What Judges and Attorneys are Saying

Judges

• Usually, judges only get involved with social problems after the problems have turned into disasters. One of the many wonderful aspects of the innovative program developed by Judge Ninfo is that it allows judges to become part of the solution by helping young persons learn to manage debt before they are in over their heads. That’s why we are enthusiastically attempting to implement the program throughout the Second Circuit.
  
  Jed S. Rakoff
  U.S. District Judge
  Southern District of New York
  Chairperson - Second Circuit Bankruptcy Committee
  Member - Judicial Conference of the United States,
  Committee on the Administration of the Bankruptcy System
  
  
• Judge John Ninfo’s C.A.R.E. Program hits the nail on the head! Instead of waiting until the financial damage has been done - he attacks the cause of credit card abuse. He focuses on today’s young people and through the use of testimonials and a college student produced film, he effectively delivers his message of avoiding unnecessary (“Needs v. Wants”) credit card debt and its damaging consequences.
  
  John J. Hargrove
  Chief Judge
  U.S. Bankruptcy Court
  Southern District of California
  

Participating Attorneys

• We are excited to announce that attorneys of the Hartford County Bar Association and the New Haven County Bar Association are working together with Chief Bankruptcy Judge Albert S. Dabrowski, and with the support of U.S. District of Connecticut Bankruptcy Judges Krechevsky, Shiff and Weil, to sponsor, develop and present a credit education program for Connecticut high school students that will be modeled after the C.A.R.E. Program. We have been encouraged by our initial contacts with education leaders in our communities. All agree that there is a great need for this type of education program for young people in Connecticut before they leave home for college or enter the work force. We are on our way to having a pilot program in place which will form the basis of what we hope can become a statewide public service initiative of the bench and bar working together.
  
  Your wonderful C.A.R.E. program track record, course materials and web site have made our task so much easier. We are extremely grateful for your bold and enthusiastic leadership. Thank you. We look forward to following in your footsteps.
  
  Alan Robert Baker, Co-Chair
  James J. Tancredi, Co-Chair
  Commercial Law Committee
  Hartford County Bar Association
  
  Attorney Douglas S. Skalka, Chairman
  Attorney Carol Felicetta, Member
  Commercial Law and Bankruptcy Committee
  New Haven County Bar Association
  
  
• The fact that there has been a 96% increase in bankruptcy filings in the age group 25 years or less during the past 10 years demonstrates that there is a tremendous and immediate need to improve the financial literacy of students. I believe that providing students with credit abuse resistance education is the most valuable contribution that Bankruptcy Judges, Court and Clerk’s Office staff, and attorneys can offer to the parents and students in their communities. Each time that I make a CARE presentation, I am left with a tremendous sense of satisfaction because I know that I have made a positive, personal, and meaningful impact on the students, and I would encourage anyone working in the Bankruptcy System to participate in a CARE Program in your community. Take the time to CARE. You will be glad that you did.
  
  Paul R. Warren, Esq.
  Clerk of Court
  U.S. Bankruptcy Court
  Western District of New York