Attorneys Vann and Chamberlain, S.C.

02/06/2026

Vann & Chamberlain enjoys supporting our local Green Bay Community! Good luck Bay Port Cheerleaders.

07/11/2024

Attorney Shari Lynn Stevens Recognized for Her Volunteer Work for Judicare Legal Aid by the State Bar of Wisconsin.

Shari is among approximately 30 attorneys in the State of Wisconsin who have donated more than 50 hours in the

06/11/2024

Thank you Tuesday! What a lovely surprise to receive this letter in the mail from a client.

05/30/2024

Can I File Bankruptcy in Wisconsin Without My Spouse?

Yes! You can file bankruptcy as an individual without your spouse.

This type of filing is considered an individual filing with a non-filing spouse rather than a joint filing. Wisconsin is a community property state. If you are residing with your spouse, the court will require information regarding your spouse’s income and assets. If you are separated from your spouse and do not operate as a single household, this information might not be needed.

This type of filing is usually not recommended but can be a good idea in certain circumstances. If the marriage is recent for instance there might only be substantial debt in one spouse’s name and there is not much community property yet. The spouse without the debt can avoid filing. This can be a good option if one spouse has already filed for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the past 8 years and they are not yet eligible to file again.

Both you and your non-filing spouse might have questions about income, houses, vehicles, credit and even their future. This is a perfect time to address these concerns during a free bankruptcy consultation. If you or your spouse is drowning in debt there is hope!

03/12/2024

Daylight Saving Time Humor. 😆

02/29/2024

This year our amazing legal assistant joined us at the annual Bankruptcy conference.

03/15/2023

Can Bankruptcy Stop My Wage Garnishment?

There is nothing worse than having your wages garnished by a creditor. This type of collection measure is extreme and frustrating. At this the point, the creditor has filed a lawsuit and the court awarded the creditor a judgment of money. This judgment resulted in a court order requiring your employer must garnish your wages to repay the creditor’s judgment.

You’ve Got 2 Main Options:
The most effective way to stop a wage garnishment is to file bankruptcy. Upon filing, the creditor must halt garnishment pursuant to the automatic stay. Both a Chapter 7 and a Chapter 13 will stop a wage garnishment.

Another way to stop a garnishment is if you have an exemption to garnishment. These exemptions can be found in the Wisconsin Circuit Court Form No. CV-424 (Earnings Garnishment – Debtor’s Answer). These exemptions are primarily based on economic hardship.

Bankruptcy Code (Section 527)
If you have been garnished more than $600 by one creditor in the 90 days before bankruptcy, this money can be returned to you. Filing Bankruptcy gives the people abilities they would not normally have. This recovery of money is based on preference payments which can be found in the Bankruptcy Code (Section 527).

The idea behind this section of the Bankruptcy Code is that it’s not fair for one creditor to get more money from the debtor than other creditors. Your attorney will need your paystubs in the 90 days prior to the filing to the bankruptcy to evaluate if those funds can be returned to you. The garnished funds must have been taken involuntarily and the money must be exempt in the bankruptcy.

One Important Final Note
Filing bankruptcy will stop creditor’s from garnishing your paycheck but will not stop any domestic support obligation or recent tax garnishments.

Filing Bankruptcy is not for everyone and is a personal decision. Consulting with an experienced Bankruptcy Attorney will give you clarity on what is best for you and your family.

02/26/2023

How do I declare bankruptcy?

“Declaring bankruptcy” is a term sometimes used for filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy. In essence, you are declaring bankruptcy to your creditors that you can no longer pay on the debts you owe. We make it as easy as possible for our clients to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy and get a fresh start. We will guide you every step of the way. Once you retain us, we will let you know specifically what information and documents you need to provide us. We will then prepare all of your bankruptcy paperwork and file it for you with the bankruptcy court. You will then attend a brief telephone hearing where a bankruptcy trustee asks you about your paperwork with one of our lawyers right there with you. After that, your debts will be gone!

02/15/2023

Happy National Wisconsin Day!

02/07/2023

How To Satisfy a Judgment on CCAP

Your bankruptcy has been discharged but that judgment is STILL On CCAP. Bankruptcy is a federal court filing and CCAP contains all state court filings. While the Bankruptcy will wipe out any monetary obligation relating to the debt the bankruptcy will not “satisfy the judgment” on court records. Below are the steps you need to take to satisfy your judgment.

Print off State Court Forms CV-900, CV-901, and CV-902.
The forms can be found on the CCAP Website or by doing a quick google search of the form name. Sometimes the google search is easier!
https://www.wicourts.gov/forms1/circuit/index.htm

From the bankruptcy filing you will need the
Notice of Bankruptcy
Schedules E/F (the creditors) and
The Discharge

You will have complete these forms for each circuit court filing.
Take these documents to the clerk of courts in the county the case(s) were filed in and tell the clerk you need to file them to satisfy the judgment due to Bankruptcy.

There is a small charge for each Satisfaction of Judgment you are filing. This fee is set by the circuit court.

Mail forms 900, 902, Notice, Schedules, and Discharge to EACH creditor. Form 902 needs to be notarized.

If you need assistance obtaining, drafting, and filing these documents please do not hesitate to contact the firm.

Standard, statewide forms are required by all Wisconsin circuit courts for civil, criminal, family, guardianship, juvenile, mental commitment, probate and small claims cases. Information on mandatory use of court forms and frequently asked questions are available here. For questions about forms or t...

01/27/2023

TGIF! Enjoy a little office humor on this chilly Friday morning.

01/24/2023

How will bankruptcy affect my credit?

You may be concerned that you will never have good credit again if you file bankruptcy. “What happens to my credit score?” is a common question. Filing bankruptcy does not prevent you from ever borrowing money again. Many of our clients have obtained car loans and credit cards right after filing bankruptcy, although they may have had to temporarily pay higher interest rates. Many bankruptcy filers can rebuild their credit score and apply for low interest rates after a few short years. We will give you advice on how to rebuild your credit score as fast as possible after filing bankruptcy.