If you are a recent college graduate who borrowed money for college, the answer is more than likely “yes.” Does this sound familiar? The economy tanked and you decided that it would be a perfect time to obtain that degree you have put off for several years. You’ve always dreamed of being a dentist, a doctor or lawyer. You filled out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form each year and borrowed the maximum loan amount to cover your monthly housing expenses, food, and education. You finally graduate and you come to the startling revelation that you’re $30,000 or more in-debt! You’re not alone. In fact, pursuant to CNN Money, the median graduate student loan debt has increased 43% over the last eight years from $40,200 to $57,600. Overall, student loans total over 1 Trillion Dollars! Also, you’re not the only college student who relied upon student loans to subjugate the tidal wave of a recession. There were approximately 1.7 M graduate students who utilized the same approach as you may have to survive in this economy. ASSESS YOUR FINANCIAL STATUS Don’t panic. You’ve obtained your degree so you did something right. Now it’s time to address your financial status. First, sit down and do your budget. Do you have the ability to pay any amount to repay your student loans? If you do, please ensure that you pay your student loans in a timely fashion and continue to do so until paid in full. What if you’re still unemployed or you’re still at minimum wage working at a job that you are unable to utilize your college degree? There are several programs available which are beyond the scope of this article. The following are two viable options for you to consider. INCOME-BASED REPAYMENT If for some reason you're unable to pay the minimum payment, you may be eligible under the Federal Income-Based Repayment Plan. The Federal Income-Based Repayment Plan is available to individuals who have had partial financial hardship which amounts to your loan payments exceeding 15% of your discretionary income. Check out how you may benefit from the Federal Student Loan income-based loan repayment program. ADVERSARY PROCEEDING OR FILING CHAPTER 7 BANKRUPTCY If for some reason you're unable to make any payments and making the payments would cause you undue hardship, then filing either an adversary proceeding or bankruptcy may be an option. It's a difficult task to prove undue hardship to a bankruptcy judge but not impossible. The bankruptcy judge’s decision may be based upon your current financial and projected financial status for the next 25 years. The bankruptcy judge may discharge some or all of your student loans. Keep in mind, there is no guarantee for any or all of your student loans to be discharged in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy or adversary proceeding. After long consideration and analysis of your financial status you may determine that you do need to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you’re not alone. Chapter 7 bankruptcy is available to certain individuals to discharge other debts including requesting for discharge of student loans due to undue hardship. To learn more about bankruptcy review our bankruptcy tab. Hope this helps you with dealing with your student loan debt. If you have any questions about other possible options you may have for student loans please call Susan M Signer at 386.898.5015 or visit our website Susan M Services website. This article is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice. ...read more

One important aspect of trial preparation is organization. It is recommended that a trial notebook be prepared for each trial. An experienced litigation paralegal will manage and maintain the case files in a manner which is logically organized. Also, the case information should be easy to extract the pertinent information in preparation of the trial. An organized litigation paralegal is essential for today's litigation cases.During the trial preparation process, litigation paralegals are indispensable. It is imperative that a trial plan is created, the entire team is on the same page, and everyone is focused on the tasks they are required to complete in preparation of trial.WHAT ARE SOME OF THE DUTIES A LITIGATION PARALEGAL MAY PERFORM?Contingent upon the size of a law firm and delegation of responsibilities, a litigation paralegal may perform a diverse multitude of duties such as:organizing files, exhibits, and trial notebookcoordinate witness and deposition appointmentsprepare subpoenas for request for documents and various witnessesdo legal research and discoverydraft pleadings, memorandums of law, and deposition questions for attorney's approvalany other duties required that may be involved in a trialThe more skilled and reliable the litigation paralegal is the more likelihood the attorney may rely on his or her expertise.STEPS TO TAKE TO ORGANIZE AND PREPARE FOR TRIALAs mentioned above, organization and knowing the case is essential for successful litigation. A few steps to follow are:Keep up with the Case. Ensure there is a trial plan, tickler files, and calendaring is up to dateCommunication is the Key. Communicate with the litigation team, clients and attorneysRetain Records Well. Keep the file in order and documents filed in their respective foldersKnow Your Judge. Familiarize yourself and the team about the Judge's preference of document preparation, Memorandums, Briefs, and hearing protocolReflect and Analyze. Take the time to reflect on the case file, analyze the case to determine what needs to be achieved, and review the case file with the attorney to ensure you both are on the same pageCreate Visually. Many people are stimulated visually which means slide presentations for trial should reflect visual demonstrations to illustrate the pointMock Trials. An in-house mock trial will allow the attorney to obtain insight on whether he or she is prepared and provides an opportunity to obtain feedbackBody Language in the Courtroom. There are times that body language may hinder the jury's perspective. Therefore, having the attorney partake in the mock trials via video allows him or her to be observant of the message he or she is relaying to the jury prior to the actual trialKnow the Courtroom Layout. Is the jury box on the left or right? How many rows are there for courtroom attendees? Where does the bailiff stand? A litigation paralegal should map out the courtroom for the attorney. Videos or pictures obtained of an empty courtroom are helpful.An Organized Attorney is a Confident Attorney. One of the most important details is the summation of the litigation paralegal's ability to efficiently organize the trial plan and notebook.If your attorney is organized at trial, he or she is well prepared for the trial. The attorney will display the confidence needed to represent his or her client to the fullest of his or her abilities. There are no guarantees that an attorney will win a case, but you know that he or she was prepared to provide the best legal representation possible for the matter.Susan M Signer Servicesprovides both virtual litigation paralegal and in-house paralegal services throughout the state of Florida. If you need our services please call us at 386.898.5015 and we will make every attempt to provide services at a price you can afford.You may Like us onFacebook.DISCLOSUREThis article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact a qualified attorney who is licensed to practice law in the state you reside in.Image source: yahoo.com ...read more

Paul Kwilecki, Jr. is your law service in Daytona Beach, Florida. When you need legal help, you need a lawyer who will treat you like a person and not like a case. The best lawyer is an experienced lawyer. Trust your case to Paul Kwilecki, Jr. who is qualified in many areas such as divorce law, DUI/DWI, administrative law, and more. Your family is the most important thing in your life. Do what's right today with expert legal services that you and your loved ones deserve. With help from us, you can address all your legal issues ...read more