Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Inc. (LAWO) is a non-profit regional law firm that provide high quality legal assistance in civil matters to help eligible low-income individuals and groups in western Ohio achieve self reliance, and equal justice and economic opportunity.
Mary's Story
Mary*, a single parent with two children, had debts of over $142,000 and kept falling further behind on her payments. Her debts included a loan on a 2008 car on which she owed over $10,000 and was paying nearly $500 a month at 22% interest. She was too far in debt to realistically be able to stop the debts from growing.
LAWO helped Mary file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case with no charge for attorney fees. Once filed, the court issued a stay to protect our client from actions by her creditors. She discharged her debts in her bankruptcy case, including the car loan. Once she received her discharge, she was debt free except for her student loans. Mary was given a fresh start financially. She discovered how to live within her means and to avoid accumulating credit card debt, which can cause problems for consumers.
*Names have been changed to protect the client’s privacy.
About the author
Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Inc.