Privacy Policy

At the Law Office of Christopher Hewitt APC, we prioritize clear and effective communication with both our clients and potential clients. Whether you're seeking updates on your bankruptcy case or exploring your legal options, we provide convenient communication methods tailored to your preferences, such as phone, email, or SMS. This Privacy Policy explains our practices regarding the collection, use, and protection of your personal information when you engage with us, whether through our website, SMS service, or other communications.

We collect personal information only when it is necessary to deliver our legal services, help you explore your legal options, or keep you informed about your case. This Privacy Policy also outlines your rights regarding the use, access, correction, and deletion of your personal information. By opting in to receive messages from our firm, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

We collect two types of information from our visitors: anonymous information and personal information.

Our website contains certain features, such as contact forms, where you have the option to affirmatively provide information about yourself (“personal information”). You may be asked to provide personal information, including your name, address, email address, and telephone number(s). You have no obligation to use these features of our website. If you choose to provide us with personal information by submitting a contact form on this website, we may use that information to contact you back and to improve subsequent communications with you, if any. We may also use your voluntarily submitted personal information to keep you informed of law firm news and events, but only if you are provided the opportunity to opt out of that type of use (see Removal of Information and Opting Out section, below). We will seek your affirmative consent before using your personal information for any purpose other than those described in this policy.

Information transmitted on the internet, including via the contact forms on our website, is not secure and should not be considered confidential. The submission of a form on our website does not constitute attorney–client communication and does not create an attorney–client relationship.

Our website also may provide a third-party “Live Chat” feature, with which you can choose to provide personal information to the firm. Information provided on the Live Chat feature is not confidential, and your use of Live Chat does not constitute attorney–client communications and does not create an attorney–client relationship. If you choose to provide us with personal information by using the Live Chat feature, we may use that information to contact you back and to improve subsequent communications with you, if any.

The third-party Live Chat provider has its own privacy policy, which we encourage you to review. We are not responsible for the privacy policies of any third parties, including the Live Chat provider.

Do not disclose confidential information, including any information that may expose you to civil or criminal liability, via contact forms or Live Chat on this website.

We may retain information collected from contact forms and Live Chat indefinitely, or to the extent permissible by law.

You do not have to provide any personal information to use many of the features of this website. However, your web browser or application may automatically provide certain information about you (“anonymous information”), such as your IP address, which may include your geographic location; details about browser software, operating system, and device; access dates and times; and referring and exiting URLs.

We use this information, both individually and in the aggregate, to help us understand how visitors use our site and to improve our content and your experience visiting our site. We may retain this type of information indefinitely, or to the extent permissible by law.

We use “cookies” (small data files) to improve our website’s functionality and our visitors’ experience. These cookies do not identify you personally or give us access to your computer. You can disable cookies in your browser or application settings, but doing so may result in reduced website functionality. By visiting our website and not disabling cookies, you consent to our use of cookies for the purposes described in this policy.

We use a third-party analytics provider (Google Analytics) to help us understand how visitors use our site. Google Analytics uses cookies to collect information about our visitors, but it does not receive personally identifiable information through these cookies and is prohibited from combining, matching, or cross-referencing information from our site with any other information. You can review the Google Analytics privacy policy for additional information.

Our website may also use the Google AdWords “remarketing” service to serve advertising on third-party websites (including Google) to previous visitors of our site. This service also uses cookies, and any information collected will be in accordance with this privacy policy and Google’s privacy policy.

We may collect the following personal information from you:

• Name
• Phone number
• Email address
• City of residence

For individuals who are not clients of Christopher Hewitt, Esq., this is the only information we retain. Any other information shared during initial communication, such as comments or case details, will not be stored unless you become a client of the firm.

Once you become a client, we are required under California law to collect and retain additional information relevant to your legal matter. This may include documents, SMS messages, emails, pictures, transcripts, notes, recordings, voicemails, and other forms of communication or files that are essential for the proper handling of your bankruptcy case. Such information is stored securely as part of your attorney-client relationship to comply with our legal and ethical obligations, including those outlined in the California Rules of Professional Conduct. This ensures that all relevant data necessary for your legal representation is protected and preserved as required by law.

