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Vicki Dempsey: CHANGING THE LAW

Aug 13, 2015

Attorney Vicki Dempsey saw an injustice in Missouri law and has been successful in getting it changed.  Dempsey has practiced bankruptcy law for 28 years and has represented thousands of people in Chapter 7 and 13 cases.  In 2011 she filed a case for a couple in Missouri who had substantial medical bills.  Sadly, a few months after the case was filed, the husband died of cancer.  He had a $15,000 life insurance policy and the wife wanted to use some of that for funeral costs.

Unfortunately Missouri was the only state of 50 that did not protect some, if not all, of these matured life insurance proceeds.  Federal bankruptcy law has a rule that any inheritance or life insurance arising from a death within six months from the date the bankruptcy was filed becomes an asset upon which the court will administer.  Dempsey filed a request for her client to use $7000 of the $15,000 to cremate her husband, but the court ruled in April of 2012 that all the life insurance must be turned over to the Trustee.  As a result of this decision, Dempsey determined to change the law.

She drafted an amendment to the Missouri law on bankruptcy exemptions.  She approached the Commercial Law Committee of the Missouri Bar in the fall of 2012.  She agreed to chair a sub-committee comprised of trustees, creditor attorneys and debtor attorneys.  After a number of meetings, she hammered out language that was unanimously agreed upon by the sub-committee.  Dempsey traveled to Columbia to get unanimous approval of the full committee in 2013, then on to Kansas City for the approval from the Missouri Bar Association Board of Governors in 2014.

She testified before the state senate in Jefferson City in the spring of 2015 and Bill 164 was passed on July 10, 2015.   Governor Nixon signed the bill which allows debtors to use up to $15,000 for the funeral and burial costs of a spouse, child or parent who dies in that six month window.

Persistence paid off.  This is just another example of how the attorneys at Dempsey & Dempsey fight for the rights of sick and poor people.  We are all proud of Vicki Dempsey!  

Doctor’s Letters

22 Sep, 2023
It is rather common for a client to come in with a letter from their health care provider. Frequently these people have filed their own applications for Social Security benefits and submitted this letter with their application. They are bewildered and crestfallen when they are turned down by the Social Security Administration. If they haven’t […] The post Doctor’s Letters appeared first on Dempsey, Dempsey & Hilts P.C..

Social Security Disability Expose in the Washington Post

26 Jul, 2023
The dismal performance of the Social Security Administration in processing and paying Social Security Disability and SSI claims continues to generate interest in the national media. Lisa Rein, a reporter for the Washington Post, has done a great series of articles about the SSA and has shed light on a system in chaos. She writes […] The post Social Security Disability Expose in the Washington Post appeared first on Dempsey, Dempsey & Hilts P.C..

Disability Newsletter – Winter 2023

06 Mar, 2023
We Got an Award! Dempsey, Dempsey and Hilts received an award from the group, Social Security Disability Leadership. We were recognized as one of the top 500 firms in the nation. In fact, according to the Social Security Administration, we are 305th in the nation for 2022 in number of Social Security Disability and SSI […] The post Disability Newsletter – Winter 2023 appeared first on Dempsey, Dempsey & Hilts P.C..

Disability Newsletter – Summer 2022

30 Aug, 2022
Social Security Hearings – Still on the Phone!  We are continuing to have Social Security Disability and SSI hearings on the speakerphone. Terrell and Vicki Dempsey attended the National Organization of Social Security Claimant Representatives conference in Austin, Texas in May. Dr. Kilolo Kijakazi, the Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, told the conference […] The post Disability Newsletter – Summer 2022 appeared first on Dempsey, Dempsey & Hilts P.C..

Disability Newsletter – Winter 2022

10 Jan, 2022
Good News on the Appellate Front – A significant change has occurred with a new administration. We are seeing a significant number of the U.S. Attorneys agreeing to remand cases we appeal to the U.S. Federal District Court!  The post Disability Newsletter – Winter 2022 appeared first on Dempsey, Dempsey & Hilts P.C..

Disability Newsletter – Summer 2021

23 Aug, 2021
The Social Security Administration is continuing to conduct our Social Security Disability and SSI hearings by phone. The administration has been offering to have online hearings through Microsoft Teams, however, the vast majority of our clients do not have sufficient access to computers or high-speed internet to use this option…  The post Disability Newsletter – Summer 2021 appeared first on Dempsey, Dempsey & Hilts P.C..

Disability Newsletter – Winter 2021

08 Jan, 2021
We are proud to announce that Courtney Hilts, Esquire is now a partner as you can see from the name at the top of this letter. Mrs. Hilts, formally Shelley, grew up in rural Colchester, Illinois. She is a 2007 graduate of West Prairie High School. She graduated from the University of Illinois, Springfield in May […] The post Disability Newsletter – Winter 2021 appeared first on Dempsey, Dempsey & Hilts P.C..

Disability Newsletter – Summer 2020

27 Jul, 2020
Covid! Covid! Covid! Just like everyone else in the United States, the Social Security Administration and our office is struggling to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic. The Social Security Administration sent everyone home. We kept our offices open with facemask/social distancing requirements. Thankfully, none of us have been infected by the virus. Like most of our friends […] The post Disability Newsletter – Summer 2020 appeared first on Dempsey, Dempsey & Hilts P.C..

What the HEROES Act Could Mean for Bankruptcy

20 May, 2020
The following is an update from the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys: As a majority continue to follow stay at home orders due to the COVID-19 crisis, NACBA’s Legislative Committee with support from NACBA’s Board of Directors have been working nonstop with House and Senate staff to ensure significant bankruptcy provisions were included in […] The post What the HEROES Act Could Mean for Bankruptcy appeared first on Dempsey, Dempsey & Hilts P.C..

Let’s Make Sure The COVID-19 Response Doesn’t Threaten Social Security

30 Apr, 2020
Written by Nancy Altman: The CARES Act was intended to provide emergency payments as quickly as possible. Yet over a month after the bill became law, those emergency payments are not yet all out the door. Even for those who’ve received them, $1200 emergency payments for eligible adults and $500 emergency payments for each eligible dependent child […] The post Let’s Make Sure The COVID-19 Response Doesn’t Threaten Social Security appeared first on Dempsey, Dempsey & Hilts P.C..
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