Richard Heston
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Why hire a certified bankruptcy specialist?
The American Board of Certification is a nationwide non-profit organization that certifies attorneys who can demonstrate a high degree of commitment, experience, proficiency, and integrity in the complex area of bankruptcy practice. Certification as a Consumer Bankruptcy Law Specialist requires:
- Passing a day-long exam on consumer bankruptcy issues;
- Substantial involvement in bankruptcy and contested bankruptcy matters;
- Continuing legal education in bankruptcy law;
- References from other attorneys who have observed the applicant in courtroom practice;
- An investigation of the applicant’s background; and
- Periodic recertification.
In Orange County, Riverside County, and San Bernardino County, there are only two certified consumer bankruptcy specialists: Richard Heston (certified 1995) and Ben Heston (certified 2021).
Halli Heston holds her certification from the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization which also includes a focus on California law.
Orange County Office:
about Richard Heston
Mr. Heston is married to Halli Heston, who in addition to being his co-founding partner in Heston & Heston, is also certified as a Bankruptcy Law Specialist. A resident of Newport Beach since 1959, Mr. and Mrs. Heston have three grown children, a daughter and two sons, one of whom, Benjamin R. Heston, is an attorney with Heston & Heston, and five grandchildren. Mr. Heston is an avid skier and boater.
Experience
Richard G. Heston is a Partner in the law firm of Heston & Heston, located in Irvine, California. Mr. Heston is a graduate of the University of California, Irvine, where he was awarded a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Ecology from the Department of Criminology, Law and Society in 1976. He attended Southwestern University, School of Law where he received his Juris Doctor degree in 1979. Mr. Heston is certified as a Specialist in Consumer Bankruptcy Law by the American Board of Certification, which is sponsored by the American Bankruptcy Institute and accredited for certification by the State Bar of California and the American Bar Association. In addition, he was certified as a Specialist in Family Law by the Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of California from 1992 to 2017, when he elected to limit his practice to bankruptcy.
Mr. Heston holds an “AV” rating by Martindale-Hubble, the highest rating for attorney ability and ethics offered by the nation’s oldest publisher of attorney ratings. He is listed in “Who’s Who in American Law.” He has been selected to 2016 through 2020 “Super Lawyers” list of leaders in his field. He has been recognized in the field of consumer bankruptcy practice by Coast Magazine in 2015 through 2019, and by O.C. Metro Magazine in its 2009 through 2014 editions as one of “O.C.’s Top Lawyers” from 2009 through 2019 for Consumer Bankruptcy and Family Law Practice. Mr. Heston is a current member of the Commercial and Bankruptcy Law and Family Law Sections of the Orange County Bar Association, the Orange County Bankruptcy Forum, and the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys.
Mr. Heston currently has been appointed as a current lawyer representative to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference. Previously, he served on the Bankruptcy Law Advisory Commission of the Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of California from 1993 to 1997, acting as Chairman in his final term. In addition, he served on the Board of Directors of the American Board of Certification from 1995 to 2001. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Orange County Bankruptcy Forum from 1998 to 2004, where he co-chaired the Pro Bono Services and Community Outreach Committees. Mr. Heston served on the Client Relations Committee of the Orange County Bar Association, in which capacity he served as a volunteer fee arbitrator, and as a member of the Pro Bono Committee, in which capacity he oversaw the monthly Chapter 7 and Reaffirmation clinics offered free of charge to the members of the public unable to afford paid counsel.
