History was made today because Virginia ended the death penalty. It’s not the first state – in fact, it is the 23rd state – in the country to do so, but it is the first of the southern states. Did you know that Virginia has executed over 1,300 people since 1608? Of those, 113 executions…

If you are wanting to or planning to file for bankruptcy, you’ve probably at least thought about it. Maybe, even in jest, you’ve thought, “Man, if I filed for bankruptcy, I could really reset my life.” or “Gosh it would be great to be debt free.” With COVID-19 still causing havoc in our “normal” lives,…

FOIA (pronounced “foy-yah”) stands for Freedom of Information Act. It was enacted in 1967 by the US Congress and subsequently all states and local government agencies have FOIA procedures. What is the purpose of FOIA? The premise is that our government is for the people. Therefore, information in possession by the government should be made…

I’ve said time and time again that filing for bankruptcy is NOT a shameful thing to do. You need not look at it as a bad thing. The federal government provides bankruptcy as a mechanism for people to get out of debt. You’re not doing anything wrong or illegal.  Are you swimming in debt and…

The Virginia General Assembly is the Commonwealth’s state legislature, which means they are primarily responsible for making Virginia state laws. It is bicameral, which means it consists of two chambers, similar to those of Congress. In Virginia, there is one chamber (a lower house) with 100 delegates and another (an upper house) with 40 senators. Each…

Time to go to school again. This lesson can be very short if you’re just trying to understand what Secured and Unsecured Debt are as well as what the difference is between the two. Here goes: Secured debt is a debt that is backed by some type of collateral. This collateral reduces the risk associated with lending because, if the…

Today I want to talk about mandatory minimums. You may not know, but certain crimes committed in Virginia will require you to serve a minimum of years in jail or prison. For example, Assault & Battery on a Law Enforcement will require you to serve a mandatory minimum of 6 months in jail if you are convicted as…

Governor Northam recently approved of permanent workplace safety and health standards to remain effective throughout the pandemic beginning January 27, 2021. The governor said, “While the end of this pandemic is finally in sight, the virus is still spreading, including several highly contagious variants, and now is not the time to let up on preventative measures”. The newly approved…