Legal Blog of the Law Offices of J. Michael McBride

Greeks Mad at Latest Bailout Plan

mcbride — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:50:08 +0000

Would one list this topic under: biting the hand that feeds you? or: how to take bailout money without looking like a peon and thus lessening your grip on power? "Greece’s finance minister angrily rejected a German plan for the eurozone to impose a budget overseer onto Athens in return for a new €130bn bail-out, saying it would improperly force his country to choose between 'financial assistance' and 'national dignity'. Evangelos Venizelos said the proposal to create a European Union 'budget commissioner' with the power to veto Greek tax and spending decisions, revealed by the FT, 'ignores some key historical lessons'. He added EU lenders already had sufficient monitoring safeguards in place in its bail-out programme." Here is the link to the whole article: http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/c54ff27c-4a99-11e1-a11e-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1kxLAh3Ex Michael

Patterns: Rise and Fall of Rich

mcbride — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:35:57 +0000

In what is something of a pattern, the most wealthy have been known to "lose it all" and file for bankruptcy protection. This is happening now in Ireland. This can happen if that person's "wealth" is mainly on a balance sheet, made up of illiquid assets or stock in a volatile company or is based on supposed equity in real property, which depends upon an appraisal of the property which may or often may not tie to its actual value. "A famed entrepreneur who was once rated Ireland's richest person was declared bankrupt Monday as a bank pursues him for debts exceeding 2.1 billion euros (.7 billion). Lawyers for tycoon Sean Quinn withdrew his opposition to a Republic of Ireland bankruptcy order sought by the former Anglo Irish Bank, the reckless lender at the center of Ireland's calamitous property crash. The bankruptcy judgment will force a thorough court investigation of Quinn's finances, which the bank hopes will reveal capital and assets that it can reclaim from Quinn, his wife and five children." Here is a link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46014885/ns/world_news-europe/ Michael

President Appoints Cordray to Fill Consumer Protection Role

mcbride — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:56:49 +0000

In a recess appointment, President Obama thwarted the Republicans who have successfully blocked the appointment of Richard Cordray to direct the consumer protection bureau set up in part by Professor Elizabeth Warren. The opposition to the appointment is less about Cordray's qualifications and more about opposition to the bureau itself, according to reports. There are legal issues with the appointment including the language of the bill itself which requires a Senate confirmation of the director. However, whether he wins or loses the legal war the President may have won the political battle. "In the case of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the White House hopes to portray Obama as standing up for middle-class families and Republicans as beholden to banks and mortgage companies. Underscoring the political theme, aides hung a large blue banner proclaiming "We can't wait" in the high school gymnasium here where Obama announced the appointment of Richard Cordray, Ohio's former attorney general, to head the bureau. It was Obama's 17^t^h trip to Ohio, a major swing state in the election, and came the day after former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won a narrow victory in the first contest in the Republican nomination battle. Cordray's nomination has been blocked in the Senate since summer by a Republican filibuster, which Obama said had hurt consumers. "Every day that we waited was another day when millions of Americans were left unprotected," he said. "Without a director in place, the consumer watchdog agency that we've set up doesn't have all the tools it needs to protect consumers against dishonest mortgage brokers or payday lenders and debt collectors who are taking advantage of consumers. 'That's inexcusable. It's wrong. And I refuse to take no for an answer.' Republicans reacted furiously. House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) called Obama's move 'an extraordinary and entirely unprecedented power grab.' Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said the president had acted 'arrogantly' and that his decision "fundamentally endangers the Congress' role in providing a check on the excesses of the executive branch." Romney called the appointments 'Chicago-style politics at its worst.'" Here is a link to this article from the LA Times: http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jan/04/nation/la-na-obama-cordray-20120105 Michael

New Firm Video

mcbride — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:19:34 +0000

Happy New Year to all; here is a new firm video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oICFl4pCR2Y . Please let me know what you think!

Most Expensive Foreclosed Residence Sells

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:35:53 +0000

"According to San Francisco real estate blog SocketSite.com, lender Bank of America, which picked up the deed to the 20,000-square-foot penthouse in lieu of foreclosure back in July, just sold the condo, which was listed at million, which would make it the most expensive residential sale in the city's history. Still, the price is half of what the original owner, developer Victor MacFarlane, was seeking for the unit back in 2008, although he did slash the price to million the following year. Perched atop the St. Regis luxury residential tower, this six-bedroom, seven-bath (plus four half-baths) palace is practically a private hotel: There's a full gym with a sauna and steam room, 13-seat movie theater, 2,900 square feet of terrace space and parking for six cars." Here is a link to the full article (with pictures!): http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/16/9493683-nations-most-expensive-bank-owned-home-sells-for-35-million Michael