Since 1988, Mr. Heston has served as panelist, speaker and presenter for numerous continuing legal education programs, including:
- “Family Law vs. Bankruptcy Law, Common Pitfalls/Practical Solutions”, co-sponsored by the Family Law and Bankruptcy Law Sections of the Orange County Bar Association
- “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Chapter 7 Trustees . . . But Were Afraid to Ask”, sponsored by the Orange County Bankruptcy Forum
- “Family Law Impact of the 1994 Bankruptcy Reform Act and Other Developments” sponsored by the Family Law Section of the Orange County Bar Association
- “New Uses for Chapter 13 with Expanded Eligibility Requirements” sponsored by the Orange County Bankruptcy Forum
- “Intersection of Family Law & Bankruptcy” sponsored by the Orange County Bankruptcy Forum “Recent Developments Affecting Family Law: Bankruptcy and Case Law Updates” sponsored by the Orange County Bankruptcy Forum
- “National Bankruptcy Review Commission Recommendations and Pending Legislative Proposals Affecting Consumer Bankruptcy” sponsored by the Orange County Bankruptcy Forum
- ” Bankruptcy and Divorce: A Sordid and Dysfunctional Relationship” sponsored by the Inland Empire Bankruptcy Forum.
- “When Worlds Collide – Bankruptcy and Family Law” sponsored by the Orange County Bar Association
- “Recent Developments in Bankruptcy Law for the Family Law Practitioner” sponsored by the Orange County Bar Association
- “Bankruptcy and Family Law Crossover Issues” sponsored by the San Bernardino County and Riverside County Bar Associations
- “Exemptions in Bankruptcy” sponsored by the Business Law Section of the State Bar of California
- “Advanced Consumer Bankruptcy Issues in California” sponsored by the National Business Institute
- “Treatment of Support Claims in Chapter 13 Bankruptcy” before both the Orange County Bankruptcy Forum and the Family Law Section of the Orange County Bar Association
- “The Tug of War Between Bankruptcy and Divorce” presented by the Orange County Bankruptcy Forum at Chapman University School of Law
- “Recent Developments in Bankruptcy Practice” presented by the Orange County Bar Association at Whittier School of Law
- “What Every Family Law Attorney Needs to Know About the New Bankruptcy Act” presented by the Orange County Bar Association
- “Impact of the New Bankruptcy Code on Chapters 7 and 13”, presented jointly by the Orange County Bar Association and the Orange County Bankruptcy Forum
- “What Every Family Law Attorney Needs to Know About the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act” presented by the Association of Certified Family Law Specialists
- “Bankruptcy 2009: What Family Law Practitioners Need to Know” sponsored by the Orange County Bar Association
- “Recent Developments in Bankruptcy Affecting Family Law” sponsored by the Orange County Bar Association
- “Bankruptcy 101: The Nuts and Bolts of Chapter 7 Practice.” sponsored by the Orange County Bar Association
- “Bankruptcy and Family Law” as a guest lecturer at UCI School of Law
- “Raiders of the Lost Ark – Identifying Estate Interests in Atypical Property” sponsored by the California Bankruptcy Forum’s Insolvency Conference
- “Bankruptcy and Dissolution” sponsored by the California State Bar Solo and Small Firm Summit
Mr. Heston has served as a recurring guest lecturer at the University of California, School of Law’s course in Family Law, addressing the issue of the interface of family and bankruptcy law. Mr. Heston was as a consultant and contributing editor to Personal and Small Business Bankruptcy Practice in California (Cont.Ed.Bar 1st ed. 2003), published by Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) in association with the University of California. Articles written by Mr. Heston include “How to Escape from Bankruptcy Court”, published in the June 1994 edition of Family Law Corner column, a monthly feature of Orange County Lawyer, the publication of the Orange County Bar Association, “Family Law Aspects of the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1994”, which appeared in the April 1995 Family Law Corner column, and Spring 1995 Edition of the Legal Specialization Digest, the quarterly publication of the Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of California, and his article “Discharge – What Discharge? The Community Discharge in Bankruptcy” appeared in the December 2000 Family Law Corner column. At the invitation of the editors, Mr. Heston wrote a guest editorial concerning the significance of the appellate decision in Burt v. County of Orange (see below) for publication in the Orange County Register editorial on September 26, 2004.
Mr. Heston is admitted to practice before all courts of the State of California, as well as the United States District Courts for the Central, Eastern and Southern Districts of California, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Tax Court. Mr. Heston’s practice emphasizes the fields of family law and bankruptcy law. He has handled numerous bankruptcy matters, including cases under Chapters 7, 11, and 13, as well as adversarial litigation. Mr. Heston has served as special counsel to several of the Chapter 7 trustees in the Central District of California.
Mr. Heston’s reported appellate decisions include In re Ashworth, 2012 WL 4596217 (Bkrtcy.C.D.Cal. 2012), affd. (9th Cir.BAP) 2013 WL 6620863, affd. 637 Fed.Appx. 387 (9th Cir. 2016), In re Voelkel, 322 B.R. 138 (9th Cir.BAP 2005), Hoose v. Beauchamp, No. G032873, 2004 WL 1345080 (Cal. Ct. App. 2004), Burt v. County of Orange, 120 Cal.App.4th 273, 15 Cal.Rptr.3d 373 (2004), In re Beauchamp, 236 B.R. 727 (9th Cir.BAP 1999) affd. 5 Fed.Appx. 743, (9th Cir., Mar. 12, 2001), In re Marriage of McCann, 41 Cal.App.4th 978, 48 Cal.Rptr.2d 864 (1996), and In re Kullgren, 109 B.R. 949 (Bkrtcy.C.D.Cal.1990). His unreported decisions include In re Ziegler, 2016 WL 3267387 (B.A.P. 9th Cir. June 6, 2016), In re Cusimano, 2013 WL 9736597 (Bankr. C.D. Cal. Nov. 12, 2013), In re Beckx, 2000 WL 35888261 (B.A.P. 9th Cir. Mar. 18, 2009), Bergstrom v. Lobherr, 2006 WL 2536462 (Cal. Ct. App. Sept. 5, 2006), Hoose v. Beauchamp, 2006 WL 3524919 (Cal. Ct. App. Dec. 7, 2006) and Johannsen v. Sullivan, (B.A.P. 9th Cir. September 9, 2004).
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What Richard's clients have to say...
I hired Richard to file bankruptcy for me. Needless to say I was embarrassed and disappointed in myself for letting my finances get out of hand. Richard was not only reassuring, he explained everything in black and white. The whole process was painless and in less than a few months, I had a new start again. I would recommend him to anyone looking for BK counsel.
I have only good things to say about the experience I had with Mr. Heston and his staff from the first appointment to the court appearance. Everyone was very helpful and considerate as well as professional.
At this stage of my life, and financial predicament; the pro bono help was a blessing.
I am a U.S. Citizen and I was a victim of marriage fraud. I married a girl from India, sponsored her to U.S. When she received her Green Card, she left me and filled for a divorce. I was heartbroken, emotional, shocked and surprised. I wanted to fight the case and I wanted annulment based on Fraud. I was having very hard time finding attorneys who have the knowledge of handling such cases that are related to Green Card. I spoke with Mr. Heston and because of his knowledge on the subject I hired him. The case took place at Lamoreaux Justice Center, in Orange, CA. During the course, Mr. Heston kept in touch with me regarding what is happening, prepared declarations, statements and filed a motion of bifurcation that resulted in quicker trial and kept me well informed of what is going on. A day before the trial, he prepared me well for the trial and prepared statements and the evidence he will be presenting. I won the trial and I am very glad this chapter in my life is over and my marriage has been erased. I highly recommend this attorney because of his knowledge, professionalism, and I felt he truly fought the case for me. I am very happy I picked him for my case.
Mr. Heston is incredibly knowledgeable in the area of bankruptcy law and provided very constructive and useful information to us. He was very professional yet personable and definitely provided us with high-quality service. I would highly recommend him and don’t think any other lawyer would have provided such great advice and help. He is also very well known in Orange County and highly regarded.
