Credit card debt is one prominent reason that Washington residents file for bankruptcy. A Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 filing can protect you from credit card debt or restructure the debt, respectively, but the factors that led to any individual's financial predicament varies from person to person. In any bankruptcy case, though, legal representation can be an invaluable resource to help you through a difficult and uncertain time.

With this in mind, consider the drawn-out conspiracy case against many companies that issue credit cards. The case accused many companies including Bank of America, Capital One, JPMorgan & Chase, Citigroup and Discover of colluding to force customers into arbitration and to blacklist those who refused such a process.

Citigroup and Discover requested that the conspiracy case be dismissed but a federal judge in Manhattan rebuffed their advances, allowing the case to continue. Every other company that was involved in the case has settled out of court.

According to the judge handling the case, there is a "voluminous record" of meetings between the companies during a prolonged stretch beginning just before the turn of the millennium. He said that this evidence "could suggest that defendants used the meetings to concoct a conspiracy to adopt arbitration clauses and boycott consumers who rejected them."

If it is found that these companies came together in a concentrated effort to deceive consumers and force them into arbitration, there could be further legal action taken against these credit card issuers. Many personal bankruptcy cases could also be affected by the ruling in this case, so it is best for those considering, in the process of or completing their bankruptcy case to consult a lawyer with experience in the area.

Source: Business Insurance, "U.S. judge won't end credit card antitrust case," Reuters, Feb. 9, 2012