When Caryl E. Delano became a federal bankruptcy judge in Tampa in June 2008, she had less than four months to settle into the job before the stock market crashed and bankruptcy filings surged.
More than 18 years later, as Delano prepares to retire, the businesses arriving in her courtroom look different. But one persistent problem is that small-business owners often wait too long to seek legal or financial advice, sometimes worsening their financial problems before turning to bankruptcy court.