Attorney Ursula Woods & Attorney Monika Johnson

We're "Asking the Experts" with Attorney Ursula Woods and Attorney Monika Johnson on The Bev Johnson Show on WDIA Radio.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Memphis probably presents The Bem Johnson Show.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
Let me say, Bath.

Speaker 3 (00:11):
I've gone stop me fist.

Speaker 2 (00:17):
Let me you say she's gone nipistogain.

Speaker 1 (00:28):
No matter of the problem she can have so all.

Speaker 2 (00:33):
The phone and I'm normal thing of my she to
be adding in the.

Speaker 3 (00:41):
Hair by chilling you to just keep.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
The when around picking up fishing.

Speaker 2 (00:51):
Show goes well, I've got nothing happy fuck you can
hear every day you need.

Speaker 1 (01:00):
I am my bell, got me a missed upping.

Speaker 2 (01:48):
Good morning, good morning, good morning, and.

Speaker 3 (01:50):
Welcome in to w d i A The BEB Johnson Show.
It is in did a pleasure to have you with
us once again on.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
This Thursday, May first.

Speaker 3 (02:04):
What we're in the month of May May first, twenty
twenty five. Enjoy this fabulous day to day. Get ready
to put your ears on as we talk to our
sister friends. They are back from the bankruptcy firm preferred
titled an escrow nine oh one.

Speaker 2 (02:26):
Dot com a car wreck. Yeah, they are here.

Speaker 3 (02:29):
Attorney Ursula Woods will be in. Attorney Monika Johnson will
be in to answer all your legal questions. The number
to dial nine zero one five three five nine three
four two eight hundred five zero three nine three four
to two eight three three five three five nine three

(02:55):
four two will get you in two us. And if
this day, this day, Thursday, May first, twenty twenty five,
is your birthday like my sister friend. Yeah, that's a

(03:22):
cause church. Remember miss Bacon Robinson was a bigay. Happy birthday, Vicki.
That's from your mom and your daughter Erica, your mama,
Ms Betty, your brother, your sister, your nieces, your nephews,
your mount episcalci in me church family, all the folks

(03:45):
who love you. Matter of fact, she's getting wait to
graduate too, what get another degree?

Speaker 2 (03:50):
What May third?

Speaker 3 (03:51):
Happy birthday, Vicki Robinson gone you Torrian sister. Yeah, and
all of you all out there who may be celebrating
a birthday on this day.

Speaker 2 (04:03):
You know what we say, go out and celebrate your life.
You better, you better, you better.

Speaker 3 (04:13):
When we come back, we'll talk with the attorney's attorney,
Ursula Woods attorney Monika Johnson and we'll get that famous soapbox. Yeah,
that's coming up to next with me.

Speaker 2 (04:28):
Bev Johnson on Bev Johnson Show only on w d.

Speaker 4 (04:36):
I A.

Speaker 3 (04:57):
Yeah tequila, yeah, good morning, and welcome in the WDIA
The Beth Johnson Show.

Speaker 2 (05:08):
It is a beautiful Thursday. We're in the month of.

Speaker 3 (05:12):
May for these May babies, May first, twenty twenty five,
and I'm included too.

Speaker 2 (05:17):
I'm a May baby as well.

Speaker 3 (05:19):
Happy birthday to all of you all celebrating a birthday
on this day, go out and celebrate your life. You better,
you better well. As I said earlier, the attorneys in
the house, well one of them. The other one is coming,
and as always we like to welcome in from the

(05:40):
bankruptcy firm Preferred Title and escrow and nine oh one
car wreck. She's here, Attorney Ursula Woods. Good morning, sister.

Speaker 1 (05:53):
Good morning sister. How you doing.

Speaker 2 (05:56):
I'm doing well today. How are you?

Speaker 1 (05:58):
I am doing well. Weather is good. I planted some
flowers outside this year, oh no, and it's been raining,
so I'm happy because I don't have to.

Speaker 2 (06:11):
I don't have to water them.

Speaker 1 (06:12):
You have a green thumb? Do I have a green thumb?
Things do grow that I plant?

Speaker 5 (06:18):
You know.

Speaker 1 (06:18):
I wouldn't say I would go as far as to
plant a vegetable garden, not yet, but now yeah, maybe, if,
especially if I had the time to be able to
do that, I would love to. But I just don't
have that.

Speaker 2 (06:30):
I know, because you are a busy lady.

Speaker 1 (06:32):
I you know what I am. But I am in
the process of trying to make sure that that I
slow that down as much as possible, to make sure
I can stop and smell the roses as I continue
to matriculate through life. Yes, that's makes more time for
me and my boys. Yeah and yeah, all the things,
oh those good things.

Speaker 3 (06:51):
Well, as we start off this day, we have to
get that famous Yeah, it is a famous soap box,
fame soapbox.

Speaker 1 (07:01):
You remember how we started with the soapbox. You remember
I used to That's not what I'm gonna talk about,
but yeah, but we started. Just to let you all know,
we started with the soapbox because when I began to
introduce to the Memphis community talking about bankruptcy and what
it means that when you file bankruptcy, we would then
discuss how you cannot put child support under bankruptcy. We

(07:26):
don't get those calls anymore because people got to know.

Speaker 2 (07:29):
Me at this point because you educated them I did.

Speaker 1 (07:32):
I educated enough people to where they don't even ask anymore. So,
so it started with explaining the people that you cannot
and then people began to especially me, and they would say,
why am I paying child support for a child that's
thirty five? And then I would have to get on
my soapbox and explain, well, because when the child was
under the age of eighteen, you didn't pay. So that's

(07:53):
how we started with the soapbox. So I just wanted
to just put that out there. But all right, so today,
well off, we have not acknowledged Attorney Monika Johnson, Hello, attorney.

Speaker 2 (08:05):
Sister. Morning sister.

Speaker 6 (08:09):
I'm freshly back from my birthday trip. So I'm happy
and I'm refreshed.

Speaker 2 (08:17):
You look refreshed, you do.

Speaker 1 (08:19):
How was your birthday trip?

Speaker 3 (08:20):
Oh?

Speaker 2 (08:21):
It was really good. It was relaxing. Where did you go?
We went to Costa Rica.

Speaker 6 (08:27):
Very beautiful, I mean, yeah, the mountains, looking at the water,
I mean it's it's beautiful.

Speaker 2 (08:34):
It's still rustic in a lot of places.

Speaker 6 (08:37):
Okay, okay, so you have to be ready for that,
but so is Saint Martin, you know, and some of
the other islands.

Speaker 2 (08:43):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (08:44):
So what was your best Sorry no, I was going
to say, so tourney, Monica. You said it was peaceful,
so you were able to get a little rest and RelA.

Speaker 6 (08:52):
Yes, and then you know, we stayed on this resort,
and the staff was just so attentive. They everything, they
knew it was my birthday. Everybody it felt like family.
And so that's always fun when you go a place
and they make it special for you. My room, my
suite was decorated with balloons and happy birthday.

Speaker 3 (09:16):
Because you know those folks when you go to those
other islands and countries and then you tell them, they
really do it up for you.

Speaker 2 (09:24):
I remember the times that we went to Barbados. Oh man,
they fixed it up. I have the sign. I still
have the sign I got they made for my garage.
I should have kept.

Speaker 5 (09:38):
About it.

Speaker 6 (09:40):
I kept my son the least company. How do you
say happy birthday in in Spanish? It was it was
happy birthday in Spanish?

Speaker 3 (09:48):
Okay, Well I had beb Johnson's grown folks and they
had made it was.

Speaker 2 (09:52):
Oh that's not yeah, that makes you feel So I
kept my sign. Yeah, yeah, from Barbados. You should have
you know, did I tell you I saw you at
the Sister strut?

Speaker 1 (10:03):
No?

Speaker 6 (10:04):
Yeah, we strutted the sisters, Yes we did. It was
so good, good and a great turnout. I was a
little bit nervous about, you know, having to pot when
it was postponed because of the weather. But Bev, I
don't think i've seen you since then. That was an
amazing turnout.

Speaker 2 (10:23):
People there. Eight thousand? Oh my god. It was about
seventy three.

Speaker 3 (10:29):
One hundred people registered supporting systems, and then other folks.

Speaker 2 (10:33):
Just came out, so it's about eight thousand folks. I
loved it. I made friends while I was there.

Speaker 5 (10:38):
You know.

Speaker 6 (10:38):
I wanted to come on the stage and say how
do you but you were doing your thing. No, it
was It was amazing. I'm glad that you all sponsored
that and you do that, and I hope you do
it for many years to come.

Speaker 3 (10:49):
Yeah, it's a good They just had it last weekend
in Jackson, Mississippi.

Speaker 2 (10:54):
They do the Sisters strutting Jackson.

Speaker 5 (10:56):
Good.

Speaker 1 (10:57):
Did you go down to Jackson?

Speaker 5 (10:58):
No?

Speaker 2 (10:58):
I didn't. I didn't. You know that's his hometown. Oh
I did not know that that's his hometown.

Speaker 1 (11:11):
Oh wow, Okay, the one he went home he had
to support that.

Speaker 2 (11:15):
You had a question for.

Speaker 1 (11:17):
Oh, you know, I was just gonna ask her what
was you know, because a lot of a lot of
us have not been to Costa Rica. What was your
what was the best experience about Costa Rica.

Speaker 6 (11:27):
This is gonna sound a little silly, but it was
so much fun to me to see. But just having
the monkeys, you know, just you know, in the trees
above you, they will take food from you. I mean,
you know you have to be careful. But just to
see the wildlife and it's it's still there, you know.