I am a disabled Veteran . I decided to start a restaurant business. i tried it for one and a half years. I didn’t see any hope and it was taking away my all money and time . We were going through very difficult time and it started effecting my personal finances. I was stress full and contacted the Heston Law firm for help. He helped me with the Chapter 7 and I am discharged from my Bankruptcy today. Now I can have a new beginning. Richard and his assistant Elmer is really good and understands the people life. You may have thousands of friends in life, But it is important to see who is with you in the difficult times.
I meet Richard in 2010 to help me with my case.
From our 1st meeting he explained the whole process to me in a way that was easy to understand.
If I had questions after hours he was available and always returned my calls.
Very trustworthy and knowledgeable I would use him again if I had to.
I am giving a positive review for our chosen Lawyer Richard Heston and his staff who advised us with our decision on bankruptcy. Mr. Heston presented all the options that were available to us if we decided to enter into the bankruptcy process, he answered all our questions in regards to our financial situation, even though it was a difficult decision we decided to proceed with bankruptcy. Mr. Heston and his staff helped us through the long process of bankruptcy, for example when there was difficult decision that had to be made Mr. Heston and his staff advised us on the different options that we could choose from to best resolve the best course of action, there was never any pressure from Mr. Heston or his staff saying you have to take this course of action ! we were always in control in our decision with the best advise and course of action that needed to be taken. I would to take this time to acknowledge Elmer Blanco, paralegal who was our main contact for Mr. Heston, when there was a question that we needed to be addressed to Mr. Heston he would always take the question and get back to me in a timely manner or a question or advise that he himself could resolve for me. We always appreciated that Mr. Heston and Elmer Blanco kept us updated and informed from the beginning and to the end of a successful financial beginning for us. I would highly recommend Heston and Heston . Thank You Mr. Heston and Elmer Blanco.
I was referred to Mr. Heston when I had to file for bankruptcy. Mr. Heston took care to explain all steps, to prepare me for each part. Any questions I had were answered quickly and completely. Paralegal Elmer Blanco was always helpful and responded quickly to any questions I had. They worked closely and kept me informed of status of my case. Mr. Heston helped me not feel ashamed for having to file. I would definitely recommend.
I worked with Mr. Richard Heston for my business and personal bankruptcy case. He was very knowledgeable about the process and genuinely helpful in making me understand the nature of the process. While it was extremely stressful to go through the bankruptcy process, having a knowledgeable and caring attorney like Mr. Heston made it better for me and my family. Mr. Heston would take time to address all my questions in a great detail. Overall, I am glad I was able to have him represent me in this process.
Richard handled my every legal need with professionalism and integrity. I at all times felt that I was in the hands of someone who knew exactly what to do. Richard is professional, trustworthy, and compassionate. I had to go thru three
attorneys before I found Richard and he made sense of all that had gone wrong up to that point.
Going through a separation and bankruptcy at the same time was very stressful for us. However, Mr. Heston and his staff handled our case so efficiently, courteously and perfectly, it relieved so much of the stress from the process. While a family breakup is never easy or optimal, at least at this point we can face our future with a fresh start and begin rebuilding.
We received regular follow up from the team, were lead through the process without being confused and in the end, received the result we sought. Filing bankruptcy is a very hard decision and one we didn’t take lightly. Richard helped me go through the process without too much stress.
Richard and Staff were top-notch through the bankruptcy process. My sincere thanks to you all!!
I am working with Mr. Richard Heston. I am extremely pleased with Mr. Heston and his work. Mr. Heston is intelligent and kind. He was on top of my case the evening I called. I would absolutely recommend Mr. Heston.
Mr.Heston helped me my bankruptcy case. He is very kind and think about my situation. I remember after first meeting, he gave me helpful and kind words. I couldn’t hold my tears because all the stress I had to deal with by myself was killing me at the time. He is very professional also knowledge is excellent. Thank you, Mr.Heston! Also, Paralegal, Mr Blanco helped me all paperwork that I needed in very patient. Thank you so much! Great Lawyer and Great Paralegal, Great team!
