Bankruptcy fraud is hardly a new concept. As long as bankruptcy has existed, people have taken advantage of the program. Most people simply weren’t aware of it happening.

Many people first started thinking about bankruptcy fraud when Abby Lee Miller, the star of Dance Moms, was convicted of it and served time in federal prison. The case alerted people to several truths about bankruptcy, including how easily the system could be corrupted and that it was a crime that didn’t just result in a slap on the wrist.

While there are many negative connotations connected to bankruptcy, for many people it’s a last, desperate attempt to climb out of a horrible financial situation and rebuild their lives. In some situations, it’s a chance at redemption.

The way California’s bankruptcy system w...

A lemon is a vehicle that continues to malfunction, even after several repairs have been done in an attempt to remedy the situation. Basically, cars that are considered lemons simply have something wrong with them that defies mechanical explanation.

The good news is that lemons are quite rare. The bad news is that they are both frustrating and expensive to own. The good news is that there are lemon laws that help protect you from bad vehicles.

Just because a vehicle has been to a shop for repairs over and over again, it doesn’t mean the vehicle is a lemon. In California, a vehicle can’t be older than 18 months or have more than 18,000 miles on it to qualify as a lemon...

Selling real estate seems simple enough. Someone wants to sell their house. You know a few people who would be interested. You agree to act as a broker between everyone. Considering that people sell houses as “for sale by owner” all the time, what can possibly go wrong.

Yes, it’s possible that this could turn into a good deal for everyone, it can also go horribly sideways. While state laws do allow you to sell your house without the aid of a real estate agent, you’re not allowed to step in and act as a broker for another person unless you’ve been properly licensed by the state.

Getting a real estate license in California isn’t necessarily difficult, but it does require some commitment on your part...

When most people hear the word recording, they automatically assume that someone is a musician who is in the process of laying tracks. The term recording has a much different meaning to people involved in the California court system.

California has something that is often referred to as a two-party consent law. The main idea behind the law was to limit wiretapping, but in the digital age, it covers a wide array of issues, including using a recorder to create a copy of a phone conversation or videotaping someone without their consent.

California’s recording law is covered in California Law Penal Code § 632. It’s part of California’s Invasion of Privacy Act.

The law was originally created to encourage law enforcement to go through the legal channels and really build a strong case ...

Owning a dog is one of life’s greatest pleasures. No matter how bad your day is, it’s nice to know that when you get home you’ll be greeted with joy and love.

While owning a dog is wonderful, there are also many responsibilities connected to owning a dog. One of the things you must be aware of is California’s leash laws. Failing to obey the leash laws can result in both you and your best friend running afoul of the law.

The first thing to understand about leash laws is that they can vary from one city to another. This means that anytime you take your dog for a walk in a new area, you should spend a few minutes researching the local leash laws. The good news is that while there are some differences, the general concept is the same...

No one wants to find out that their property has been condemned. When a property is condemned, it doesn’t automatically mean that the house (or the other structures on the property) will be torn down. It simply means that the government has stepped I and assumed ownership of the property. This is done with the assistance of eminent domain laws.

While fighting a notice of condemnation isn’t easy, California does have some laws that allow you to object when the government says they want to condemn your property.

It’s important to understand that the government doesn’t randomly decide to condemn buildings. It also isn’t something they like to do...

Parking tickets are a royal pain. The second you see the little slip of paper on your windshield, you know your weekly budget is about to take a hit. Considering how tight money is these days, it’s perfectly natural to wonder what would happen if you simply threw the parking ticket in the trash and pretended it never existed.

The good news is that you won’t be arrested for failing to pay a parking ticket. It’s not a criminal act, but don’t assume that just because you won’t go to jail that your actions won’t have consequences. They will.

The first thing that happens when you fail to pay your parking ticket on time is that the amount you owe increases.

The next step is if an officer notices that you’ve collected five unpaid parking tickets they can arrange to have your vehicl...

Committing perjury in California isn’t a laughing matter. According to state law, perjury happens when you knowingly lie while you’re under oath. The issue is addressed in the state’s penal code sections 118-131.

The legal system only works if everyone believes that anyone who has sworn an oath to tell the truth really is doing so. When someone feels free to lie while under oath, the entire system falls apart, which is why the court takes such a hard stand against people who are found guilty of committing perjury.

If you’re convicted of committing perjury, the judge can have you imprisoned or placed on criminal probation. Those are just the short-term consequences of committing perjury in California...