(11:48):
I saw a too can sam you know that is
from fruit loops. I saw the actual bird okay, and
then I saw a sloth.

Speaker 2 (11:59):
Never seen that before in my life, you know, like
a that was very slowly.

Speaker 6 (12:05):
So those were I mean, I like experiences. And then
the other thing is I had never been on a
black beach before. I don't necessarily have to do it again,
but I wanted to do it and wanted to experience that. So, yeah,
the sand is black, and I think it has something
to do with the volcanoes or something, because there's also

(12:27):
a black beach in Hawaii. But so I was able
to see the black beach and see some wildlife and
and and relax.

Speaker 2 (12:38):
So it was and feel loved. So it was a
great move.

Speaker 6 (12:43):
It was the best month. Like I celebrated all month.
That's that's what you're supposed to do, and I'm gonna
do that this month. All right, this is my term.

Speaker 1 (12:53):
Are you doing anything you want to share with us
that that's going to bring you joy for your birthday?

Speaker 2 (12:58):
I'll share when I come back.

Speaker 1 (12:59):
Yes, ma'am. Well everybody has exciting things going on.

Speaker 2 (13:05):
Yeah, all right, so we're ready for that famous.

Speaker 1 (13:09):
Famous soapbox. So today I want to talk about betrayal.
I'm just in a transparent moment. I recently experienced a
friend of mine who is very close to me betrayed me,
you know, and and it was pretty devastating. And and

(13:30):
this was like, let's say it, I can't remember October, November, December,
but AnyWho, April rolls around and this person re entered
into my life and I opened the door and welcomed
them back in. And you know, we had we had
had a discussion, a full discussion about the situation, and
I thought that we had come to some level of

(13:51):
a medium ground on that. And she expressed herself, of course,
I expressed mine. Attorney Johnson was there to help facilitate
that mediation. And I welcome that person back into my
personal space. And they burned me again, and they betrayed
me again, in the same exact manner in which they

(14:12):
had betrayed me in the past, you know, And let
me just share this with you all. A lot of
times we can point the finger and say, oh, that
person should have never done this, and that person should
have never done that, and they are snake in the grass. Well,
now I challenge you, I challenge myself. You know, the
people that are close to me were like, oh my god,
I can't believe she did that. Again, that's unbelievable. Is

(14:35):
it really?

Speaker 3 (14:36):
Is it?

Speaker 1 (14:36):
I'm serious, Like, is it really unbelievable? I don't think so.
She was being no more than who she says that
she has always been, which is someone who has no
loyalty and doesn't know how to be a friend, you understand.
So then it is imperative upon me to then let
her when we talk about to let them theory, let

(14:57):
her be who she is. She has shown me who
she is. I cannot trust her in my personal space
personally nor professional. Therefore it is imperative upon me now
sit then put in the boundaries both physical and spiritual,
you know, boundaries against someone that is like that, so
that that type of spirit won't be in my personal space.

(15:18):
And I'm sharing this story to say to you as
hurtful as it was the first time I got that lesson,
that second time.

Speaker 2 (15:26):
You know, I wrote, I got that les down, I said,
what was the lesson learned?

Speaker 1 (15:29):
The lesson is, and I'm not you know, every you
all can call in. We can chime in about it
if you want to. You know, I'm open to it.
I think the lesson is for me. I'm still going
to be a good, kind hearted person. Okay, I'm going
to still give someone a second chance if I feel
as though they are deserving within reason. I'm not saying

(15:50):
open up your pocket book and let them have it.
But what I am saying is I would give someone
a second chance because I know that I deserve a
second chance. I know I have gone to God and
ask for forgiveness. I know that when people say, hey,
don't do it like this, do it like that when
you're in friendship with me. I'm trying to think of
an example with MO, but I don't. We've been best
friends for so long. But you know, trying to learn

(16:12):
someone and trying to be in friendship with someone. So
I do think that there should be a period of
correction and mistakes that are made. But if you notice
someone that has betrayed you, be careful about letting them
re enter your life, and once you're done, be done.

Speaker 6 (16:26):
I can just say, I think it's really all about
the spirit and the heart of the individual, because there
could be a meeting, a come to Jesus meeting. People
do make mistakes, and let's just say that you know,
this person poor behavior and betrayed you for whatever reason.

(16:51):
Because hurt people hurt people, right, so for whatever reason
they did it for attention, who knows. But but you know,
I agree that it doesn't hurt. I know some people
said fool me once, you won't fool me twice.

Speaker 5 (17:05):
But I do.

Speaker 6 (17:07):
I believe that there's redemption and that people can change. Yes,
and because I have needed, you know, grace in some areas.
But the point is the person that you're having to
come to Jesus with has to be receptive. It's all
about the heart in which that meeting is occurring, and

(17:29):
whether or not that person has really moved on or grown.
If they have not grown and they're the same person
and they're you know, continuing to talk the same way,
like I desire you to show me who I am,
so I can say, oh wow, I did not know
I yell at my children.

Speaker 2 (17:47):
Thank you for pointing that out.

Speaker 6 (17:49):
Now I'm conscious of it right right, and now I'm
gonna every time I raise my voice, I'm like, oh girl,
you yelling at your children.

Speaker 2 (17:56):
Stop that you know so? But but you have to
have I have someone to put the mirror in your face.

Speaker 6 (18:02):
But if we put that mirror in your face and
you know who you are and you refuse to grow,
that's when I say what Maya Angelo said, when a
person shows you who they are, Huh, you better believe the.

Speaker 1 (18:17):
First time, the first, you know what. So I have
another lesson then that I've learned to Monika's point, Monika, essentially,
what she's saying is you have to see some level
of change behavior in conversation or actions. And no, I
did not. And I'm just being I'm having a vulnerable
and transparent moment to help all of us grow. And no,
I did not see even during that mediation that we

(18:39):
had with you, I did not see growth. I did
see vulnerability and transparency about her position, which I was
happy about, but there was no growth there. And me,
I like this person, you know, I thought they were
my friend, and so I glossed over the fact that
there was no change behavior nor conversation, and I that

(19:00):
have instead kind of leaned into that, Like Waight, we
had the conversation. It was good, all hearts are clear,
but that does not mean that that person can be
welcomed back into my life. I also assumed that the
small role in which they played would be okay, But
there is no If somebody wants to betray you, any
little inch you give them, they will take and make

(19:21):
it into something that it's not. So we should move
forward in wisdom. What are your thoughts that?

Speaker 2 (19:26):
What wisdom do you have? Well? I agree with you.
I was just thinking.

Speaker 3 (19:32):
About one of my affirmations that says that a true
friend is one who reaches for your hand and touches
your heart.

Speaker 2 (19:41):
Oh and if she did has not touched your heart,
you move on. That's good, mo, that's good.

Speaker 3 (19:49):
A true friend is one who reaches for your hand
and touches your heart.

Speaker 1 (19:56):
And I reached for her hand and she smacked me,
not once for twice.

Speaker 2 (20:00):
Okay, so you have your lesson.

Speaker 1 (20:04):
That's good, thank you.

Speaker 2 (20:05):
Because when you don't learn your lessons, you.

Speaker 1 (20:09):
Do what repea you fail, you fail, and they will
repeat them.

Speaker 2 (20:12):
They will repeat themselves. I mean, get out of that patternself.

Speaker 1 (20:16):
I'm out.

Speaker 2 (20:16):
I am clear.

Speaker 1 (20:18):
You know, you know y'all aren't in here. But when
when she just shared that wisdom the whole room, the
energy it was in the mist. That was some wisdom.

Speaker 2 (20:26):
Thank you. That was awesome.

Speaker 1 (20:28):
Look I done have Look we put a benediction on that.
So let's end on a positive note. Yeah, Attorney Johnson
has been my friend forum since ninety eight, twenty seven years.

Speaker 2 (20:41):
Whatever it is, don't tell anybody. I'm sorry.

Speaker 1 (20:43):
We're only twenty eight. We've been friends since we were on,
and Monika has always been a great friend. She sent
me a meme that says this, so I'm not this
is not my original idea. I don't forget would have
said anyway, but it was pretty much, Oh, I know
what it was. We have loved one another in all seasons,
good bad, and when we both when I didn't deserve
to be loved and understood, She loved and understood. Not

(21:04):
because she felt like, oh she just a door mat
and let me just run over her, but because she
knew I needed that season and once I got out
of this season i'd be back to you know, being
a loving and kind individual, and vice versa. We've seen
each other through marriages, through children, births, graduations, dads, divorces,
and so when you're going through that many seasons with

(21:26):
a person, does it requires a higher level of grace
and mercy. Yes, because I may be really excited and
you may be really down, you know, and we still
got to support each other and love each other through that.
So thank you for being an amazing friend. And we
don't say that enough. You know, there's no happy anniversary
for friends, but I thank you and friends are important, girl,

(21:49):
Yes there and bev thank you to you because even
though you're a business partner, you know on paper you
have been more of like a big sister to us
and a guy to us, both personally and professionally. Sometimes
it's just you know, like what you just shared a
piece of wisdom, and then others is something more in
depth or just professionally you know, looking Mo now shining

(22:11):
out here making her feel comfortable. So we thank you
for your friendship, your so well hood.

Speaker 3 (22:16):
I thank you for your friendship and your your your
your business things and just being sisters. And I just
I just adore you, ladies. I do, I do, I do,
and it's always good to share the good news. The
other good news is Attorney Monika. She told me she's
the number one bankruptcy lawyer in the city.