SEC Sues Fannie Officials

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:04:29 +0000

"The Securities and Exchange Commission has brought civil actions against six former top executives at the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, saying that the executives did not adequately disclose their firms’ exposure to risky mortgages in the run-up to the financial crisis. The cases represent the first major action by the federal agency in its more than three-year investigation of the government-controlled mortgage giants that were at the center of the housing crisis. The agency filed complaints against three former executives at Fannie Mae – its chief executive, Daniel H. Mudd; chief risk officer, Enrico Dallavecchia, and executive vice president Thomas A. Lund." Here is a link: http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/12/16/s-e-c-sues-6-former-top-fannie-and-freddie-executives/ Michael

Saab May File Bankrutpcy

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:03:40 +0000

"Citing “several independent sources”, Swedish business daily Dagens Industri (DI) reported early on Monday that Saab's parent company Swedish Automobile (Swan) is expected to submit a bankruptcy petition on Monday afternoon to the Vännersborg District Court. However, a “well-placed” source at Saab told the TT news agency that a decision about putting Saab in bankruptcy has yet to be taken. Anette Hellgren, chair of the Saab chapter of the Unionen labour union, told TT she hadn't heard anything about the reported bankruptcy either. “We haven't heard anything about this,” she said. *Whether negotiations between Saab and Chinese firm Youngman have reached a conclusion also remains unclear." Here is a link to the whole article: http://www.thelocal.se/37888/20111212/ Michael

Bank Run

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:49:46 +0000

Another sign of world wide economic distress: bank run in Latvian. While one may say "where is Latvia and why do we care about their bank run?" it is important to remember the interconnected-ness of our world, especially our economic world. "Latvians are particularly sensitive to speculation about banks' health. Latvijas Krajbanka, the country's 10th largest bank, was nationalized last month after regulators discovered evidence of massive fraud allegedly carried out by the bank's former owner, Russian businessman Vladimir Antonov. Depositors were deprived of access to their funds for days. And three years ago the country's second largest bank, Parex Bank, entered technical default and had to be taken over by the government, which in turn forced Latvia to appeal to international creditors and the European Union for a €7.5 billion (.5 billion) bailout." Here is a link: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/latvias-largest-bank-fights-off-depositor-run-rumours-103638265.html Michael

Judge May Issue Sanctions for Slurs

mcbride — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:40:12 +0000

In a rare display, an attorney filed papers with the US Bankruptcy Court which were filled with slurs against the Roman Catholic Church. "A fed-up bankruptcy judge Wednesday ordered a Hastings attorney and her client to show cause why each shouldn't be fined up to ,000 for calling the jurist a 'Catholic Knight Witch Hunter' - as well as other names - in a court filing. In a pair of sternly worded orders, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Nancy Dreher said a legal memorandum filed last month by attorney Rebekah Nett was filled with 'unsupported and outrageous allegations of bigotry, deceit, conspiracy and scandalous statements.' Among other things, the attorney's memo called Dreher, another judge and a couple of trustees "dirty Catholics" and said the courts were 'composed of a bunch of ignoramus, bigoted Catholic beasts that carry the sword of the church.' Nett had signed the document, but it was written by Naomi Isaacson, a Minneapolis woman who is president of Yehud-Monosson USA Inc., which owned gas stations and convenience stores. It is a subsidiary of a religious group known as the Dr. R.C. Samanta Roy Institute of Science and Technology Inc., or SIST, in Shawano, Wis., and is embroiled in a bankruptcy dispute in Dreher's court. Nett accused the judge of religious discrimination and claimed his treatment of her client was akin to the Nazis' treatment of Jews. In sanctioning Nett, Griesbach said her accusations were "an affront to the dignity of the legal profession and intended to undermine the respect and confidence essential to the proper functioning of this Court.... In her show-cause orders for Nett and Isaacson, Dreher also expressed concern about the language in the women's filing. In particular, she quoted 10 passages from the memorandum that contained religious slurs, allegations of conspiracy or other diatribes against Dreher, fellow U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Dennis O'Brien, bankruptcy trustee Nauni Manty and U.S. Trustee Colin Kreuziger. Nett and Isaacson called Dreher a "black-robed bigot." They complained that Manty was 'a Jesuitess' with a 'track record of lies, deceit, treachery and connivery.' 'Since Debtor has been vocal in exposing their dirty deeds, these dirty Catholics have conspired together to hurt Debtor,' Nett and Isaacson wrote. " Here is a link: http://www.twincities.com/ci_19491382 Michael

Blogger is Not Journalist

mcbride — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:50:08 +0000

Patterns: Rise and Fall of Rich

mcbride — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:35:57 +0000

President Appoints Cordray to Fill Consumer Protection Role

mcbride — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:56:49 +0000

New Firm Video

mcbride — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:19:34 +0000

Happy New Year to all; here is a new firm video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oICFl4pCR2Y . Please let me know what you think!

