Bringing Relevance Back to Consumer Bankruptcy

This Paper was presented at the Seventeenth Annual Emory Bankruptcy Developments Journal Symposium in February of 2020. Less than a month later, all or most travel had ceased and many of us began the process of social distancing and restructuring our lives in the face of the coronavirus. No one could have predicted this event and its effects on the world are both profound and unknown. The virus has uncovered or at least highlighted vast inequalities in our entire economic system, including consumer credit systems.

While some of us lament not being able to see our friends or teach live classes, others wonder when they will see their next paycheck, how they will pay the rent, or feed their families.