Speaker 1 (22:40):
In the city, yes, yes, yes, then got the mind
number one. So I am number one. To be specific,
I am number one with Chapter seven, with Chapter seven filings,
and I want to kind of talk about that. Yeah,
I know this, you know. I don't usually you know,
to my own horn when it comes to accolades and

(23:03):
awards and things, you know, because to be honest with you,
sometimes they're just popularity contests. And also I feel like
validation does not equal value, right, validation does not equal value.
Just because I got two thousand likes, which I'm small following,
you know, I may get two thousand likes, that's a
big deal to me. But instead of me bragging about that,

(23:26):
because the validation does not equal value, I do want
to talk about this. Being a number one attorney when
it comes to Chapter seven bankruptcy filings is huge. I'm
gonna tell you why. In Memphis, there.

Speaker 2 (23:42):
Has been a.

Speaker 1 (23:45):
Concerted effort, concerted effort to put our citizens in a
chapter thirteen wage earner. Okay, they call it a debt consolidation,
all right, debt consolidation. Chapter thirteen wajournery is critical to
the success of you being able to maintain your home
or your car. If you're behind on your home, and

(24:08):
if you're behind on your car, you understand, so yes,
Chapter thirteen way journery is important when you're trying to
save a house or a car, because that's the only
way we can do it if you don't have the money. However,
if you're not trying to save a house, you're not
trying to save a car, and you're eligible for a

(24:28):
chapter seven bankruptcy. Ma'am and sirs. You need to be
in a chapter seven bankruptcy, let's you know, because it
eliminates all of your debt. You're able to have a
fresh plate to be able to move forward in life
debt free. Okay, we talk about Dave Ramsey. Dave Ramsey.
I love Dave Ramsey's model towards debt freedom, but let's

(24:52):
be very honest, if you google it, he found bankruptcy
to get there. Even though he does want all of
us to save a thousand dollars, do and go forward
with the snowball to eliminate debt, which is a very
smart way to do it. But there are times in
which you do not have enough money to even cover
the smallest of bills. So you stand your head tall

(25:13):
and you file that bankruptcy and move forward. Or you
may say, ursula, my God, to pay off twenty thousand
and thirty thousand worth of debt, it's going to take
me five years. I need to move forward now. I
want to get married, I want to start a family,
I want to go back to school. Well, then chapter
seven bankruptcy is ideal because it gives you a fresh start. I,

(25:33):
in my personal opinion, feel as though you're doing a
disservice to someone without telling them of both options. A
Chapter thirteen wage journer where you do a debt consolidation,
you have payments over the next five years, but it's
imperative for you to also explain to them that you
also have a Chapter seven option in which you can
come completely debt free. Okay, and on both Chapter seven

(25:56):
or thirteen it's on your credit for ten years. Why
not try and get my clients into a Chapter seven bankruptcy.
And so this past week I had seven women in
there becoming debt free under Chapter seven bankruptcy because life happened,
and do not despise someone or either shame them for

(26:18):
filing bankruptcy. My sisters and brothers are working in warehouses
right now listening to WDIA AM ten seventy beautiful people radio.
Shout out to all of you, I know UPS does
it and some of our Amazon stores, so you know,
round of applause to all of you all. But back
to the point. So sometimes when you do wearhouse work,

(26:38):
what occurred, Just to explain to you all, When you
have a warehouse worker, you have high season, peak seasons,
and then you have low season. So within a twelve
month span, you may have a brother that's out there
making fifty sixty thousand dollars due to overtime, and then
during a low season, they're out of a job for
two to three weeks, if not for six weeks. Okay,

(26:59):
so when that happens, what are they gonna do. They've
been paying their bills. Now they're in bankruptcy right because
they're out of work. Then they know the work is
coming back, but they may be out for the next
month and a half and so then as a result
what's happening to bills? They're not getting paid, okay, so
then they have to file bankruptcy. Well, then when the
money starts rolling back in, they making money, they can

(27:19):
come out of bankruptcy. They don't even need it anymore.
But then what happened Then the peak season leaves, they're
backed up, so they may end up having two to
three four bankruptcies as a result of the up and
down of the industry that they're in. And it's easy
for you to judge, judge because you're sitting in your
nine to five job and I don't know and they
should and they should, Okay, Well then they didn't and
they weren't. They weren't given the same opportunity that you were,

(27:42):
or we don't know what their upbringing was, what obstacles
they had. So we have to respect and love people
for where they are and who they are. But my
moral of this story is, Hey, give me a call
nine zero one five tour to one help nine zero
one five four one four three five seven if you're
interested in filing a Chapter seven or a chapter thirteen bankruptcy.

(28:04):
But please trust no one believe. The one thing that
we're gonna do at the bankruptcy law firm is make
sure that we analyze and see if we can get
you into a Chapter seven straight bankruptcy if you're eligible,
so that you can start your life off debt free,
and if not, then we'll go for the Chapter thirteen
wage earner, which sometimes.

Speaker 7 (28:22):
You just have to.

Speaker 1 (28:23):
So I just want to say, yes, I'm number one,
But one of the reasons why is because I freely
share this information. Some attorneys do not. They want you
to be in a chapter thirteen and that just holds
you down and you're anchored into these payments every month,
which can become overwhelm me. And then what happens is
you're further You're getting further and behind in life. You're

(28:45):
in a chapter thirteen for three to five years. Baby,
I can have you in and out and fresh start
in three months so you can start your life over.
So yes, I'm very happy that I'm number one attorney
with chapter seven bankruptcy filings, but I do feel as
though more should be in a chapter seven versus a
chapter thirteen. Give us a call if you're interested in

(29:05):
analyzing whether you're eligible. Nine zero one five four one help.
That's five four one four three five seven. All right,
just call us on the show.

Speaker 3 (29:13):
That's right, Yeah, Now the sisters are in the house today,
Attorney Ursula Woods, Attorney Monika Johnson here, they are gonna
share their wisdom.

Speaker 2 (29:22):
You have questions for them this day.

Speaker 3 (29:24):
Our numbers nine zero one, five three, five, nine three
four two, eight hundred five zero three nine three four
two eight three three five three five nine three four
two will get you in to us.

Speaker 2 (29:39):
You're listening to double d I A The BEVJ Just Show.

Speaker 8 (29:50):
Don't go away. The Bev Johnson Show returns after these messages.

Speaker 2 (30:10):
Over the.

Speaker 1 (30:13):
Working hard to bring you out day now saying.

Speaker 2 (30:38):
Welcome back.

Speaker 3 (30:39):
We are talking with Attorney Ursula Woods. Attorney Monika Johnson
is in the house. Let me give the numbers to
you if you have a question for them. Nine zero one,
five three five nine three four two, eight hundred five
zero three nine three four two eight three three five

(30:59):
three three four two. If you can't call, email me
your question Bev Johnson at iHeartMedia dot com. Bev Johnson
at iHeartMedia dot com. And ladies, I do I have
a email for you and I'll get that, but I'll

(31:20):
let you continue. Attorney Ursula Woods yes.

Speaker 1 (31:24):
So we left off with talking about how I'm so
excited because I have the number one bankruptcy filings for
chapter seven as of last week for chapter seven filings,
and we were discussing how did how did we get here? So, which, Yeah,
that's a huge difference. And the reason why that's a
game changer is because oftentimes you don't realize how much

(31:49):
racism and systemic you don't realize how much racism and
systemic racism, meaning the systems in which you are operating
are really operating against you. How that affects your finances. Right, So,
a Chapter seven bankruptcy will allow you to become completely
debt free, completely debt free. But if attorneys are constantly

(32:14):
forcing you into a Chapter thirteen wage earner versus a
Chapter seven complete bankruptcy where you're dead free, that's putting
you further behind in life. You need a fresh start.
You need an opportunity to be able to just simply
start over in life and move forward without having to
pay the bills that have weighed you down. You've learned

(32:35):
your lesson, you understand not to get the credit cards.
Life has happened, But at this stage you need to
move forward. Debt free and then that's what a chapter
seven bankruptcy does. And you may say, well, dang, eartha,
I went to one of those attorneys that forced me
into a chapter thirteen. Or you may even say, heck,
I'm with you and I'm under a chapter thirteen. Give

(32:55):
us a call, let us review to see if you're
eligible for a chapter seven. See, the problem is some
attorneys may not even present that idea to you that
there is a chapter seven, that there is another option
outside of the chapter thirteen wage earner. So I want
to encourage everyone if a chapter seven bankruptcy is an option,

(33:17):
if you are looking forward to dead freedom. If you
tried the budget, you've tried the snowball effect, it's just
taking too long and you have too many bills to accommodate.
You're depressed, you're sad, you're staying out and staying up
at night. Anxiety has increased. It's hard for you to function.
Chapter seven maybe the option towards dead freedom. So give
me a call here at the BEV Johnson Show at

(33:39):
nine zero one five three five nine three four two,
and we can analyze right here. If you have any
questions or concerns that can help you. Isn't that right?

Speaker 2 (33:48):
BEV.

Speaker 1 (33:49):
We're trying to get these people dead free, and that's right.

Speaker 3 (33:52):
I want to go back as something you said sold okay,
that that Chapter thirteen that's the wage.

