Stop The Stress Joseph L. Grima & Associates Can Help Relieve Your Financial Stress

With over 30 years of experience, we are determined and qualified to help resolve your case and pave the way to a better financial future.

St. Clair Shores Bankruptcy Lawyer 

Also Serving Macomb, Wayne, St. Clair & Sanilac Counties

Little can be more stressful than debt overload. When you cannot make ends meet, when creditors and collection agencies are hounding you, when your sanity and health suffer from worry, sleepless nights, and constant distress, you need help. That help should come from a legal professional who understands what you are going through, who does not pass judgment, and who has the tools and ability to give you the financial relief you need. 

Thousands of people go through bankruptcy every year due to various reasons. At Joseph L. Grima & Associates P.C., we have represented many of them in and around St. Clair Shores. 

Our firm has been serving clients in bankruptcy and debt relief options since 1991. Our founding attorney, Joseph Grima, has practiced bankruptcy law exclusively throughout those decades. We have successfully handled over 10,000 consumer bankruptcy cases. Despite our high volume, we are not a “bankruptcy mill.” Our missions is not just to clear your debts but to put you in financial control once your bankruptcy case ends. 


Want to discuss your financial situation with our trusted attorney? Contact us online or call us at (313) 385-4076 for a free consultation. 


30 Years of Bankruptcy Experience

At our firm, you can work with a highly-experienced St. Clair Shores bankruptcy attorney and team. Our team includes staff who previously worked at the Bankruptcy Trustee’s office before joining us. Due to our diligent and successful case handling over the past decades, we have built a stellar reputation with the bankruptcy court. In fact, many of our referrals come from judges. We only take cases that we believe will succeed and then engage in thorough preparation and representation in court. Joseph L. Grima & Associates P.C. brings honesty, integrity, and commitment to every client. 

Why Choose Us?

  • Responsive

    We are here to support you throughout your case and are always available to answer any questions.

  • Trustworthy

    We are committed to doing good work and are dedicated to achieving the best possible outcome for our clients.

  • Experienced

    Attorney Joseph L. Grima has been exclusively practicing bankruptcy for 30 years.

We Make Your Bankruptcy Case Easy 

When you are in need of debt relief help, we understand that your finances may be under water. Financing a legal matter will likely seem impossible. That is why we provide free consultations to start. In that consultation, you can go over the details of your specific case with our attorney to determine if bankruptcy is the right option for you. We will answer your questions, educate you on the process, and give you a realistic assessment of what to expect. 

Should you decide to move forward with a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 filing, we provide convenient payment plans:

  • Chapter 7 : $500 to start with 60 days to pay the second $500.
  • Chapter 13 : $0 down with payments paid through your Chapter 13 bankruptcy payment plan supervised by the court.

No matter how you got into the financial situation you are, whether through no fault of your own or poor financial planning, the longer you wait to get the information and help you need, the worse it will likely get. Now is the time to take control, relieve the stress, and take action by contacting us today. 

  • Chapter 13 Bankruptcy in Clinton Township, MI

    Debtors were facing foreclosure on their home and had tax liabilities of over $15,000. Debtors filed bankruptcy and stopped the foreclosure on their home and stopped the taxing authorities from levying their wages. Debtors cured the arrearages on their mortgage through the bankruptcy. Debtors were able to reduce the tax debt which had to be paid to less than $10,000. This tax liability was then paid off through their bankruptcy. Debtors' credit card and medical debts of over $49,000 were wiped out.

  • Chapter 13 Bankruptcy in Saint Clair Shores, MI

    Debtors had 2 mortgages on their home and were delinquent on both mortgages. Debtors filed for bankruptcy and stopped the foreclosure on their home. Debtors were able to cure the arrearages on the first mortgage through the bankruptcy. Debtors were able to “strip” the second mortgage which was then wiped out when Debtors received their discharge.

  • Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in Saint Clair Shores, MI

    Debtor filed for bankruptcy when a creditor had brought an action to garnish her wages. The bankruptcy stopped the garnishment and the debtor was discharged.

  • Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in Harrison Township, MI

    Our chapter 7 bankruptcy attorney handled a bankruptcy case for a client who was over $100,000 in debt. We were able to help our client keep his vehicle despite having to file for bankruptcy. In addition, we were able to help him discharge over $100,000 worth of debt.

  • Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in Clinton Township, MI

    Debtor is a single mother who had over $45,000 worth of medical bills and credit card debt. When Debtor lost her employment, Debtor was unable to pay her debts. Numerous collection agencies began contacting her to collect on the debts. Debtor filed for bankruptcy which stopped the collection agencies from contacting her. Debtor was able to discharge all of the medical bills and credit card debt.

  • Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in Casco, MI

    In another chapter 7 bankruptcy case the debtor had a house and was afraid that he might lose it in the bankruptcy process. However, our bankruptcy attorney was able to help the client keep his house and wipe out over $33,000 in debt over time.

  • Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Filed in Roseville, MI

    Our Grosse Pointe Farms bankruptcy attorney represented an individual that was facing chapter 7 bankruptcy. In this particular chapter 7 bankruptcy case our bankruptcy attorney was able to stop judgement before the client could be garnished and discharged over $34,000 in debt.

  • Chapter 13 Bankruptcy in Detroit, MI

    Our bankruptcy attorney filed a chapter 13 bankruptcy case where the debtors were delinquent on the mortgage on their personal residence. Our experienced bankruptcy attorney was able to help the client keep his home despite the bankruptcy filing.

  • Chapter 13 Bankruptcy in Detroit, MI

    Our Michigan chapter 13 bankruptcy attorney helped a client navigate a tricky chapter 13 bankruptcy case. In this particular case the client had over $23,000 in IRS debt and $3,600 in debt to the state of Michigan. Our chapter 13 bankruptcy attorney was able to get both reduced and wipe out the rest of the tax debt.

  • Chapter 13 Bankruptcy in Clinton Township, MI

    Debtors had accumulated numerous medical bills. Debtors fell behind on their payments on the vehicle due to the medical expenses and the vehicle that was repossessed. Debtors filed bankruptcy and were able to get the vehicle back. Debtors paid off the vehicle and the medical bills through their bankruptcy.

    Contact Our Firm Today!

    Send us your contact details in the form below to arrange for your complimentary consultation. One of our friendly staff will respond promptly. 

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    • What is Bankruptcy?
      A:

      Bankruptcy is a legal right provided under the U.S. Constitution that allows individuals who cannot repay their debts to either

      • reorganize their debts by lowering monthly payments and/or reducing amounts owed or
      • eliminate their debts.
    • What Types of Bankruptcies are There?
      A:

      There are four (4) types of bankruptcies, each of which is called a “Chapter”:

      • Chapter 7 bankruptcies allow debtors to get rid of all or almost all debts. “Almost” because certain types of debts like child support and alimony are never discharged. Others, like student loans can be discharged, but only in unique instances where debtors can show that it would be an “undue hardship” to repay.
      • Chapter 11 Bankruptcies are corporate reorganizations, filed by such entities as K-Mart Corp. or Northwest Airlines. Although there are unique cases where individual debtors can file Chapter 11, this type of bankruptcy is usually filed by businesses.
      • Chapter 12 Bankruptcies are filed by farmers and fishermen.
      • Chapter 13 Bankruptcies are personal reorganizations. Debtors take the difference between what they “net” per month out of their paychecks and what their average monthly living expenses are and contribute the difference into a “Plan” that can last up to five (5) years. The length of the Plan is determined by the debtor’s annual household income. At the end of the Plan, what is paid is paid and what is not paid is, with certain exceptions, eliminated (discharged).
    • What “Chapter” Should I File?
      A:

      In order to qualify for Chapter 7, you must prove that you are unable (as opposed to being unwilling) to repay your debts. In other word, you do not have enough money left over at the end of the month to meet reasonable and necessary living expenses and at the same time repay your debts.

      In addition, you may qualify for Chapter 7 in the respect that you do not have enough money to be able to both live and repay your debts, but elect not to file Chapter 7 because you may then lose assets to your creditors. Under Chapter 7 you are only able to protect certain assets needed for a fresh start. For example, an individual filing alone can protect up to $25,150 of equity in real estate. If, however, said individual has more than $25,150 of equity, then the bankruptcy trustee can take the house, sell it, pay off any money owed on it, give the debtor a check for $25,150 and the rest goes to creditors.

      In such an example, the debtor may not want to file for Chapter 7, even though he qualifies.

      Chapter 13’s are filed by debtors for any number of reasons:

      • a debtor may make too much to qualify for Chapter 7, but at the same time cannot afford to repay his debts in full. So the debtor would file a Chapter 13 Plan, pay back what he can afford to pay over a Plan that can last up to 60 months, and eliminate what is not paid;
      • a debtor may have fallen behind in mortgage or car payments. His financial situation has now improved to the extent that he can make his current monthly payments but cannot catch up on arrearages in a “lump sum” typically required by creditors. Chapter 13 allows the debtor to catch up on these arrearages over time.