Back in 2000 when we were looking for a lawyer to assist us on finding relief from our financial problems through legal process, we were genuinely so lost and so confused struggling about personal doubts, question of trust and worried of being mislead. At the time, there were no easily available online reviews. All we found was advertising of lawyers with their own words of assurances, guaranties and how good they are. Finally, with no recommendations, we settled to talk to Heston and Heston while crossing our fingers. We got an appointment to sit down with Mr. Heston for a free consultation and during that encounter, Mr. Heston spent a long amount of time interviewing us for facts and explaining the legal process that we will go through along the way. Eventually if we will use them as legal counsel, we also talked about their legal fees which we truly believe was affordable. At the end of the interview, we became so comfortable with Mr. Heston and decided to hire them as our legal counsel. It was a sound decision.
Mr. Heston was our lawyer on our first case in 2000 which was successfully discharged, and now on a second case filed 3 years ago and currently active for another 2 years and so far moving to our favorable expectations. From the beginning of our professional relationship, Mr. Heston and his team are always outstanding on dealing with us and always fully coordinated on attending to our legal needs. We are very thankful for his words of advices which he will always explain in detail with their corresponding positive or negative results. Recently, because of common financial problems due to loss of job, we also started the process of having our real estate loan modified and along the process we somewhat got into some legal complications detrimental to us. Mr. Heston came to our rescue and performed his role as our lawyer promptly communicating with our real estate loan company and their lawyers to stop a motion that they have earlier filed against us. This communication resulted to another motion (of withdrawal) filed by the company lawyers but this time to our favor. Our worries were unimaginable but Mr. Heston with his actions turned these worries into greater relief.
One thing noticeable with Mr. Heston, he politely emphasizes the importance of the role of the client in the legal process like performing their responsibility of providing him useful information or the prompt submission of required documentations. We think that is fair. We will highly recommend Mr. Heston to our friends and family.
Richard and his staff are extremely responsive and knowledgeable about all BK matters. I had a complicated case due to a messy divorce and I was skillfully guided through the process. Richard always took the time to thoroughly explain everything that was required and everything that was necessary for a successful discharge. I would highly recommend his team for any type of BK issues.
Mr. Heston and his staff, specifically Elmer Blanco had been very helpful throughout this stressful bankruptcy process. They are professional in handling my case, especially at times when I am getting emotionally stressed out about it. I felt relieved when my case was over and I highly recommend Atty. Richard Heston and Elmer Blanco if you are need of professional and personable support with regards to your bankruptcy case.
I am going through a very litigious divorce that will leave me destitute. I went to see Mr. Heston to see what I needed to do to protect myself. He spent over 2 hours with me explaining in detail all my options regarding bankruptcy, lawyer liens and my legal rights. I found him to be patient, thorough and knowledgeable. I highly recommend him to anyone who is going through financial hard times.
Richard & Halli Heston did a great job on our complicated bankruptcy. This firm has excellent customer service, detailed follow-up and best of all, always returned our calls and emails. I highly recommend this firm!
I am working with Mr. Richard Heston. I am extremely pleased with Mr. Heston and his work. Mr. Heston is intelligent and kind. He was on top of my case the evening I called. I would absolutey recommend Mr. Heston.