Speaker 1 (33:59):
Earner thirteen bankruptcy is a wage earner. So a lot
of people get on that. So when you on wa
earth wage earner, you have to pay that every month,
you have to pay that every single month. You have
to pay a Chapter thirteen wage learner. And there is
a time and a place for a Chapter thirteen way journey.

(34:19):
That time and place is if you are trying to
save your house, if you're trying to save your car,
then yes, you are going to be required to get
a Chapter thirteen wage earner because you're behind on your car,
you're behind on your house. So then a Chapter thirteen
wage journer is the ideal situation to put you in. However,
if we're dealing with a situation in which is a

(34:40):
you're a debt you want to be debt free, you
don't have a car or a house that you're trying
to save, then yes, of course we can file a
Chapter seven bankruptcy if you're eligible, and then that way
eliminate all of your debt and you can get a
fresh start. So that's the reason why it's important to
hire an attorney that cares enough to ask you the
impair questions to see if you're eligible for a seven

(35:02):
and then you go that route. Or if you're only
eligible four thirteen, which is a wage earner, and you
can still become debt free, it will just take anywhere
between three, four or either five years to do so.
But either way, it's a path, a clear path towards
debt freedom and peace of mind.

Speaker 2 (35:19):
Okay, good, good, good, So.

Speaker 1 (35:24):
Either or, but you prefer the Chapter seven. The Chapter
seven bankruptcy is what I would consider the goal standard,
you know, because well, under a Chapter seven bankruptcy, we
wipe out all of the debt. You're debt free. The
only thing we need is paycheck stubs, tax returns, look
at your income to see if you're eligible, look at

(35:44):
your assets to see if you're eligible, and it will
determine the eligibility. At my firm, at the bankruptcy law
firm attorney Ursula Woods, we do that for free for you,
just to check out to see if you are eligible. Now,
filing bankruptcy does cost. However, we will do it for free.
I'm sorry. We will analyze for free, and we definitely
give out the Bell Johnson special, which is give us

(36:06):
a call, you get free consultation on the bankruptcy side
to see if you are eligible. So just give us
a call to find out. Say you may say, ARSLA,
I don't even have enough money to file for bankruptcy.
Well guess what, Memphis Area Legal Services. Memphis Area Legal
Services does offer bankruptcies for free. They tap into the
most reputable attorneys. I would hope that you know, even

(36:29):
some of the ones you see on TV give back
and do some pro bono work. We know that we
do at our firm, so I would encourage you don't
give up. All is non loss. Memphis Eary Legal Services
may be an option. It's just a free legal service
here in Memphis. Or you can always give us a
call at nine zero one five four to one help.
We'll be more than happy to analyze your case to
see if you're eligible for a Chapter seven straight bankruptcy.

Speaker 2 (36:52):
Sounds good?

Speaker 1 (36:53):
Thank you?

Speaker 2 (36:55):
Oh go on, No, I was gonna say, I have
this email for you.

Speaker 1 (36:58):
I love a good email.

Speaker 3 (37:00):
Okay, this is a good email. Ladies, and I was
trying to print you all a copy, but my printer
was messing up. But anyway, so I'll read it slow
so you all will know what's happening.

Speaker 2 (37:10):
Okay, It says I have two dilemmas going on.

Speaker 3 (37:17):
The first is my neighbor's tree limb fell on my
convertible beetle car, which crushed the top of it and
damaged the windshield. The damages are way up there for repairs.
Am I responsible for it?

Speaker 7 (37:35):
Or is she?

Speaker 3 (37:36):
Her son says she is not responsible. That's the first dilemma.

Speaker 2 (37:43):
Okay, do you want me to read it again or
you're good?

Speaker 1 (37:46):
No, I'm good? And then what's the second one?

Speaker 2 (37:49):
The second?

Speaker 3 (37:49):
The second dilemma is I applied for an apartment back
in February this year, but come to find out the
apartment complex was under changing management, which I didn't know.
I paid all the fees, application, administration, deposit fee, no
apartment I did get approved. I am having issues with

(38:13):
getting my money back from this company. I do have
all receipts.

Speaker 2 (38:18):
I believe I will have to go to civil court
on this matter. Is that right? Please help? Thanks missus?

Speaker 1 (38:26):
S Okay?

Speaker 5 (38:27):
Can I see it?

Speaker 1 (38:28):
All right, okay, So the first question is I'm not
sure if the attorney Oh, okay, here, the first is
my neighbor tree limb fell on my convertible beetle car,
which crushed the top of it and damaged a windshield.
The damages are are expensive. Am I responsible? All right?
So it depends, It all depends. So first off, you

(38:50):
need to determine. I'm sorry, do you want to answer
the question, Attorney Johnson?

Speaker 6 (38:55):
She said, her neighbor's tree, that's the key, And I'm
just wondering, was it on her neighbor's property.

Speaker 1 (39:03):
Oh, that's a good that's a great question.

Speaker 2 (39:06):
Or did it crossover onto her property?

Speaker 5 (39:10):
Right?

Speaker 1 (39:11):
That that actually is a good distinction. So let's just
talk just so that we can just talk about both options. So,
when you have a situation in which you have a
neighbor's a neighbor's tree or either a neighbor's tree or
either a neighbor was usually it's a tree, and with
this particular situation, it was in the driveway. Most times

(39:31):
it's in the backyard. The tree, the neighbor's tree will
fall and then it will hit the house. It will
cause damage. So the question is who's liable if the
tree hits your car, or if the tree hits any
of your properties such as your home. Well, it all
depends all right. Number one, it depends on was it
an act of God, meaning that it was a hell

(39:52):
storm I'm sorry, windstorm. In Memphis, we get a lot
of straight line wins. So was it an act of God?
If it was an act of God, then it is
it is your responsibility, meaning the person who has the damage,
to call your insurance company to get that repairs done. So,
if her situation, it was very limited information. We don't
know if it was a storm or not. But let's
just say, for instance, it was. If the storm came,

(40:14):
the storm blew the tree over, it damaged her car,
or it damaged your fence line or a damaged your home,
then it is on you to call your insurance company
to get the damage repaired for the car, or it's
imperative for you to call your homeowner's insurance to get
the repair done on your fence or either on your home. However,
if that tree was a dead tree, a rotting and.

Speaker 2 (40:37):
It was on the neighbor's property, was made.

Speaker 1 (40:41):
Yes, that is correct. It's the neighbor's tree, it's on
the neighbor's property. Of course, if it's your tree on
your property. I'm not trying to be funny, but we
shouldn't even be having this discussion. It's your tree. So
if it's your neighbor's tree and it's on your neighbor's
property because it's their tree, then and only then when
we look at the second scenario. All right, the second
scenario is was that tree what's the word damaged?

Speaker 2 (41:05):
Gut it? Not gut it.

Speaker 6 (41:07):
Remember, we're trying to see if your neighbor was negligent
or not negligent in maintaining that tree. So if it
was rotten or rotting, you know, if if they failed
to properly you know, uh, plant it.

Speaker 2 (41:23):
Let's say it's a new tree. I don't know.

Speaker 6 (41:25):
But it's all about your neighbor having that responsibility to
care for their property in a manner in which it
doesn't you know, damage your property.

Speaker 2 (41:38):
Correct.

Speaker 1 (41:38):
So in this particular scenario, we have a situation where
the owner of a vehicle says that their neighbor's tree
that was on the neighbor's property. Let's assume that that
the neighbor's tree on the neighbor's property fell and hit
the beetle. But let's say, for instance, there was no storm,
no act of God, the tree just fell, okay, And

(41:59):
that particularly situation, then we would have to look at
the tree. Was the tree rotten, did the tree? Was
the tree properly planted or was it already leaning and
it needed to be propped up? Did the landscapers need
to come back out and straighten up that tree. If
there was any negligence on the owner of the tree's behalf,

(42:19):
then you would file a claim against that owner's tree.
I mean that insurance company. And when you filed the
insurance I'm sorry. When you contact your neighbor, of course,
you're just gonna ask them, hey, your tree was rotted out.
You remember we discussed it. You were gonna get that
tree cut down. You did not. Unfortunately, has damaged my property. Therefore,

(42:40):
I need X amount of dollars quantify it. I need
X amount of dollars for the damage it has caused.
If your neighbor declines and says, hey, man, I just
don't have it, I understand, you need to file a
claim with your insurance company. If they refuse, you know,
if you're hurt called Attorney Earth. Give us a call
at nine zero one five for one help. We do
not help with property damage, but we do assist with

(43:02):
bodily injury. So if that tree fell on you, it
caused you emotional distress or pain or something similar where
you had to slip and fall at someone's house, then
that means that you have a personal injury claim. I
had a friend who is a hairstylist and she was
at someone's house and due to the activity at the house,

(43:23):
she damaged her arm, and as a result of damaging
her arm, it was a homeowner's liability that they had
to incur or the damage that was caused at their
home due to the slip and fall because they did
not keep things in good condition for this person or
to have their invitees there and be in good condition,
so she was able to recover. So the bottom line is,

(43:44):
if you have a tree and it's rotten or it
was not playing it properly, please get that tree cut
down or cut it down yourself. If you are licensed
or if you have that skill set, please do because
you could be liable. I was even looking video on
the news when we had our last storm. Was it
an ice storm or windstorm, and I saw the tree.

Speaker 3 (44:07):
Was it?

Speaker 5 (44:08):
What is that?

