About de Armas & Arriete, LLC — Bankruptcy Miami, Florida
de Armas & Arriete, LLC is a Miami-based full-service firm handling bankruptcy Miami cases — Chapter 7, Chapter 11, and Chapter 13 — alongside family law, personal injury, debt defense, and civil litigation from its office at 5775 Waterford District Drive, Suite 300 in Miami. Partners Erik Arriete and Julio A. de Armas bring more than 15 years of combined South Florida experience, with Attorney Arriete recognized as a Florida Rising Stars honoree from 2017 through 2021. Attorney de Armas is admitted to both Florida and New York bars and to the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida. Both attorneys are bilingual in English and Spanish.
The firm offers 24/7 direct attorney access and a 24-hour response commitment — distinguishing it from practices where clients deal primarily with support staff. Free initial consultations are available at (786) 454-9838, and the firm’s federal court admissions make it well-suited for Miami-Dade clients with complex debt situations including business reorganizations and cross-border matters.
What Clients Say
No client reviews are currently listed for de Armas & Arriete on this directory. Attorney Arriete’s Florida Rising Stars recognition from 2017 through 2021 and the firm’s 24/7 attorney contact policy are notable features prospective clients can verify through the firm’s website at dalegal.com and third-party legal rating sources.
Bankruptcy Miami — Practice Areas & Services
- Chapter 7 Bankruptcy: Full liquidation and discharge of unsecured debts for qualifying Miami-Dade individuals and families — typically resolved within 4–6 months in the Southern District of Florida.
- Chapter 11 Bankruptcy: Business reorganization and high-asset individual restructuring for Miami-Dade clients whose obligations exceed Chapter 13 debt limits.
- Chapter 13 Bankruptcy: Court-supervised debt reorganization allowing Miami homeowners to halt foreclosure and repay arrears over 3–5 years while retaining property.
- Debt Defense: Defense of creditor lawsuits and collection actions — including challenging debt ownership by collection buyers — as an alternative to filing bankruptcy.
- Civil & Commercial Litigation: Contract disputes, construction liens, and partnership matters that often intersect with business bankruptcy strategy for Miami-Dade companies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is debt defense and how is it different from bankruptcy in Miami?
Debt defense involves contesting a creditor’s lawsuit in state court rather than filing bankruptcy. Miami-Dade debt defense attorneys challenge whether the creditor actually owns the debt — particularly common when debt has been sold to collection agencies — whether the statute of limitations has expired under Florida’s five-year limit for written contracts, and whether the creditor can prove the amount owed. It can be a viable alternative when total debt is manageable but a specific creditor’s lawsuit is the primary immediate threat.
What makes Chapter 11 different from Chapter 13 for Miami business owners?
Chapter 13 is available only to individuals with secured debt under $1,395,875 and unsecured debt under $465,275 (2025 figures). Business owners whose debt exceeds those limits, or who want to reorganize a business entity rather than personal debt, must use Chapter 11. The Subchapter V small business track — for businesses with debts under approximately $7.5 million — offers a streamlined process that Miami small business owners have increasingly used since 2020 as a less expensive alternative to traditional Chapter 11.
How does bankruptcy in Florida handle student loan debt?
Student loans are presumed non-dischargeable in bankruptcy under 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(8). However, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida can discharge student loans through an adversarial proceeding if the filer proves repayment would impose an undue hardship. The standard is demanding but has become more achievable since the Department of Justice issued updated guidance in 2022 directing federal attorneys to evaluate hardship claims more flexibly. Miami-Dade filers with significant federal student loan balances should ask whether an adversarial proceeding is worth pursuing.
Quick Facts: Bankruptcy in Miami, Florida
- 2024 District Filings: The Southern District of Florida recorded 13,742 total bankruptcy filings in 2024 — a 26% increase over 2023 — U.S. Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Fla.
- Miami Division (2025): The Miami division logged 7,395 filings in 2025; Chapter 7 represented approximately 59% of cases — U.S. Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Fla. (Miami Statistics)
- National Trend: U.S. bankruptcy filings rose 11.5% in the twelve months ending June 30, 2025 — Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts
