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Out here along the Cohansey River, income has always come in seasons. The oyster boats and the farm stands that built Cedarville and Bay Point never paid the same in February as they did in August, and plenty of Lawrence Township households still live that way, big months and lean ones. When a lean stretch runs long, a truck payment or a medical bill or a run of credit card interest can turn into something that feels permanent. The township was named for Captain James Lawrence, the man who said don’t give up the ship, and that is honest advice for your finances too. Before you decide the debt is bigger than you are, know that a bankruptcy lawyer can usually change that math, faster and for less than you would expect.
Filing bankruptcy from Cedarville at a glance
Where your case is filed
U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of New Jersey, Camden vicinage, 401 Market Street, Camden
The 341 meeting of creditors
Held by Zoom as standard practice, so most Lawrence Township filers never travel to the courthouse
Sheriff foreclosure sales
Cumberland County sheriff sales are held at the County Court House, 60 W. Broad Street, Bridgeton
Nearest office
1402 Doughty Road, Egg Harbor Township, a short drive to the east (we also keep a Cherry Hill office)
Yes, and usually the same day you file. The moment your case is on record, the automatic stay kicks in and collection calls, lawsuits, and wage garnishment have to stop, by federal law, whether the creditor likes it or not. In a Chapter 7 case most unsecured debt, credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, old deficiency balances, simply gets wiped out, and New Jersey filers use the federal exemptions that let you keep your home, your car, and your retirement in the ordinary case. If you have fallen behind on a mortgage or a vehicle you want to keep, Chapter 13 lets you catch up the arrears over a manageable plan instead of all at once. Which one fits depends on your income and what you own, and that is exactly what the free consult sorts out.
What it costs
The first conversation is free, and it is with Mike, not a screener reading off a script. He will tell you straight whether bankruptcy even makes sense for you. When you do hire us, the fee is flat and spelled out up front, so there are no surprises, and we offer payment plans because we know money is the reason you called. Qualifying Chapter 7 filers can have their case handled for a $999 flat fee. Book a free consultation and we will walk through the numbers with you.
What actually happens after you file
Your case runs through the Camden vicinage of the District of New Jersey, but that does not mean a trip up Route 553 to a courthouse. The one hearing in a typical case, the 341 meeting of creditors, is held by Zoom as standard practice, so you can do it from your kitchen table in Cedarville or Bay Point. If you would rather meet a person face to face while we prepare everything, our Egg Harbor Township office is a short drive to the east, and we also keep a Cherry Hill office.
If a foreclosure has already started
New Jersey runs foreclosures through the courts, which means the process is slow and there are real places to step in. Cumberland County sheriff sales are held at the County Court House on West Broad Street in Bridgeton, and even once a sale is scheduled you are not out of moves. New Jersey lets a homeowner request two adjournments of up to 30 days each, and after the sale there is a 10-day redemption period before it is final. Filing Chapter 13 stops the sheriff sale outright and folds the past-due mortgage into a repayment plan you can actually live with. The key is to call before the sale date, not after, so there is time to work with.
You do not have to give up the ship. Book a free, no-pressure look at your options.
NJ Bankruptcy Court
Where your Cedarville case is filed
A bankruptcy filed from Cedarville goes through the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey (Camden vicinage). Mike practices there regularly and stays with your case from the first call through discharge.
We help people across Camden, Burlington, Gloucester, Salem, Atlantic, Cape May, and Cumberland County and throughout New Jersey.
Your bankruptcy options in Cedarville
Most people we help in Cedarville file under one of these three chapters. Here is how each one works and who it fits.
Chapter 7
Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Cedarville
Wipe out debt and start fresh
Chapter 7 is the fastest path to a fresh start. For most people in Cedarville who qualify, it clears credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, and most other unsecured debt in about three to four months, and it stops collection calls, lawsuits, repossessions, and wage garnishment the day we file.
Whether you qualify depends on the New Jersey means test, which compares your household income to the state median. Most of our Cedarville clients keep everything they own. New Jersey lets you choose the set of exemptions that protects the most, so your home, your car, and your retirement are usually safe.
Chapter 13 is for people in Cedarville who are behind on a house or a car, owe back taxes, or earn too much to qualify for Chapter 7. Instead of liquidating, you keep your property and repay what you can over a three- to five-year plan, often for a fraction of what you owe.
It is the strongest tool we have to stop a foreclosure or a repossession and make a lender accept your missed payments over time. When you finish the plan, the remaining qualifying balances are discharged.
Subchapter V is a streamlined Chapter 11 built for small business owners. If you run a business in or near Cedarville that is buried in lease payments, equipment loans, or merchant cash advances, it lets you reorganize that debt and keep operating, without the cost and delay of a traditional Chapter 11.
You stay in control of the business, propose a plan to repay creditors from future earnings, and in most cases keep your ownership. Mike has represented business debtors in reorganizations across New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Mike has represented many people in bankruptcy and focuses his practice on it across Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
No Bait and Switch
Other lawyers may sell you on filing a bankruptcy and then pass your case off. With us, you work with the same lawyer from start to finish.
Always a Live Person
Other lawyers may use AI to handle their calls. With us, you always get a live person.
Common questions
Where would my bankruptcy case be filed if I live in Cedarville or Lawrence Township?
Your case is filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey, Camden vicinage, at 401 Market Street in Camden. That is the court that handles all of Cumberland County, so Cedarville, Bay Point, and the rest of Lawrence Township all go through Camden.
Do I have to drive to Camden for my hearing?
Almost certainly not. The one required hearing in a typical case, the 341 meeting of creditors, is held by Zoom as standard practice. Most Lawrence Township filers finish the whole thing from home without ever traveling to the courthouse.
My income is seasonal from farming or bay work. Can I still qualify?
Yes. Seasonal and self-employed income is common all along the Bayshore, and bankruptcy is built to handle it. We look at your income over the year, not just one big or lean month, to figure out whether Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 fits. Bring what records you have and we will sort it out at the free consult.
There is a sheriff sale scheduled at the Bridgeton courthouse. Can you stop it?
Usually, yes. Cumberland County sheriff sales run out of the County Court House on West Broad Street in Bridgeton. New Jersey already lets you request two adjournments of up to 30 days each, and filing Chapter 13 stops the sale entirely and lets you catch up the mortgage over time. The sooner you call before the sale date, the more room we have to help.
Ready for a fresh start in Cedarville?
Free consultation over phone or Zoom. No obligation, just honest answers.