Speaker 1 (44:11):
Oh my god, that's when we took our pictures. It
was crazy, all right. So yes, when that when that
situation came in Memphis, Tennessee, I saw a video where
now we had strong winds. But the video you should
see the tree. The tree was huge. That tree just
toppled over. And when it toppled over, everybody noticed how

(44:31):
black and rotten that tree was. Right, And so the
tree was huge, and it damaged pole lines and things
like that, but it didn't hit any cars. But the
tree was so big it crossed, it went across the house,
and it was so big that it went across two
lanes of a street into the major street. It didn't
hit anything. But my moral of this story is, you know,

(44:53):
the attorney and me, I looked at that tree like wow,
and I cannot believe, right, my tree was so rotten
and so black. And then I went back to the
beginning of the video where it looked like the tree
was barely standing up, like if you would have leaned
on that tree, that tree would have fallen. So y'all,
don't do that, y'all, you know, get the tree.

Speaker 6 (45:13):
Cut, So that could be so in that scenario that
you just mentioned, Ursula, that would be one of those
that an insurance company would look at on a case
by case basis, because there's an argument that it was
an act of God that caused the tree to fall.
How and you know, if it's an act of God,
then you need to go under your own insurance company

(45:35):
to get the damage repair. However, there's a strong argument
that even with the act of God, I either storm
the tree would have held had they not been negligent,
And so that one is one where it could be
argued either way.

Speaker 1 (45:52):
That is correct. Now the one king men mean, I
cannot think. I can't pronounce this instagram. Now he's asking
what about termites? So what if what if the owner
is the owner's tree, he knew it was termites and
the tree fing same thing.

Speaker 2 (46:09):
Same, nothing changes, nothing changes now those told.

Speaker 1 (46:13):
On complete the I'm sorry, it's the neighbor's far It's
then if the neighbor's tree falls on your house because
the neighbor has termites, the neighbor is responsible for the
damage to your house. That is correct, because the neighbor
is If the neighbor had actual knowledge of the termites

(46:33):
being there. And she's Monika is talking about Costa Rica.
I love Costa Rica, and I love it because of
the rainforests and the really you know, the hiking. I
love to hike. And so with all of that said,
going hiking in Costa Rica, did you see those large
it looked like beehives on the tree? That is, girl,

(46:55):
I'm glad I did not see it, but a large
it looks like a large beehive. Those are terminous and
they are huge in Costa Rica. Because here in America,
we've done several things to try to prevent, you know,
termites from happening, because again, you know, our houses are
made out of wood at the foundation level, or shall

(47:16):
I say, at the beam level. But with that said,
we've done a great job of getting rid of termites. However,
if a tree had termites, a seller had actual knowledge
that tree fell on that green beetle, then guess what, bam,
that is that owner's fault because they did not get
those termites treated. All right, Attorney Johnson, you want to
I'm sorry, Bevy, No, I need to take a break.

Speaker 2 (47:38):
Oh yes, yeah, yees yeah, I see y'all working today,
y'all working. We're gonna take a break.

Speaker 3 (47:43):
The attorneys are in the house, Attorney Ursula Woods, Attorney
Monika Johnson, and you can be with them.

Speaker 2 (47:49):
You have a legal question for them.

Speaker 3 (47:51):
Nine zero one five three five, nine three four two
eight hundred five zero three nine three four two eight
three three three five three five nine three four two
will get you in to us.

Speaker 2 (48:05):
You're listening to double d i A The BEV jun Show.

Speaker 8 (48:15):
Got Something to say? Say it next with Tennessee Radio
Hall of Famer Bev Johnson on w d I A.

Speaker 1 (48:54):
BEV Justin Show, Bell Johas, this talkie all away.

Speaker 2 (49:02):
How you go?

Speaker 3 (49:04):
You go? So?

Speaker 2 (49:05):
Getting ready in time to say show.

Speaker 5 (49:12):
Let's go.

Speaker 2 (49:14):
Will make your day.

Speaker 8 (49:18):
By here day to listen to WA today.

Speaker 2 (49:25):
You know it's time for the belt to show the show.

Speaker 7 (49:32):
Let's go.

Speaker 3 (49:33):
We are rocking and rolling on this Thursday, May first,
twenty twenty five.

Speaker 2 (49:39):
Enjoyed this fabulous day to day.

Speaker 3 (49:41):
Attorney Ursula Woods is here, Attorney Monika Johnson is here.
Before we get back to them, don't forget you all
the rocking chair where we rock with the best soul
food in town, best entertainment around and talking about entertainment
Tonight it is stumping Thursdays.

Speaker 2 (49:58):
My brother will be there, John on.

Speaker 3 (50:00):
Disco Hound More is our thump Thumping Thursday. Admission is
free until seven o'clock this evening. He's gonna have the
line tastic let me get that right, the line fantastic
line dancers will it be there, So go there and
learn some new line dancers. Also the celebrity lookalike contests.

(50:24):
You think you look like somebody, well head on over
to the Rocking Tier tonight. You know it's always grown
folks at the Rocking Tier, and it is the first
Thursday in the month of May, so John Disco Hound
will be there. Ebt will be on the ones and
twos at the Rocking Chier of Nothings.

Speaker 2 (50:43):
And you know it's the best place in town for
the best soul food around.

Speaker 3 (50:47):
So give them a call at nine zero one four
two five five to two sixty four nine zero one
four two five five.

Speaker 2 (50:55):
Two sixty four. You can dine in or you can
take out.

Speaker 3 (51:01):
They stopped serving at five o'clock this evening, Yeah, they do,
So get out over there and get your dinner or
your lunch for your soul food. And tonight head on
by with my brother dis go hound John Moore will
be in for thumping Thursdays. Line dancers, celebrity lookalike contests,
good music, drink specials. All going on at my favorite place,

(51:24):
Rocking Chair of Memphis, fifteen forty two, Elvis Presley. Security
security is the best, So you are safe over there.
And when you got to the Rocking Chair of Nymphis,
you know what to say.

Speaker 2 (51:37):
Tell them.

Speaker 3 (51:38):
Bev Johnson sent you to the Rocking Chair of Memphis,
fifteen forty two, Elvis Presley. And we're back with Attorney
Ursula Woods, Attorney Monika Johnson. Lady, before you all continue talking,

(52:03):
this email comes from Jay and he says assistance and
bankrupt He says, what are the guidelines to protect monetary
assets to avoid civil judgment? Even if I have the
assets to cover the judgment? What are the guidelines to

(52:23):
protect monetary assets to avoid civil judgment even if I
have the assets to cover the judgment.

Speaker 1 (52:33):
Now, hey, let me just say this. Let me say
this right here and right with a hard pause. If
you are being sued or currently meaning you already see
you know Kenton versus whoever, Kenton versus the United States
of America. Bev Johnson versus ursula is that as a

(52:55):
hard pause and a hard stop on transferring of asset sets.
If you do that, the judge can come in and
award treble damages in certain situations because you're hiding assets
to avoid the leans going against those assets. And so
if you're found guilty and they see that you've hidden

(53:18):
your assets by transferring those assets into a trust, are
selling them off for a little of nothing to family members,
then that can be a problem. So, no, you cannot
hide your assets from the irs, and neither am I
going to help you with that. You cannot hide your
assets if you're being sued. Neither am I going to

(53:40):
assist you with that. However, Okay, if you want to
plan to place your assets into a trust ahead of
any type of litigation, Attorney Johnson, can you please share
with us.

Speaker 2 (53:53):
It's not just a trust right.

Speaker 6 (53:55):
There are other ways that you can also protect your
end visual assets like your home, your bank account, your retirement.
You want to protect your individual assets from your business dealings,
for example, and so one of the ways that you
can do that is by creating a limited liability company.

(54:20):
It's very advantageous here. It's called an LLC for short,
but it's advantageous because number one, it protects you and
your family, your family home in the event that someone
sues you for falling at a rental property. Okay, and

(54:42):
they are damage I mean they are. They have a
lot of damages and you don't have enough insurance to
cover it. Well, they don't get to come and put
a lien on your personal house because why because you
have an LLC that shields your individual assets from being

(55:02):
recovered on. So that's one way. If if you're planning
ahead of time and you know you're going to have,
you know, people in this rental property, you might want
to put that rental property either in an LLC for
that those liability purposes or and or a trust again

(55:22):
getting that property out of your individual name so as
to protect it from creditors and others. That is definitely
a strategy that we employ, but it does take planning
ahead of time. Again, we we do not do things
and after the fact in an attempt to avoid So

(55:43):
you want to plan ahead of time because they know
about that. I'll give you another example with property. We
have some of our loved ones who have to receive
assistance to be in a long term nursing home or facility,
but they own a home. When they pass away, the

(56:05):
state of Tennessee can put a lean on their home
to recover all the money that they spent at the
nursing home, and they do it after the individual passes.

Speaker 2 (56:17):
So what we do as a strategy, when we.

Speaker 6 (56:21):
Know mom is sick and we know mom owns a house,
we go ahead and put that property in the trust
as soon as we can, because the State of Tennessee
has a five year look back period where they can
see if the asset has been transferred within five years
of that person's death.

Speaker 2 (56:42):
So there's planning that has to occur if you want.

Speaker 1 (56:45):
To protect your assets. Yes, but it has to be
planned right, and I think it's no. It's a very
useful tool, you know. So if you are sitting there,
you're thinking, well, all I have is my house and
I'm fifty years old, Well, now how is the time
to begin even discussing maybe transferring the asset into a
trust or transferring it into another entity in order to

(57:08):
protect your legacy that you're creating for your family members,
you know. And so when even we talk about insurance,
you also have to make sure that the insurance is
in line with the trust and make sure we have
data trust, so their data trust as well. We look
at that. So at the law firm, the Legacy Lawyers Group,
we make sure that we're looking at the totality of
the circumstance to ensure that we can transfer that. With

(57:31):
that said, I want to shout out to a beautiful family.
They are Bev Johnson Listeners. Bev is something about when
my clients come, I feel like they're family, you know,
I feel like their cousins. So when they come into
the office there, they're say, I know you, miss Woods.
You know it's good to put in a face with
the name. Or they'll say, where's Monique? And then the

(57:53):
lady said hello, sister. And then the lady yesterday said
didn't she have a birthday? Like I like that, make
sure it did. And then they said when she going
on vacation, vacation she's back. I said, I'm trying to
get you to come in there, but you I think
that's anyway. We had the door closed or something, but
she just wants to speak. So you know, I love

(58:15):
my It is special like I love my Bev Johnson Listeners.
We also got a second question, a second dilemma on
our email.

Speaker 2 (58:22):
Yeah, and you know what, and as.

Speaker 1 (58:23):
Matter of fact, were rising.

Speaker 3 (58:26):
Yeah, we're rocking and rolling because she just she just
emailed again and let me I guess.

Speaker 2 (58:31):
For the first one.

Speaker 1 (58:31):
She says, attorneys, this was the neighbor's tree on her property.

Speaker 2 (58:36):
No storm.

Speaker 3 (58:38):
This happened last friday. The weather was beautiful, it was wow.
The tree is a very old tree which is growing
over into my yard. We both have state farm insurance.
I spoke to her son because she is an elderly
lady and I didn't want to bother her with her
Her son is saying it was an act of God,
but how it had not stormed or rained. A limb

(59:00):
fell from her tree and caused the damages which my
beetle was.

Speaker 2 (59:04):
Parked on my side, on my side of my property.
I am looking further into this.

Speaker 1 (59:10):
I think she should. I think she should. But a
couple of things though. Number one, we already know that
there was no act of God, so let's eliminate that.
But what we do have to realize there is a
two part i think a three part prung to determining liability,
which one of which is actual knowledge. So sometimes limbs
to just simply fall. It's a tree. Okay, it may

(59:32):
not be as a result of a riding tree or termite.
It could just be the time for that tree limb
to fall. The next thing is how high up was
that limb? Is it even visible to the eye? You understand,
because if it's so high up and I can't see,
then there's no way for me to have actual knowledge.
So all of that has to be determined. So when
they call stay farmed, it'll be stay farmed versus stay farmed.

(59:54):
So definitely go the route of the insurance company. You
do not have to contact an attorney because there was
no physical damage to a person, but instead only property
damage and that can be handled with the insurance company.
By no means do you ever admit fault because you
do not even understand what the law is. So make
sure when you're talking, you're only speaking in facts, meaning

(01:00:16):
the date was, the weather was clear, all things that
are verifiable.

Speaker 6 (01:00:20):
And I'm gonna say, just based on the email that
the neighbor and I know that the neighbor's elderly, but
that doesn't give you an excuse not to take care
of your property.

Speaker 2 (01:00:31):
Unfortunately it was, but but that.

Speaker 6 (01:00:34):
But but the neighbor owned, you know, the elderly person owns, yes,
the house, And so I would venture to say that
the neighbor knew or should have known of the condition
of the tree, just based on her saying that the
tree was growing over into her into.

Speaker 2 (01:00:52):
Their yard, you know. And so that would lead me
to believe that, hey, you're you're not maintaining your your property.

Speaker 6 (01:00:59):
And that's what I asked the question about whose tree
was it, because I've seen situations where that point is
argued because it's on both sides of the property. So
it's very you need to be very clear on you
know whose tree it is and if it was his
growing over to your property. And let's say you complained

(01:01:21):
about it, that's complaining about that's actual knowledge.

Speaker 2 (01:01:24):
But I'm gonna say he knew or should have known that.

Speaker 1 (01:01:27):
So and then here's another piece with that, because this
happened to one of our clients where if you have
a tree and the limbs are growing into your yard,
you can cut those limbs back. You cannot cut down
the entire tree, guys, but you can cut the trees back.
Now I'm gonna give you a warning on this. You

(01:01:47):
have to be neighbors with this person for life. Okay,
So you do not want to go in and just
start cutting down limbs off of your neighbor's tree without
first having a discussion as to whether they don't mind,
or will they do it themselves, because they may want
to shape it up, or maybe you all can go
in together and get the tree cut. But if but

(01:02:09):
if they refuse or you know, just keep ignoring you,
or whatever the case may be, you do have the
right to cut back trees that cut back the limbs
that are on your side of the property. I even
had somebody one time who was upset because they had
the neighbor had a pecan tree, so now the beecuns,
you know, becomes will kill the grass that's underneath. So

(01:02:30):
she was so mad that those pecuns were dropping onto
her land. So I told her to talk to the
neighbor to cut them back.

Speaker 2 (01:02:36):
You do have that right now.

Speaker 1 (01:02:37):
On the flip side, there was a young lady who
they built she before her neighbors had a fence there.
She could see clear across the yard, you know, it
was at her kitchen window, and she was so upset
that they built a fence there and it blocked her view. Well,
they have the right. That's on their land, that's their fence,
and yes, they've just blocked your view. And of course

(01:02:59):
I sisted her with that with some emotional intelligence, but
it wasn't really an issue. You can't demand that somebody
to take down their fence or take down their house
because now it blocks your beautiful view. You have to
now pivot and do something a little bit different. So
thank you for the question. We still have a second dilemma, Bell,
what do you want us to do next?

Speaker 3 (01:03:19):
I have another email for you, and this is from Yolanda.
She says, when you have a loss of income, can
a chapter thirteen be changed to a chapter seven at
that time? If so, does the ten years of your

(01:03:41):
credit start over when the chapter seven is filed? And
by the way, she says, congratulations on being number one.

Speaker 2 (01:03:49):
You're the best. I'm listening and learning that.

Speaker 1 (01:03:53):
That's a great question. Number one Chapter seven bankruptcy in Memphis,
Tennessee as of last week. Excited about that because it
really does show that I care about my people. If
you're currently in a chapter thirteen wage earner, yes you
can convert into a chapter seven bankruptcy. You can convert
into a Chapter seven bankruptcy and it will be on

(01:04:15):
your credit for ten years, not an additional ten years,
but the same ten years that was under that Chapter thirteen.
So yes, if you're eligible for a Chapter seven bankruptcy
and we get you approved, yes, you can convert from
a thirteen to a seven. Please give me a call
and nine zero one five four to one help nine
zero one five four one help. We will convert you

(01:04:38):
from that thirteen to seven if you're eligible. And no,
it's just you know, same standard ten years on the
Chapter thirteen. It doesn't necessarily tack on an additional ten
to twenty and it doesn't start over, you know, because
you'll be filing as of today. I want to talk
about do.

Speaker 6 (01:04:56):
You recommend then if one of or Chapter thirteen clients
their circumstances change, do you recommend that Because she said
that there's a loss of a job and that's why
it makes that makes her eligible.

Speaker 2 (01:05:15):
Lots of income. So I didn't know, you know, six months.

Speaker 6 (01:05:18):
But I'm just saying, because what does it hurt an
individual to at least analyze whether or not they're eligible
because the time isn't going to start over.

Speaker 1 (01:05:30):
Well, That's the reason why I'm trying to encourage all
of our listeners on Beautiful People Radio that you should
give us a call. It now zer a one five
for one help five for one help asks for the
Bell Johnson Special. And let's analyze if you're eligible for
a Chapter seven straight bankruptcy because you don't have to
make those Chapter thirteen wager inner payments when you can

(01:05:51):
become dead free within the next three months. You know
that could freak. Can you imagine?

Speaker 3 (01:05:55):
Now?

Speaker 2 (01:05:55):
What if?

Speaker 6 (01:05:57):
What if I have a Chapter thirteen wage earner with
another attorney, but now I want to transfer. I want
to see if I'm eligible for a seven. Would you
be able to review my case even though I have
an attorney.

Speaker 1 (01:06:14):
From my understanding with the Memphis Bar, not the Memphis Bar,
but the professional responsibility, the border professional responsibility with the
State of Tennessee. From my understanding, analyzing someone who is
being represented under a Chapter thirteen bankruptcy with another attorney
I cannot right because they're currently represented. However, if you're

(01:06:37):
calling me about a new case which will be a
Chapter seven, then yes, I can analyze to see if
I can convert you from that thirteen to the seven
because we're discussing only the new case. Correct, good and
so definitely give me a call again. Nine zero one
five four one help or that here? Ninezer one five

(01:07:00):
three forty two.

Speaker 2 (01:07:02):
Going to our phone lines to talk with you. Thank
you for waiting, Hi caller? Are you their caller?

Speaker 7 (01:07:13):
Can you say?

Speaker 3 (01:07:14):
Oh?

Speaker 2 (01:07:14):
I can hear you now? Hey you comming man?

Speaker 7 (01:07:17):
All right? All right?

Speaker 8 (01:07:18):
Hello attorneys?

Speaker 5 (01:07:20):
Hello?

Speaker 1 (01:07:21):
Are you doing all right?

Speaker 9 (01:07:23):
I'm doing fan. I want to interrupt y'all real quick
if I can, so, please pardon the interruption, And I
want to say, Attorney Johnson, I missed you the last
time y'all was there, and I heard it was your birthday,
and I wanted to say to you that I hope
you had a very nice birthday, and I really apologize
for being late, but I had to call and say

(01:07:43):
that to you.

Speaker 1 (01:07:44):
Oh, thank you.

Speaker 2 (01:07:44):
So that's so sweet. See this is why common man
is my favorite, right right, Thank.

Speaker 1 (01:07:50):
You so much?

Speaker 2 (01:07:51):
That was really nice.

Speaker 7 (01:07:53):
Heard that than your bill?

Speaker 5 (01:07:54):
I heard it?

Speaker 7 (01:07:55):
Yeah right, no, no, no, you heard that than your father? Right,
But yeah, I hope you had a night birthday. And
because you alls showed me a lot of love for man,
and I just had to make my business call in
and I'll let you know that I didn't forgee.

Speaker 2 (01:08:12):
You all right, thank you, thank you coming man. That
was nice. Yeah all right, bye bye bye bye and
a big shout out. I had to do this too.

Speaker 3 (01:08:21):
And Nurse Beverly as they call her around here, Happy birthday,
Nurse Beverly.

Speaker 2 (01:08:25):
I hope you have a fabulous day to day.

Speaker 3 (01:08:28):
And that's coming from all of us here at WDA
and from Angela and Steve Sidney who loved you so
for they say Nurse Beverly was a Beverly Happy birthday, sister.
We're gonna break all come back and talk. If you
all have a question er two. The phone lines are
open nine zero one, five three five, nine three four

(01:08:50):
two eight hundred five zero three nine three four two
eight three three five three five nine three four two will.

Speaker 2 (01:08:59):
Get you to us. You're listening to the legendary w
d i A The Bev joss Show.

Speaker 8 (01:09:19):
Whether you're in Arkansas, Tennessee, or Mississippi on Facebook, Twitter,
or Instagram. Thank you for listening to the Bev Johnson Show.
On do w d i A Memphis. You're listening to

(01:10:11):
the Bev Johnson Show. Here's Bev Johnson.

Speaker 3 (01:10:15):
And we're going to our phone lines and talk to
little daddy. Hi, little daddy, what to do?

Speaker 5 (01:10:21):
Broll you love Bell?

Speaker 2 (01:10:23):
I'm good, I'm good. How about you, little daddy?

Speaker 5 (01:10:26):
Beb I'm staying in my line and bent toe downs
all day ed day. Get what Bell? What?

Speaker 2 (01:10:32):
Little daddy?

Speaker 5 (01:10:34):
Hey? That young lady Joe when with her birthday? What
your uh my.

Speaker 2 (01:10:39):
Guess, Attorney Monika.

Speaker 6 (01:10:41):
My birthday was April twenty fourth. April twenty fourth, you're
not too late.

Speaker 2 (01:10:48):
If you want to buy me a cat.

Speaker 5 (01:10:51):
Yeah, I'm gonna put you in my black cabinet. I
got all people, real people in my cabinet. And this
isn't ready your la and you won't run. You won't
be the general of everything. You run things up in
my blackou cabinet. I want to say a happy birthday
to you. Over let them hate us and dooms get

(01:11:12):
on your nerves. Bill, Let me get her a couple
of shots out.

Speaker 2 (01:11:15):
You know, I'm in town, okay, let me.

Speaker 5 (01:11:18):
I was downtown and I said my favorite words. You
know what my favorite word is? I think you do Bill,
it's a little honey. She was walking down downtown on
Man Street. She was here looking at her looking at me,
and then I said my favorite word, you show looking

(01:11:38):
tight and right, and she bill out laughing, and uh,
get what she told me?

Speaker 2 (01:11:44):
Bill? What did she tell you, little daddy?

Speaker 5 (01:11:47):
She told me she was my biggest fan. She listened
to all shows. And I got treated the things I've
been knowing that but thing it is. She told me
she was my number one fare fan and she listened
to me all day ed day when I come on
the airthways, because I've been doing the airway forever. So okay,

(01:12:10):
I had made my newest first lady in my black
House nine and George and she got a friend that
listened to them, and I put her in the black
House cabinet too. But got the simple fact I don't
roll with no hazels and no goon and bell. That's
who I made. The three suits, one another three studs.

Speaker 2 (01:12:29):
Who is that? Uh that dude?

Speaker 5 (01:12:36):
I forgot it now. I tried to uh he be,
he can't he be with the compunction. He was talking
crazy boots.

Speaker 2 (01:12:44):
I got your boots, boots put.

Speaker 5 (01:12:47):
I put he's gonna be. Uh, he's gonna be Curler
the ball head.

Speaker 4 (01:12:52):
One jump like we have a good and you look, daddy,
get on your nerve and I got what most yet
happen my twinions, bad lewis a little dad be up.

Speaker 5 (01:13:04):
That is what it is.

Speaker 2 (01:13:05):
Uh huh and uh huh.

Speaker 5 (01:13:08):
You just called it her way with that hankers your take,
gross stuff. You going in that sink old way.

Speaker 2 (01:13:14):
I have a good day you too, little daddy.

Speaker 3 (01:13:17):
Bye bye, ladies. Here is another email for you. It
says attorneys that my question is should I file bankruptcy?
My total debt is about thirty seven thousand dollars? Thirty
seven thousand, Yeah, thirty seven hundred. He may say thirty

(01:13:38):
seven hundred. I just stopped paying my credit card after
I fell into depression about five years ago.

Speaker 2 (01:13:44):
I'm a retired veteran.

Speaker 3 (01:13:46):
I moved back to Memphis in twenty seventeen after moving
from Saint Louis. Bad mistake. All my monthly income is
in government, Thank you so much. Should he file bankruptcy?
My total debt? I think he's thirty seven hundred dollars?

Speaker 5 (01:14:01):
All right?

Speaker 1 (01:14:01):
And then did he say that he stopped making payments
five years ago?

Speaker 3 (01:14:06):
Yeah, he said, I just stop. I just stopped paying
my credit card. He didn't say and I fell into
depression about five years old.

Speaker 1 (01:14:15):
Oh oh, I see. Okay, First off, I'm sorry about
the fact that you're in depression. Let's deal with a
little something first. So when you are in a situation
in which you're now dealing with depression and you're sad,
and you're trying to figure out up from down, and
you have income that's coming in but you have too
many bills, this is the time for you to start

(01:14:35):
reaching out.

Speaker 2 (01:14:36):
Okay.

Speaker 1 (01:14:37):
One thing that the devil will do is try and
isolate you and tell you that you don't need anybody
or everybody's out to get you. Do not listen to
those voices. Now is the time to pull yourself up
and out. So I commend you for writing this email.
I also encourage you to get outside. You know, even
if you're just sitting outside and let that son hit

(01:14:59):
your face. You know, we need to thank God for
the breath that we breathed, because if we did not
have the breath that we breathed for sixty seconds, we
would no longer be here. So when you take that
right hand and place it on your chest and you
feel that beat, that means that you are still living
and you have a purpose. So I want you to
move forward in that and lean into where you find

(01:15:21):
your joy, where you find your happiness. Stop looking at
them same four walls that you've been looking at for
the last five years. You are not a tree, meaning
that you can get up, get out and move on
and get something as as the song say, So, you
are not a tree. You are not planted. If you
want to go back to Saint Louis, reassess your situation

(01:15:43):
and go back to Saint Louis if it's physically and
financially fiscally possible. Okay, Now, to answer the question, whether
you have thirty seven hundred dollars or thirty seven thousand
dollars in debt, bankruptcy is an option if the debt
is too much. However, you did tell me that your
income is all government. The reason why that's imperative and

(01:16:04):
what he's sharing is is because when it comes to
debt collectors, they are not allowed to garnish your paycheck
or don't garnish your bank account. If your income or
if the funds that you receive are government assistance disabilities
so security retirement pension from I don't know if it's
considered pitching but if you were in an army, you
know government programs that you have because he was a

(01:16:26):
veteran and thank you for your service, then there are
certain income from the government that cannot be attached. So no,
I would not suggest bankruptcy in that situation because they
can't attach your money. But it depends upon what you desire.
You may say, well, I know that they can't attach
my bank account and get the money. However, I just
don't want to build collectors calling. Well, you can always

(01:16:48):
send a letter and try and get them to stop.
Change your number. But if you want us to analyze
whether bankruptcy is a great fit, I'm not sure. I
don't know if it's thirty seven hundred or thirty seven thousand.
I'm not sure when you made your life payment. Neither
am I share where you are emotionally whether it is
feasible for you two file, But allow us to analyze it.

(01:17:08):
So give me a call at nine zero one five
for one help. I will tell you is bankruptcy is
an option. Bankruptcy will eliminate not only thirty seven hundred,
but thirty seven thousand dollars in debt. There's no cap
on how much debt we can eliminate. So just give
us a call at nine zero one five for one help.
And then, last but not least, if anyone else is
listening in your own government assistant and they are garnishing

(01:17:31):
your paycheck, you need to stop that immediately. Let them
know that the income that you have is coming from
disability or social security. Therefore they are not allowed to
take those funds.

Speaker 2 (01:17:43):
Very good, Thank you.

Speaker 3 (01:17:44):
You wanted to tell us, Attorney Earth flu something you
said very important.

