Thanks for your steadfast support! |
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Thanksgiving is a time to reflect, in gratitude, for those who make a difference in our lives. We are grateful to you for partnering with us in our efforts to protect and inform consumers so all Georgians prosper and communities thrive. Your steadfast engagement has enabled us to continue making a powerful difference to lower the energy burden on struggling families, open doors to the financial mainstream, improve access to affordable healthcare, and increase financial security.
While making holiday plans and reflecting on all that you have to be thankful for, we hope that you will consider contributing on #GivingTuesday, which falls right after Thanksgiving this year.
Thank you for helping us watch out for Georgians. We look forward to your continued partnership and support as we work to build a future of equity and justice in Georgia!
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Georgia Watch Releases Report on Need for Garnishment Reform |
J. Laney’s car was repossessed in 2009—at the time of repossession, she owed $10,000, but she received a letter stating it had been resold and thought that was the end of it. Over a decade later, in 2021, she realized her wages had recently started being garnished for the same car—there had been a judgment on a case against her she knew nothing about. From a default judgment, she owes the original amount on the car plus 12 years of interest. The amount she owes now: $25,000!
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According to Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, the number one consumer protection complaint to the Department of Law in 2020 was debt issues. For middle and low-income families, basics like housing, healthcare, childcare, and putting food on the table have become a financial balancing act. Georgia is one of the top four states for personal bankruptcy filings, 67% above the national average. With hardworking families already struggling to make ends meet, wage and bank garnishment are more bricks on the scale of the debt trap cycle. In 2019, the Administrative Office of the Courts of Georgia tracked 59,560 garnishment case filings—an increase of over 10,000 since 2016. Now, with the unprecedented challenges mounted on Georgians from the pandemic, more protections against garnishment are vital to ensure their financial stability.
State exemption laws are a fundamental safeguard designed to protect consumers and their families from poverty, allowing them to achieve financial stability. But in a recent report from the National Consumer Law Center, Georgia has some of the weakest protections in the country, receiving an F rating for the state’s failure to meet even the most basic standards.
Recognizing the vital need to reform the state’s garnishment laws, Georgia Watch produced “Helping Georgians Manage Garnishment Actions,” a policy paper examining garnishment practices in Georgia and recommending state-level policy changes. This paper provides real-life examples, statistics, research, and expert knowledge of garnishment practices in Georgia and how those practices impact the lives of its citizens.
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Georgia Watch Executive Director, Liz Coyle, Speaks on Prioritizing Affordable, Accessible Health Care |
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Liz recently had the opportunity to speak with Senator Jon Ossoff following an event in Atlanta. She took the opportunity to thank the Senator for his efforts to bring much needed resources to Georgia, and asked him to prioritize ensuring access to affordable healthcare for all Georgians.
See Liz’s recent opinion editorial on this topic HERE.
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Georgia Watch Awarded Remaining Funds from Class Action Settlement |
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This month, we were honored to receive an award of over $52,000 of residual funds from the Alghadeer Bakery & Market, LLC v. Worldpay US, Inc. class action settlement litigated by Webb, Klase, and Lemond, LLC on behalf of plaintiffs and the settlement class of small businesses. The case related to the defendant’s systematic inflation of payment processing fees. At the firm’s recommendation, the U.S. District Court of Northern Georgia allocated Georgia Watch a portion of the remaining settlement funds. We are grateful to Webb, Klase & Lemond for recommending us for this award, which will support achievement of our organizational goals, including protecting the rights of small businesses.
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Georgia Watch
55 Marietta Street NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
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