Mr. Heston is real! A kind person who thinks about you, the person and then your situation and how he can help as professional bankruptcy attorney. He was willing to take my case even after I expressed my current financial situation and provided me the best option to take, with what I had to work with- both with my case and financially. My initial consult was at no charge. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place and his advise was honest, even though some of it was hard to believe/hear. But I respected that. I was glad to that he was recommended by my neighbor who was a fellow colleague of his. And he ultimately ended up being the blessing I needed to help me get through this stressful stuff that came by surprise, really. Mr. Heston and his team were very patient with me and good at explaining my options and what goes on with filing for chapter 7 despite the case being straight forward. To me, it seemed complicated but they set my mind at some ease. They are understanding when you are beyond stressed and scared. I felt comfortable working with him and I understood that he could do right by me, based on his patience, care and many years working in this business. My case felt expedited, nothing dragged on which was nice and even upon discharge, Mr. Heston and his team agreed to review and provide feedback on some other information that was in question upon my discharge. Mr. Heston believes in the good work that he does for his clients and he displays that he believes in you. There is no pressure or dollar signs with this guy he has a smile on his face, he’s calming and ready with information and case studies to help ease your mind. A good man, A great lawyer. An amazing team to back him up. A blessing!
My Husband and I fell victims to the economy and finally were faced with the ugly prospect of having to file for bankruptcy. Richard came recommended to us and helped us through this difficult time with understanding and his vast expertise! My Husband and I have always prided ourselves on being decent, tax-payng Americans and when our small business failed after ten years we were ashamed and devastated. Richard was very understanding and helped us to see that sometimes bad things happen to good people. His intricate understanding of how the complicated bankrupcy laws work was invaluable but even more: He was able to explain these laws to us so that we were able to understand them throughly. The entire staff at Heston and Heston has gone above and beyond to aid us in our time of need and we are forever grateful!
I could not have asked for a better attorney to handle my bankruptcy. Mr Heston is knowledgeable and an expert at what he does. Most impressive for me was his kindness and compassion. He cares about his clients and people in general. My case involved a vindictive ex and Mr. Heston’s kindness and calming manner helped put me at ease. Very grateful for his expertise and kindness during a not so fun time. He is well respected in the legal community and after working with him I understand why! Thank you Mr. Heston! You rock!
We got Mr. Heston’s phone number through Lawyer’s Referral and made an appointment with his office. He called us directly and asked us to send all the pertinent paperwork before the meeting so he can review it. At the day of the meeting, although we had a one-hour free consultation, Mr. Heston did not stop at the hour and explained/discussed our case thoroughly. He was both a nice person and a very knowledgeable lawyer and we felt we are in good hands. However, due to a sudden change in our personal matters, we did not pursue the legal action we were supposed to pursue. Nevertheless, we are thankful to Mr. Heston for his time and kindness and will use his services in the future if need be.
Mr. Heston and staff have to be as good as it gets. Without going into details about the almost yearlong battle he is still engaging for me, I want to say that he is pulling in resources, favors, and strategies that have to be far beyond what one would expect. This can only be attributable to the fact that he is conscientious and truly cares that the debtor is given the fresh start that the law intends. Mr. Heston has taken my case personally and I am grateful to have been referred to him. Let me further state that he is my second attorney on this case, so I do have something to compare to.
Mr. Richard Heston is a true professional Attorney with great integrity. He is very knowledgeable, honest and caring. He explained matters in terms I could understand. Mr. Heston was always there for me whenever I had a question throughout the bankruptcy process and so was his wonderful and patient Paralegal Mr. Elmer Blanco. They kept me well informed all the time. I can truly say that my expectations were well met and that I am a very very satisfied client.
Mr Heston made us feel relaxed from the moment we met him. I was embarrased to be there to ask about and file bankruptcy. Mr Heston really took the time to fully explain every step to us. He also helped relieve the fear of doing all this, and really helped us see that we are not alone. He was responsive when we called or sent emails. The entire staff, especially April at the front desk, was friendly and professional. Mr Heston also showed up himself at the Bankruptcy hearing, not some representative on his behalf. It really helped to have him with us. As I mentioned in my title, I highly recommend him.
Richard and his team were extremely helpful throughout the BK process. Richard Heston answered all of my many questions and was generous with his time. His staff is well organized, which made a difficult process relatively simple. My bankruptcy was due to a business failure. Heston and Heston helped me understand the personal and business issues both pre and post bankruptcy.