Most Expensive Foreclosed Residence Sells

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:35:53 +0000

SEC Sues Fannie Officials

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:04:29 +0000

Saab May File Bankrutpcy

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:03:40 +0000

Bank Run

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:49:46 +0000

Judge May Issue Sanctions for Slurs

mcbride — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:40:12 +0000

Blogger is Not Journalist

mcbride — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:50:08 +0000

Legal Blog of the Law Offices of J. Michael McBride

mcbride — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:50:08 +0000

Patterns: Rise and Fall of Rich

mcbride — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:35:57 +0000

President Appoints Cordray to Fill Consumer Protection Role

mcbride — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:56:49 +0000

New Firm Video

mcbride — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:19:34 +0000

Happy New Year to all; here is a new firm video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oICFl4pCR2Y . Please let me know what you think!

Most Expensive Foreclosed Residence Sells

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:35:53 +0000

SEC Sues Fannie Officials

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:04:29 +0000

Saab May File Bankrutpcy

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:03:40 +0000

Bank Run

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:49:46 +0000

Judge May Issue Sanctions for Slurs

mcbride — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:40:12 +0000

Blogger is Not Journalist

mcbride — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:35:57 +0000

In what is something of a pattern, the most wealthy have been known to "lose it all" and file for bankruptcy protection. This is happening now in Ireland. This can happen if that person's "wealth" is mainly on a balance sheet, made up of illiquid assets or stock in a volatile company or is based on supposed equity in real property, which depends upon an appraisal of the property which may or often may not tie to its actual value. "A famed entrepreneur who was once rated Ireland's richest person was declared bankrupt Monday as a bank pursues him for debts exceeding 2.1 billion euros ($2.7 billion). Lawyers for tycoon Sean Quinn withdrew his opposition to a Republic of Ireland bankruptcy order sought by the former Anglo Irish Bank, the reckless lender at the center of Ireland's calamitous property crash. The bankruptcy judgment will force a thorough court investigation of Quinn's finances, which the bank hopes will reveal capital and assets that it can reclaim from Quinn, his wife and five children." Here is a link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46014885/ns/world_news-europe/ Michael

Legal Blog of the Law Offices of J. Michael McBride

mcbride — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:50:08 +0000

Patterns: Rise and Fall of Rich

mcbride — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:35:57 +0000

President Appoints Cordray to Fill Consumer Protection Role

mcbride — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:56:49 +0000

New Firm Video

mcbride — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:19:34 +0000

Happy New Year to all; here is a new firm video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oICFl4pCR2Y . Please let me know what you think!

Most Expensive Foreclosed Residence Sells

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:35:53 +0000

SEC Sues Fannie Officials

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:04:29 +0000

Saab May File Bankrutpcy

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:03:40 +0000

Bank Run

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:49:46 +0000

Judge May Issue Sanctions for Slurs

mcbride — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:40:12 +0000

Blogger is Not Journalist

mcbride — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:56:49 +0000

Legal Blog of the Law Offices of J. Michael McBride

mcbride — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:50:08 +0000

Patterns: Rise and Fall of Rich

mcbride — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:35:57 +0000

President Appoints Cordray to Fill Consumer Protection Role

mcbride — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:56:49 +0000

New Firm Video

mcbride — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:19:34 +0000

Happy New Year to all; here is a new firm video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oICFl4pCR2Y . Please let me know what you think!

Most Expensive Foreclosed Residence Sells

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:35:53 +0000

SEC Sues Fannie Officials

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:04:29 +0000

Saab May File Bankrutpcy

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:03:40 +0000

Bank Run

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:49:46 +0000

Judge May Issue Sanctions for Slurs

mcbride — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:40:12 +0000

Blogger is Not Journalist

mcbride — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:19:34 +0000

Happy New Year to all; here is a new firm video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oICFl4pCR2Y . Please let me know what you think!

Legal Blog of the Law Offices of J. Michael McBride

mcbride — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:50:08 +0000

Patterns: Rise and Fall of Rich

mcbride — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:35:57 +0000

President Appoints Cordray to Fill Consumer Protection Role

mcbride — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:56:49 +0000

New Firm Video

mcbride — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:19:34 +0000

Happy New Year to all; here is a new firm video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oICFl4pCR2Y . Please let me know what you think!

