In October of 2019, the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued a decision addressing an often-asked question in bankruptcy: whether it is a violation of the automatic stay to retain a vehicle that was repossessed pre-bankruptcy? The Court of Appeals answered in the negative, as addressed in this article, posted on this site […]

On May 21, 2020, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued an Order declaring that the previously established judicial emergency in Pennsylvania will cease after June 1, 2020. However, the Court also ordered that previously entered judicial orders in the intermediate appellate courts and local courts shall remain in full force and effect until they expire by […]

On May 7, 2020, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed an executive order to create and extend protections to property owners and tenants throughout the Commonwealth from the latent economic impacts of the state-wide lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the executive order builds on a Pennsylvania Supreme Court order that closed court eviction […]

The ongoing COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Pandemic continues to affect every aspect of the economy. The sudden reduction in workers’ hours and revenues throughout the economic system has left many people feeling a financial pinch. The impact of that flows through the system to potentially create further economic problems in the short-, medium- and even long-term. As […]

Long before COVID-19 (Coronavirus) was even known to most Americans, Congress acted to address a recognized deficiency in the Bankruptcy Code. The expansive provisions for business reorganization under Chapter 11 were too cumbersome, expensive and complex for many smaller businesses, while the options for “mom and pop” enterprises under Chapter 13 were too limited. To […]

Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba (FLB), the Lehigh Valley’s leading law firm, announced today it has completed its relocation to downtown Allentown. The firm moved to a 20,000-square-foot space on the 8th Floor of Two City Center, consolidating its legal and administrative offices under one roof. “We are excited to officially be a part of downtown […]

A familiar circumstance in consumer bankruptcies is that a borrower becomes delinquent on an automobile loan and fails to address the situation – until the automobile is repossessed. The consumer then seeks bankruptcy representation, and then seeks (usually through counsel) the return of the vehicle. Lenders struggle with the facts that the loan is in […]

For the third consecutive year, Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba, PC has been named by the readers of Lehigh Valley Business both the Top “Business Law Firm” and Top “Mergers & Acquisitions Firm” in the region.  Thousands of votes were cast in Lehigh Valley Business’ reader rankings, and the results were published on October 7, 2019. […]

A recent decision from the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York upheld the “Administrative Pledge Policy” of Wells Fargo Bank N.A. This decision echoed earlier court decisions, including from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, and the 1995 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Citizens Bank of Maryland v. Strumpf. It […]

  As the economy has continued to grow steadily, the Great Recession of 2008 has become a distant memory. As a result, people have been taking on credit and debt again in droves. Inevitably, this credit expansion leads to individuals defaulting on payments, ignoring collection calls and possibly filing bankruptcy – a frustration with which […]