Bob Lawless
@boblawless.bsky.social
Mainly stuff from my day job as a law professor at the University of Illinois teaching bankruptcy and consumer law with occasional digressions
As an Illinoisan, it is a very odd feeling to be proud of your governor.
"Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that."
Looking forward to seeing Jimmy back on the air.
Looking forward to seeing Jimmy back on the air.
Jimmy Kimmel Returns: ABC Ends Suspension Starting Tuesday
Jimmy Kimmel will return to late night on Tuesday
variety.com
September 23, 2025 at 2:06 AM
As an Illinoisan, it is a very odd feeling to be proud of your governor.
A lot of September was devoted to moving Credit Slips to a WordPress. I fought the Internet, and the score is Bob 1, Internet 0. Check out the new Credit Slips blog, same as the old blog but with better formatting.
P.S. -- A big shoutout to the IT support here at Illinois for their help.
P.S. -- A big shoutout to the IT support here at Illinois for their help.
Welcome to the New Credit Slips creditslips.org/2025/09/23/w...
Welcome to the New Credit Slips – Credit Slips
creditslips.org
September 23, 2025 at 1:49 AM
A lot of September was devoted to moving Credit Slips to a WordPress. I fought the Internet, and the score is Bob 1, Internet 0. Check out the new Credit Slips blog, same as the old blog but with better formatting.
P.S. -- A big shoutout to the IT support here at Illinois for their help.
P.S. -- A big shoutout to the IT support here at Illinois for their help.
This is low-hanging fruit that one would think all would agree on. It should not be any more difficult to cancel a consumer contract than it is to enter into it.
September 23, 2025 at 1:47 AM
This is low-hanging fruit that one would think all would agree on. It should not be any more difficult to cancel a consumer contract than it is to enter into it.
Reposted by Bob Lawless
On Aug 15, @bji.bsky.social hosted a book event for Debt's Grip. Judge Erithe Smith led a discussion about the book with me and my co-authors, @boblawless.bsky.social and Debb Thorne. We talked about themes and presented some key data. Recording now available! www.law.berkeley.edu/research/bji...
Debt's Grip
www.law.berkeley.edu
September 11, 2025 at 10:00 PM
On Aug 15, @bji.bsky.social hosted a book event for Debt's Grip. Judge Erithe Smith led a discussion about the book with me and my co-authors, @boblawless.bsky.social and Debb Thorne. We talked about themes and presented some key data. Recording now available! www.law.berkeley.edu/research/bji...
Welcome to Bluesky @law.illinois.edu And thank you to Chris Davies for doing such an excellent job hosting this podcast
We're excited to be on Bluesky, sharing the great things happening at Illinois Law. We recently launched season 2 of our podcast with an episode featuring Professor @boblawless.bsky.social discussing his new book, Debt's Grip. Check it out where you get podcasts or on YouTube.
youtu.be/Vi-_ojdA-58
youtu.be/Vi-_ojdA-58
Illinois LawCast S2 E1: Discussing Debt's Grip with Professor Robert Lawless
YouTube video by University of Illinois College of Law
youtu.be
September 8, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Welcome to Bluesky @law.illinois.edu And thank you to Chris Davies for doing such an excellent job hosting this podcast
Working hard to get Credit Slips moved. Thank you to the hardworking IT staff at the University of Illinois for their help.
Our blog hosting service, Typepad, is shutting down. Their original announcement said the site would be available until September 30. Our blog and every other Typepad blog has now been done for over a day. We are moving Credit Slips to WordPress. We should be back online in a few days.
September 5, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Working hard to get Credit Slips moved. Thank you to the hardworking IT staff at the University of Illinois for their help.
A post on a very much an "inside baseball" topic but an issue that just annoys me because it is so easy to get this right.
August 6, 2025 at 8:58 PM
A post on a very much an "inside baseball" topic but an issue that just annoys me because it is so easy to get this right.
Debt's Grip is out today!
August 5, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Debt's Grip is out today!
Reposted by Bob Lawless
Agree. See www.creditslips.org/creditslips/...
July 25, 2025 at 1:24 AM
Agree. See www.creditslips.org/creditslips/...
Reposted by Bob Lawless
Reposted by Bob Lawless
Direct File exists. We already paid for it. So we are now trashing software that we have already paid for, that people are using, that people *love*, in the name of "efficiency." Yes, blame the Trump administration for this, but Intuit has been desperate to murder Direct File for years.
SCOOP: DOGE moved to kill Direct File, the IRS's popular free tax filing tool, days after meeting with private tax filing software lobbyists.
www.wired.com/story/doge-d...
www.wired.com/story/doge-d...
DOGE Put Free Tax Filing Tool on Chopping Block After One Meeting With Lobbyists
A key operative from DOGE initiated plans to potentially kill Direct File, the free tax filing tool developed by the IRS, after offering assurances it would be spared from cuts.
www.wired.com
July 17, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Direct File exists. We already paid for it. So we are now trashing software that we have already paid for, that people are using, that people *love*, in the name of "efficiency." Yes, blame the Trump administration for this, but Intuit has been desperate to murder Direct File for years.
The student loan changes have lots of issues. These are some observations about what is coming for legal education. Tl;dr -- it would be great if students did not borrow so much for law school but in the real world where they do, this law will hurt them.
July 7, 2025 at 7:51 PM
The student loan changes have lots of issues. These are some observations about what is coming for legal education. Tl;dr -- it would be great if students did not borrow so much for law school but in the real world where they do, this law will hurt them.
Someday in a legal academic's career, they must complain about law reviews. Today was that day for me.
June 25, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Someday in a legal academic's career, they must complain about law reviews. Today was that day for me.
From my colleague, Matt Finkin, about the parallels between to a previous seizure of power in 1930s Germany. Worth a read.
verdict.justia.com/2025/06/05/t...
@justiaverdict.bsky.social
verdict.justia.com/2025/06/05/t...
@justiaverdict.bsky.social
The “Seizure of Power” 2025: An Historical Reflection
Illinois Law professor Matthew W. Finkin draws a detailed historical comparison between Donald Trump’s 2025 actions as U.S. president and key elements of the Nazi regime’s early consolidation of power...
verdict.justia.com
June 6, 2025 at 8:30 PM
From my colleague, Matt Finkin, about the parallels between to a previous seizure of power in 1930s Germany. Worth a read.
verdict.justia.com/2025/06/05/t...
@justiaverdict.bsky.social
verdict.justia.com/2025/06/05/t...
@justiaverdict.bsky.social
Reposted by Bob Lawless
In two months, on August 5, my new co-authored book, Debt's Grip: Risk and Consumer Bankruptcy, published by University of California Press, will be out! (Co-authored with @boblawless.bsky.social and Deborah Thorne, University of Idaho.) More about the book here: www.ucpress.edu/books/debts-...
Debt's Grip by Pamela Foohey, Robert Lawless, Deborah Thorne - Paper
Scholarship is a powerful tool for changing how people think, plan, and govern. By giving voice to bright minds and bold ideas, we seek to foster understanding and drive progressive change.
www.ucpress.edu
June 5, 2025 at 10:41 AM
In two months, on August 5, my new co-authored book, Debt's Grip: Risk and Consumer Bankruptcy, published by University of California Press, will be out! (Co-authored with @boblawless.bsky.social and Deborah Thorne, University of Idaho.) More about the book here: www.ucpress.edu/books/debts-...
Dear President Trump,
Below is an executive order that crossed my desk today. I just feel you should be aware that some jackass is signing your name to stupid orders on meaningless bullshit.
Under His Eye,
/s/
P.S. -- Even this one is still illegal.
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Below is an executive order that crossed my desk today. I just feel you should be aware that some jackass is signing your name to stupid orders on meaningless bullshit.
Under His Eye,
/s/
P.S. -- Even this one is still illegal.
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Maintaining Acceptable Water Pressure in Showerheads
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1. Purpose.
www.whitehouse.gov
April 9, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Dear President Trump,
Below is an executive order that crossed my desk today. I just feel you should be aware that some jackass is signing your name to stupid orders on meaningless bullshit.
Under His Eye,
/s/
P.S. -- Even this one is still illegal.
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Below is an executive order that crossed my desk today. I just feel you should be aware that some jackass is signing your name to stupid orders on meaningless bullshit.
Under His Eye,
/s/
P.S. -- Even this one is still illegal.
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Reposted by Bob Lawless
I'm calling for an investigation into whether President Trump manipulated the market to benefit his Wall Street donors—all while working people and small businesses paid the price.
Did Trump help insiders cash in on his tariff flip-flopping? It sure looks like corruption.
Did Trump help insiders cash in on his tariff flip-flopping? It sure looks like corruption.
Did Trump help insiders cash in on his tariff flip-flopping?
YouTube video by Senator Elizabeth Warren
youtu.be
April 9, 2025 at 10:21 PM
I'm calling for an investigation into whether President Trump manipulated the market to benefit his Wall Street donors—all while working people and small businesses paid the price.
Did Trump help insiders cash in on his tariff flip-flopping? It sure looks like corruption.
Did Trump help insiders cash in on his tariff flip-flopping? It sure looks like corruption.
This is my new all-time favorite Xkcd, explaining exactly why the tariffs are so dumb.
xkcd.com/3073/
xkcd.com/3073/
Tariffs
xkcd.com
April 8, 2025 at 3:12 AM
This is my new all-time favorite Xkcd, explaining exactly why the tariffs are so dumb.
xkcd.com/3073/
xkcd.com/3073/
Wait, you mean there is hypocrisy in the Trump administration?
CNN put together a collection of clips of various Trump officials who were on the signal chat criticizing Hillary Clinton’s email server
March 25, 2025 at 3:13 AM
Wait, you mean there is hypocrisy in the Trump administration?
Some interesting points from Adam Levitin about 23andme's bankruptcy filing. I am not sure I agree about the stay violation but also not sure I disagree. Worth a read.
March 25, 2025 at 3:10 AM
Some interesting points from Adam Levitin about 23andme's bankruptcy filing. I am not sure I agree about the stay violation but also not sure I disagree. Worth a read.
Reposted by Bob Lawless
The Trump Administration has fired another effective and dedicated public servant.
March 8, 2025 at 10:03 PM
The Trump Administration has fired another effective and dedicated public servant.
On top of all the other mean-spirited, discriminatory, and moronic things our new corporate overlords have done, they now have me rooting for Capital One.
March 8, 2025 at 10:02 PM
On top of all the other mean-spirited, discriminatory, and moronic things our new corporate overlords have done, they now have me rooting for Capital One.