankruptcies include:

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, in which the debtor outlines his/her financial situation in a petition to the court. In addition to listing all of his/her assets and income, debtors filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy also have to list all of their debt and expenses. It tends to take courts between three and four months to process a Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, in which businesses (sole proprietors, partnerships or corporations) restructure their operations and form a plan for repaying their creditors. Debtors will have four months to develop and submit their plans. Following this time frame, creditors can draw up and submit restructure and repayment plans to the court.

The plan elected will have to be approved by a majority of the creditors involved in the case. These proceedings vary wildly, depending on how long it takes both parties find a suitable restructure plan.

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, in which debt amounts are adjusted and repayment plans are made for individuals with a non-secured debt less than $269,250 and secured debts less than $807,750.

Under the guidelines of Chapter 13 bankruptcies, debtors are allowed to keep their assets but must pay the recalculated debt within three to five years of the judgment.

Meeting with Our Bankruptcy Attorneys

To ensure that your initial consultation with the esteemed bankruptcy attorneys at the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, Inc. is as helpful as possible, here of some tips on how to prepare for this meeting:

Fill out all preliminary paperwork, as instructed by the legal staff with whom you set up an appointment. These forms, including tax and income forms, may be available on our Web site.
Be prepared to talk about any debt you may have, including (but not limited to) credit card debt, medical debts and tax debts.
Be prepared to list and discuss all of your assets, such as real estate, motor vehicles and lawsuit settlements. All of these will be evaluating for their current value, if they were to be resold, rather than how much you paid for them.

To schedule a private consultation with one of our experienced bankruptcy attorneys, contact us today.

Areas We Serve

Los Angeles County
(213) 341-4427
San Bernadino County
(909) 748-5272
Sacramento / Sonoma
(916) 248-4717
San Fernando Valley
(818) 614-9567

Orange County
(714) 442-2601
Riverside County
(951) 329-9499
South L.A. / Long Beach
(562) 786-8383
OC Coastal Cities
(949) 891-0102

San Diego County
(619) 752-2235
Alameda / San Joaquin
(510) 403-8809
City of L.A. / East L.A.
(310) 882-6466
Bakersfield / Kern
(661) 473-0422

Ventura County
(805) 248-7408
Santa Barbara
(805) 791-2162
Fresno / Santa Clara
(559) 365-7055
San Francisco
(510) 403-8809

Awards and Certifications

What our clients say Client Testimonials

I am truly pleased with my experience with the Law Offices Of David S Chesley. They answered all my questions and provided me with great advice and legal services. My case resolved quickly. Thank you!
Rodrigo L. San Fernando, CA (Sherman Oaks Yelp Review)

I left court yesterday with my last case being wrapped up. Two court appearances and that’s it. He represented me in a couple of different cases and was impressive to say the least. Always a phone call or text message away. Confident and aggressive when he needed to be. Calming and thorough when meeting with me. Attorney Chesley did exactly what he said he would and I got the results I needed. He seemed to know all the right people at the Temple Street courthouse. You can always get in contact with him quickly and he is a great lawyer. I highly recommend his legal services.
Ricardo Esteves Los Angeles, CA (Los Angeles Google Places Review)

My brother was given a very caring attorney that was assigned to his case and we had very helpful case managers throughout the process. I strongly recommend David Chesley to anyone who is in trouble. I called in to get help on my brothers case and right away I liked their service. My brothers charges were eventually dismissed after the attorney got him into a program, now he could go on without the trouble of having anything on his record
Erica Geller Ontario, CA (Ontario Facebook review)

I retained Mr. Chesley and his firm and from the beginning they were extremely professional both in communicating the status of my case to me, explaining the situation as a whole, and just downright taking care of business. It was money well spent for a job well done. Thanks again to David and Melissa others that worked on my case. I recommend this firm to anyone in need of legal representation. Don’t just accept things the courts force on you, call this firm and protect yourself.
Elizabeth F. San Diego, CA (San Diego Google Places Review)

I contacted Mr. Chesley and his firm because some unfortunate events had left me in a jam. Detectives were demanding I testify or be prosecuted for a crime I didn’t commit. (I wasn’t involved or even at the scene of the alleged crime when it supposedly took place.) Mr. Chesley explained to me that he had been through similar situations with his clients before and understood exactly what was going on. His response to what took place was nothing short of amazing. No matter how small my concern, Mr. Chesley addressed it in a timely manner. He advocated for what is right and empathized with me in dealing with the Court system. After meeting with the supervising D.A. and providing alibi evidence he was able to get me out the situation. I’m very grateful to have found him.
Leon Hanley Los Angeles, CA (Los Angeles Avvo review)

I hired David Chesley for my criminal defense in 2012. he was recommended to us for is success results and his low fees. David is very smart and his professional legal advice was honest & much appreciated during these stressful time. David’s knowledge, advice, and communication about what we were to expect was reassuring and beneficial to me. He charged me a reasonable flat rate and didn’t charge me any surprise fees. In my case David Chesley was able to negotiate with the prosecution attorney for the best result I could hope for. He had success at getting my criminal charges dismissed with the judges approval. You will not be disappointed if you hire The Law Offices of David S. Chesley.
Britanny Givens Newport Beach, CA (Newport Beach Google Places)

David is very professional, yet very casual. Although it is typically not easy to speak straight up with an attorney, he is very easy to talk to. He replied to my questions quickly and was available all hours. Not only did he get my case resolved with a dismissal, he went above and beyond and got me an expungement without me even requesting it. He never beats around the bush and tells you like it is. At the same time is willing to work overtime to get the results you request. I would use David’s services again in the future.
Andrew A. North Hollywood, CA (Better Business Bureau review)

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Jochim M.

very satisfied being a client with the Law Offices of David Chesley.. Negin represented both my husband and I and got both our cases dis issued… Negin was on top of our cases she really cares and did everything she said she would do!!! thanks a lot Negin
Rita K.

I don’t write many reviews, however this time I had to share my admiration and appreciation for this firm. Attorney Negin Akhavan is definitely a person you want representing you in any criminal legal battle. She is the clear definition of the frace “is not what you know, but who you know ” she is not only knowledgeable, she also has the relationships with the right people. I couldn’t be happier with the results she was able to provide.

Thank you Negin.
Gabriel V.

Judith Berrian

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Nicholas K.

An old felony charge came up, so I hired David and his team in June, and he got me a release on my own cognition on a felony charge in July which has never happened to me, and got it dismissed in October. He was responsive when I called and always kept me updated. Got my case dismissed, was easy to work and handled everything for me. He did an excellent job. I highly recommend David Chesley for any criminal defense.
Jason Corona

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Peggy D.

They really helped me out in a timely manner. I had a drug charge from 16 years ago and they dealt with it quickly. I can’t recommend them enough. If you have a criminal charges check them out they are awesome.
Santiago L.

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