Offermann Cassano Greco Slisz & Adams LLP v. Klem (In Re Klem)

**What Happened** This case involved a worker named Klem who owed $17,000 in attorney's fees to his ex-wife's law firm, Offermann Cassano Greco Slisz & Adams LLP. The debt came from his divorce proceedings. When Klem filed for bankruptcy, the law firm argued that this debt should not be wiped out (discharged) in the bankruptcy because it was related to family support obligations or other reasons that would make it permanent debt. **What the Court Decided** The bankruptcy court ruled in favor of Klem. The court found that the $17,000 attorney's fee debt could be discharged in bankruptcy because it was not considered "support" money like alimony or child support. The law firm failed to prove that the debt should survive the bankruptcy under other legal exceptions. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling shows that workers facing financial hardship may be able to discharge certain debts from divorce proceedings through bankruptcy, even when those debts are owed to their ex-spouse's attorneys. However, true support obligations like alimony and child support typically cannot be eliminated in bankruptcy. Workers considering bankruptcy should understand that not all divorce-related debts are treated the same way.