Since 2012, ten states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for adult recreational use.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit — which covers federal courts in North Carolina — recently handed a big victory to lenders whose borrowers file for bankruptcy protection.

Recently, we discussed In re CHL, a case involving a real estate developer in Chapter 11.

In a Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the debtor attempts to reorganize its affairs in a Chapter 11 Plan.

Recently, the North Carolina Court of Appeals issued an opinion addressing whether a conflict of interest exists when a trustee under a deed of trust initiates a foreclosure proceeding and later represents the lender in that same foreclosure proceeding.

As all creditors know, you must file a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code ("UCC"), called a "UCC-1," with the North Carolina Secretary of State to perfect a security interest in personal property (and with the county Register of Deeds if the property might become a real estate fixture).  The UCC-1 puts the world on notice of your security interest and establishes your place in line with respect to rights in the collateral.  But you must prepare and maintain