Most Expensive Foreclosed Residence Sells

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:35:53 +0000

SEC Sues Fannie Officials

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:04:29 +0000

Saab May File Bankrutpcy

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:03:40 +0000

Bank Run

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:49:46 +0000

Judge May Issue Sanctions for Slurs

mcbride — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:40:12 +0000

Blogger is Not Journalist

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:35:53 +0000

"According to San Francisco real estate blog SocketSite.com, lender Bank of America, which picked up the deed to the 20,000-square-foot penthouse in lieu of foreclosure back in July, just sold the condo, which was listed at $35 million, which would make it the most expensive residential sale in the city's history. Still, the price is half of what the original owner, developer Victor MacFarlane, was seeking for the unit back in 2008, although he did slash the price to $49 million the following year. Perched atop the St. Regis luxury residential tower, this six-bedroom, seven-bath (plus four half-baths) palace is practically a private hotel: There's a full gym with a sauna and steam room, 13-seat movie theater, 2,900 square feet of terrace space and parking for six cars." Here is a link to the full article (with pictures!): http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/16/9493683-nations-most-expensive-bank-owned-home-sells-for-35-million Michael

Legal Blog of the Law Offices of J. Michael McBride

mcbride — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:50:08 +0000

Patterns: Rise and Fall of Rich

mcbride — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:35:57 +0000

President Appoints Cordray to Fill Consumer Protection Role

mcbride — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:56:49 +0000

New Firm Video

mcbride — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:19:34 +0000

Happy New Year to all; here is a new firm video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oICFl4pCR2Y . Please let me know what you think!

Most Expensive Foreclosed Residence Sells

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:35:53 +0000

SEC Sues Fannie Officials

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:04:29 +0000

Saab May File Bankrutpcy

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:03:40 +0000

Bank Run

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:49:46 +0000

Judge May Issue Sanctions for Slurs

mcbride — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:40:12 +0000

Blogger is Not Journalist

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:04:29 +0000

Legal Blog of the Law Offices of J. Michael McBride

mcbride — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:50:08 +0000

Patterns: Rise and Fall of Rich

mcbride — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:35:57 +0000

President Appoints Cordray to Fill Consumer Protection Role

mcbride — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:56:49 +0000

New Firm Video

mcbride — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:19:34 +0000

Happy New Year to all; here is a new firm video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oICFl4pCR2Y . Please let me know what you think!

Most Expensive Foreclosed Residence Sells

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:35:53 +0000

SEC Sues Fannie Officials

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:04:29 +0000

Saab May File Bankrutpcy

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:03:40 +0000

Bank Run

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:49:46 +0000

Judge May Issue Sanctions for Slurs

mcbride — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:40:12 +0000

Blogger is Not Journalist

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:03:40 +0000

Legal Blog of the Law Offices of J. Michael McBride

mcbride — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:50:08 +0000

Patterns: Rise and Fall of Rich

mcbride — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:35:57 +0000

President Appoints Cordray to Fill Consumer Protection Role

mcbride — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:56:49 +0000

New Firm Video

mcbride — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:19:34 +0000

Happy New Year to all; here is a new firm video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oICFl4pCR2Y . Please let me know what you think!

Most Expensive Foreclosed Residence Sells

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:35:53 +0000

SEC Sues Fannie Officials

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:04:29 +0000

Saab May File Bankrutpcy

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:03:40 +0000

Bank Run

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:49:46 +0000

Judge May Issue Sanctions for Slurs

mcbride — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:40:12 +0000

Blogger is Not Journalist

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:49:46 +0000

Another sign of world wide economic distress: bank run in Latvian. While one may say "where is Latvia and why do we care about their bank run?" it is important to remember the interconnected-ness of our world, especially our economic world. "Latvians are particularly sensitive to speculation about banks' health. Latvijas Krajbanka, the country's 10th largest bank, was nationalized last month after regulators discovered evidence of massive fraud allegedly carried out by the bank's former owner, Russian businessman Vladimir Antonov. Depositors were deprived of access to their funds for days. And three years ago the country's second largest bank, Parex Bank, entered technical default and had to be taken over by the government, which in turn forced Latvia to appeal to international creditors and the European Union for a €7.5 billion ($10.5 billion) bailout." Here is a link: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/latvias-largest-bank-fights-off-depositor-run-rumours-103638265.html Michael

Legal Blog of the Law Offices of J. Michael McBride

mcbride — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:50:08 +0000

Patterns: Rise and Fall of Rich

mcbride — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:35:57 +0000

President Appoints Cordray to Fill Consumer Protection Role

mcbride — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:56:49 +0000

New Firm Video

mcbride — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:19:34 +0000

Happy New Year to all; here is a new firm video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oICFl4pCR2Y . Please let me know what you think!