Please note that sensitive information, such as financial documents, Social Security numbers, or other confidential details, should not be shared with us over SMS. We recommend sharing such information in person or through a secure, encrypted portal.

Your information will be maintained with the utmost confidentiality and protected from unauthorized access, in alignment with our duty to safeguard sensitive client records.

We collect your personal information only with your explicit consent through one of the following methods:

• Opting into our SMS service: You provide your phone number via our website form and confirm your acceptance to receive messages from the attorney or authorized representatives collecting information on behalf of the attorney.
• Establishing an attorney-client relationship: Your information is collected when you formally engage our firm to assist with your legal matter. This information is gathered strictly to provide legal services and manage your case.
• Direct communication with our firm: You may provide information through phone calls, emails, or other direct communication, but only when necessary to address your legal situation or determine your interest in establishing a client-attorney relationship during consultations.

Please note, we will only send you SMS messages if you have explicitly opted in through our website form or agreed on your entered into a formal attorney-client relationship. We do not collect or use your information for messaging without one of these confirmed verifications.

We do not engage in any decision-making about you based solely on automated processes, including profiling. AI, bots, or any other form of automated technology is never used when handling your personal information. All decisions are made with personal attention to your legal needs.

The Law Office of Christopher Hewitt APC does not knowingly provide legal services or communicate directly with individuals under the age of 18. We do not intentionally collect or solicit personal information from anyone under 18 years of age. All consultations and communications are reserved for individuals who are legally able to enter into an attorney-client relationship.

If you believe that someone under the age of 18 has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at through our website contact form or by calling our listed phone numbers, and we will take steps to promptly delete such information.

We collect your information for the following purposes:

• To send you SMS updates regarding your bankruptcy case or other legal matters.
• To provide you with important notifications, such as reminders for deadlines, meetings, or other relevant legal information.
• To respond to any questions or requests related to our services.

We take the security of your personal information very seriously and implement advanced measures to protect it from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. Our security practices include:

• Encryption: We use encryption protocols to safeguard sensitive data both in transit and at rest.
• Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Access to our systems requires 2FA, ensuring that only authorized personnel can access client information.
• Secure Passwords: We enforce strict password policies, including complex password requirements and regular updates, to protect accounts from unauthorized access.
• Firewall and Intrusion Detection: Our systems are protected by advanced firewall technologies and real-time intrusion detection systems to prevent and respond to potential security threats.
• Data Access Control: Access to personal information is restricted to authorized personnel only, and we regularly audit access logs to ensure compliance with privacy standards.

We adhere to top industry standards and best practices, to ensure the highest level of security for your data.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information, including your phone number, to third parties for marketing purposes. Your information may only be shared with third-party service providers to facilitate the delivery of SMS messages (e.g., SMS gateway providers). These third parties are obligated to keep your information secure and use it only for the purpose of delivering our SMS notifications.

We will not disclose, without your consent, personal information collected about you, unless we are required to do so by law. In certain limited circumstances, and in compliance with applicable laws, we may share personal information with government authorities or others as required to protect the firm or certain third parties; or as otherwise required for compliance with applicable law or legal process. We will not distribute or sell personal information to third-party organizations.

Users seeking to opt out of receiving email communications from the firm may reply to any marketing communication with the subject line “unsubscribe.”

Opt-out of receiving SMS messages at any time by replying "STOP" to any of our SMS communications.

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), individuals who do not have an attorney-client relationship with our firm have specific rights regarding their personal data. You have the right to:

1. Access - You may request that we disclose the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you.
2. Correction - You have the right to request that we correct any inaccurate personal information we maintain about you.
3. Deletion - You may request that we delete your personal information from our records. However, this right does not apply if we are legally required to retain the information, such as in cases involving bankruptcy filings.
4. Opt-Out - You may opt-out of the sale of your personal information, though we do not sell personal data.
5. Non-Discrimination - You have the right not to receive discriminatory treatment for exercising your privacy rights.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us. We will respond to your request as required by California law. Please note that if you have filed or are involved in a bankruptcy case through our firm, we may be required to retain certain information by law, and in those cases, your request for deletion may not apply.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact us at:

Law Office of Christopher Hewitt APC
Phone: 760-585-4451
Address: 74361 Highway 111, Suite 7
Palm Desert, CA 92260