The Casey Anthony case and trial captured the nation's attention for months in 2011. Viewers in Ohio and across the country were glued to their TV sets, as Anthony was acquitted of killer her 2-year-old daughter after a lengthy trial. While Anthony may have faded from the public consciousness as she slipped into seclusion because of threats to her safety, her legal problems are not ending.
Anthony's recent filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection in federal court should highlight the financial troubles that people can face from trials, even if they are acquitted. A breakdown of Anthony's debts showed that the acquittal was not the end of her legal nightmare.
According to her bankruptcy petition, Anthony still owes approximately $500,000 to her criminal defense attorney. She also owes $145,660 to the local sheriff's office for investigative costs and $61,505 in court costs. She also owes the Internal Revenue Service $68,540 in unpaid taxes and interest. It is unlikely that she could get the IRS debt expunged in bankruptcy.
Anthony is also a defendant in a handful of lawsuits, including a defamation lawsuit filed by a woman who Anthony accused of kidnapping and killing her daughter.
Adding to Anthony's troubles is that she listed only $1,100 in assets to her name, she is unemployed and she has no income coming in. This likely means that she has little to liquidate in order to pay off some of the debts. Chapter 7 bankruptcy allows filers to liquidate many assets to pay off as much debt as possible and then have the rest discharged. It appears that Anthony is making the right decision in this case.
Source: USA Today, "Casey Anthony files for bankruptcy in Fla.," Jan. 27, 2013
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