Most Expensive Foreclosed Residence Sells

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:35:53 +0000

SEC Sues Fannie Officials

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:04:29 +0000

Saab May File Bankrutpcy

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:03:40 +0000

Bank Run

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:49:46 +0000

Judge May Issue Sanctions for Slurs

mcbride — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:40:12 +0000

Blogger is Not Journalist

mcbride — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:40:12 +0000

In a rare display, an attorney filed papers with the US Bankruptcy Court which were filled with slurs against the Roman Catholic Church. "A fed-up bankruptcy judge Wednesday ordered a Hastings attorney and her client to show cause why each shouldn't be fined up to $10,000 for calling the jurist a 'Catholic Knight Witch Hunter' - as well as other names - in a court filing. In a pair of sternly worded orders, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Nancy Dreher said a legal memorandum filed last month by attorney Rebekah Nett was filled with 'unsupported and outrageous allegations of bigotry, deceit, conspiracy and scandalous statements.' Among other things, the attorney's memo called Dreher, another judge and a couple of trustees "dirty Catholics" and said the courts were 'composed of a bunch of ignoramus, bigoted Catholic beasts that carry the sword of the church.' Nett had signed the document, but it was written by Naomi Isaacson, a Minneapolis woman who is president of Yehud-Monosson USA Inc., which owned gas stations and convenience stores. It is a subsidiary of a religious group known as the Dr. R.C. Samanta Roy Institute of Science and Technology Inc., or SIST, in Shawano, Wis., and is embroiled in a bankruptcy dispute in Dreher's court. Nett accused the judge of religious discrimination and claimed his treatment of her client was akin to the Nazis' treatment of Jews. In sanctioning Nett, Griesbach said her accusations were "an affront to the dignity of the legal profession and intended to undermine the respect and confidence essential to the proper functioning of this Court.... In her show-cause orders for Nett and Isaacson, Dreher also expressed concern about the language in the women's filing. In particular, she quoted 10 passages from the memorandum that contained religious slurs, allegations of conspiracy or other diatribes against Dreher, fellow U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Dennis O'Brien, bankruptcy trustee Nauni Manty and U.S. Trustee Colin Kreuziger. Nett and Isaacson called Dreher a "black-robed bigot." They complained that Manty was 'a Jesuitess' with a 'track record of lies, deceit, treachery and connivery.' 'Since Debtor has been vocal in exposing their dirty deeds, these dirty Catholics have conspired together to hurt Debtor,' Nett and Isaacson wrote. " Here is a link: http://www.twincities.com/ci_19491382 Michael

Legal Blog of the Law Offices of J. Michael McBride

mcbride — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:50:08 +0000

Patterns: Rise and Fall of Rich

mcbride — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:35:57 +0000

President Appoints Cordray to Fill Consumer Protection Role

mcbride — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:56:49 +0000

New Firm Video

mcbride — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:19:34 +0000

Happy New Year to all; here is a new firm video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oICFl4pCR2Y . Please let me know what you think!

Most Expensive Foreclosed Residence Sells

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:35:53 +0000

SEC Sues Fannie Officials

mcbride — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:04:29 +0000

Saab May File Bankrutpcy

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:03:40 +0000

Bank Run

mcbride — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:49:46 +0000

Judge May Issue Sanctions for Slurs

mcbride — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:40:12 +0000

Blogger is Not Journalist

mcbride — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:50:53 +0000

Here is a story involving: a bankruptcy attorney and his disgruntled client who also happens to be a blogger. A recent opinion from a Federal District Court on involving these characters holds that a blogger is not afforded the protections of a journalist. Thus the disgruntled client may be more apt to be held liable in her ex lawyer's defamation suit than if she was considered to be a journalist. "A federal judge in Oregon has ruled that a Montana woman sued for defamation was not a journalist when she posted online that an Oregon lawyer acted criminally during a bankruptcy case, a decision with implications for bloggers around the country.

Crystal L. Cox, a blogger from Eureka, Mont., was sued for defamation by attorney Kevin Padrick when she posted online that he was a thug and a thief during the handling of bankruptcy proceedings by him and Obsidian Finance Group LLC.

U.S. District Judge Marco Hernandez found last week that as a blogger, Cox was not a journalist and cannot claim the protections afforded to mainstream reporters and news outlets."

Here is a link: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BLOGGER_DEFAMATION_SUIT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-12-07-20-39-18

Michael