Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in New York
does a public notice in the classifieds help with creditors?
My attorney told me to put a public notice in the classifieds reading:
I shall not be responsible for any debts contracted for by anyone other than myself. My Name.
When I called the newspaper, they said they'll run it, but that it's useless and is ''never'' held up in court.
Is it worth doing this?
I don't have any creditor problems now, but I have a wife I'll be divorcing within the year, and she's been running up credit card bills in her name only.
Thank you.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: does a public notice in the classifieds help with creditors?
This can't hurt. But it might be a little better to write to her credit card companies with this information.
A better way to start is by making extremely detailed records of all of your expenditures - food and gas down to the dollar- and perhaps establishing a separate residence.
If I might explain, the idea is that the credit card companies and your wife will claim these are debts incurred for the benefit of both of you. And that the credit cards are 'marital debt' rather than personal to her.
You need to establish that she is spending money on herself. Records of what she is spending the money on will be helpful.
The ad in the paper is nice, but totally without merit. it is from a different time, when people ran a bill or tab at the butcher or dry-goods store. In 2005, this is not how the world works and the ads won't hurt or help.
You are welcome to a consultation for no fee. I would be happy to tell you how to protect yourself from her debts more effectively.
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