Speaker 1 (01:17:48):
Yeah, so this is very important. First off, to the
person who sent us an email about the second dilemma,
we are going to we are going to address that.
But I want to talk about something very serious. If
you have a homeowner association right. If you have a
home owner association also called an HOA right, that means
that you pay a monthly or an annual fee to

(01:18:12):
an entity in order to cover your HOA dues. Right,
and those particular dues, as you know, go to take
care of the upkeep and the maintenance of your particular subdivision.
All right, Now, safer are either the condo or a
townhouse or something similar. So say, for instance, if you say, well,

(01:18:33):
I don't like the way that they are keeping up
this particular neighborhood, or I'm not happy with the work
that they're doing, and so what do most people think
that their solution is, oh, well, forget this, I'm just
not gonna pay at all, right, And then you say, well,
I don't have to pay because they aren't keeping it up.
That is not the solution. That is not the solution.

(01:18:57):
Not pain, not pain is not the solution. And it's
not like I'm just out here saying, Okay, well, I
want to be best friends with the HOA company. But
what I am saying is if you have if you have,
if you have an HOA, a homeowner association, and if
you are not happy with the way in which that
HOA is running things, then there's one thing that you

(01:19:18):
need to be conscious of, and that is you need
to join that board. You need to become active in
attend all meetings. You need to become one of the
people who are speaking up and out about the issues
in that particular subdivision or condominium area because you are
not pleased with the way in which the HOA is
handling their business. So that's number one. Join the board,

(01:19:40):
become an active member, attend the meetings right the second thing.
If you have an HOA. The second thing, you need
to make sure that you pay your dues. If you're
unhappy with them, join the board. If you need to
make change, join the board. If you want something done
differently a T and the meetings, join the board. But

(01:20:01):
by no means should you stop paying your HOA fees because,
and here's the whole reason where I'm going with this,
your homeowner association can foreclose on your home. Let me
repeat your HOA. Your homeowner association can foreclose on your home. Right,

(01:20:23):
So with that said, what do you do? Join the board,
become an active member, give suggestions, make sure you pay
your HOA dues. But by no means do I want
you to take matters into your own hand and stop
paying that HOA Because the HOA, the homeowner association can
foreclose on your condos. All right? I have several clients

(01:20:45):
in the Cambridge Station and Alden a condominium area in
which their houses are being foreclosed upon. All right, And
I know you may sit back and you may say,
well it's not fair, I can't afford it. Well, then
you now the time for you to consider calling the
property management company making out a payment arrangement, or you

(01:21:06):
may consider having to move because you can no longer
afford the HOA payments. Right they're between one forty five
and one seventy five a month. But these HOA companies
also cannot function if you're not paying your bill. Because
your water is included in your HOA, that's one of
the services that they provide. If you and your fifteen

(01:21:29):
neighbors are not making those payments on a monthly basis,
that means that they cannot keep up insurance. They can't
keep the property clean, they can't keep the trees trimmed,
they can't make sure that your environment is welcoming, you know,
like they want to have you know, park day, they
want to open up the tennis course, the swimming pools.
None of that is possible if you aren't paying your

(01:21:50):
HOA dues. So I encourage you. If you're in Cambridge
Station Alden condominium, you need to start calling them and
make arrangements to make your payments for your HOA. And
if you've gotten too far behind and they're not working
with you, bankruptcy is an option. Call us at nine
zero one five four one help. That's nine zero one
five four one four three five seven. But your first

(01:22:13):
line of defense with those hoas is to call your
HOA management company and see if you can work out
a repayment plan. Get it in writing. Make sure that
that agreement is in writing, because what someone shared with
you verbally may be completely different from what they remember
or what actually unfolds. Not saying that they would intentionally

(01:22:33):
be nefarious in their actions, but to make sure that
you're clear and that they are clear as to the agreement.
Get it in writing. But I want to encourage everyone
that's listening to me, regardless of the subdivision or the
condo association that you live in, make sure that you
make those HOA dues because your HOA, your homeowner association
company can foreclose on you and you can lose at home. Last,

(01:22:57):
but certainly not least, the question is, well, I have
a more how can they foreclose that HOA company will
take over that mortgage, get that house listen and sold
and put someone else in it that will pay their
HOA dues. Okay, So protect yourself, protect the legacy that
you've created by making sure that you make the payments,
Join the board, attend the meetings, be a part of

(01:23:19):
the change. But by no means so I want you
to ignore their notices and ignore paying your dues. Pay
your HOA dues so you can stay in that home.

Speaker 3 (01:23:28):
So with that, do you have to join the HOA
if you're bought a house in that community, you.

Speaker 5 (01:23:37):
Have to do that?

Speaker 1 (01:23:38):
Now, that is a great question. Some HOA homeowner associations
they are voluntary, which means that those people cannot only
not foreclose on your home, but also it's up to
you as to whether you want to join or not.
In these particular communities Cambridge and Alden, it is a
mandatory HOA. It is a mandatory HOA. Therefore they are

(01:24:00):
required to pay their homeowner Association dues, make sure that
they keep their fees active and current. But no, they
are not required to join the board. They're not required
to be an active member. But I would encourage you
to at least attend the meetings, answer the letters and notices,
give your input, especially if you have opinions about the

(01:24:20):
way things are being handled, or you have ideas for improvement,
or sometimes if you just want to tell the board, hey,
you're doing a great job, thanks for keeping up the property.
Because who doesn't want a brand of applause for doing
a good job. So if it's mandatory, you will know.
You can go to the bylaws or either you can
ask the president or some of the members. But by
all means, if it's mandatory, make those famous as voluntary.

(01:24:42):
It's up to you if you want to beautify the
neighborhood or let them have it.

Speaker 3 (01:24:46):
So then another thing is attorney ursler. When you're thinking
about buying a home, think about that if tho in
that area, the home has an ho a hum, that's
their neighborhood.

Speaker 1 (01:24:57):
Yeah, whether that particular subdivision or whether the condos have
a required HOA, how much are the hoa dus on
that particular property, and whether it fits in your budget
is all integral questions that you must ask yourself. So
for example, you may say to yourself, I'm sorry. The
bank may say to you you can afford a property

(01:25:19):
that is one third of your income. Okay, But I
want to pause there, because only you know that you
have a habit right, Only you know that you go
to the casino every week. Only you, Like, I had
somebody who told me that they excuse me, I'm sorry.
I had someone who said that they send they they

(01:25:39):
dropped their spouse off at the at the casino, and
I said, well, what time are you going to pick
her up? He said, when she run out of money. Okay,
So if you know that that's your rule, that you
stay inside of that casino until you run out of money,
you should not be in a subdivision that has HOA
because you know you'll spend your last dollar on the casino.

(01:26:03):
So only you know that you have to help your
mom out with three hundred dollars a month, and Mama
is not going to want to stop you from helping
her just because you want to get a new house
with an HOA. So you have to think about your budget.
I love to travel, therefore, okay, I love to travel,
and so when I travel, I know that I can

(01:26:24):
make sure that my what do you call it? I
make sure that my budget is in line that allows
me to travel because traveling actually helps me on a
daily basis. So just be conscious of your budget.

Speaker 3 (01:26:36):
Okay, Yep, that was good information. Any other information that
I know you want to give us to be cautious.

Speaker 1 (01:26:43):
Of, yes, I want to say one thing, and then
that is I want to answer this question about the
second dilemma that we have so on this second dilemma,
what they are What she is asking is she's applied
for in a part in February, she was approved, but
they did not give her the apartment. So she's saying,

(01:27:05):
what should she do? The first thing that I would
do is contact that parent company of that apartment complex
to find out I would find out what I would
call that h I'm sorry. I would call the apartment complex,
find out who the parent company is, and report that
you never got the apartment and neither did you get
a refund on your deposit. And so then if they

(01:27:27):
if there's nowhere to go from there, then a lawsuit
may get filed. Then you may want to go to
small claims court to file it yourself, because you have
all of the receipts, you have the application, you have
the approval, but you didn't get the apartment. So that's
a slam done case in my opinion. If you want
to call a litigator, you can call the Memphis Bar Association.
They can give you referrals. We do litigate, but we'd

(01:27:48):
litigate for personal injury and Attorney Johnson litigates to settle
property line disputes, you know, quiet title. But these type
of matters aren't handled by US, so but I think
that they have a good case since they all of
the receipts.

Speaker 2 (01:28:01):
Good good, good good information.

Speaker 1 (01:28:03):
Yep, it was a great day today. Everybody, Thank you,
you are so welcome. And a last word you'd like
to say last words if you need a wheel estate planning,
a trust, if you are in a Chapter thirteen bankruptcy
and want to convert into a Chapter seven, or if
you just simply want to see if you're eligible for

(01:28:23):
a Chapter seven bankruptcy, give us a call nine zero
one five four one help. That's nine zero one five
four to one four three five seven. I'm attorney Ursul Woods.
We have Attorney Monika Johnson. We have a team of
over twelve people. Give us a call so that we
can better serve you, and don't forget to ask for
the BEV Johnson special sounds good.

Speaker 3 (01:28:45):
You ladies were good today. Thank you Attorney Monika Johnson
and Attorney.

Speaker 2 (01:28:50):
Ursel the Woods. Thank you all for being here.

Speaker 1 (01:28:52):
It's always can't wait till the next time, can't wait
ti the next time. As always, I want to thank
you callers. I want to thank you listeners for joining
us this day. On The BEB Johnson Show. We do,
We really do appreciate you, so until tomorrow, please be safe,

(01:29:17):
keep a cool head, y'all, don't let anyone steal your joy.
Until tomorrow, I'm Beb Johnson, and y'all keep the faith.

Speaker 9 (01:29:33):
The views and opinions discussed on The BEV Johnson Show
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