Author’s Newsletter, Articles and Publications
Upcoming book publication on August 18, 2026
The Price of Forgiveness—
Debt, Bankruptcy, and the Future of Fairness in America
Link to publisher’s website: https://www.intrepidliterary.com/books/the-price-of-forgiveness.
Author’s Newsletter: https://sarahsharercurley.substack.com (Court’s Open);
Excerpted Prepublication Reviews:
From Kirkus Reviews: “[T]his book serves simultaneously as a memoir and a warning; it’s a deeply personal account of a life led in service of the law as well as a forcefully presented and thoughtfully written account of debt in modern America….Curley writes clearly and concisely without simplifying the complexities of her subject. This book belongs on a shelf alongside other works that demonstrate the microeconomic impact of macroeconomic shifts on the American economy, such as Barbara Ehrenreich’s Nickel and Dimed (2001) and Matthew Desmond’s Evicted (2016). As in those works, Curley writes with keen empathy from a place of expertise……A compelling book that brings the stark realities of debt in America to light.”
In another professional review, BookLife/Publishers Weekly wrote “Federal bankruptcy judge Curley reframes the narrative surrounding debt, finances, and bankruptcy in this educational debut……[S]he provides readers with behind-the-scenes insights on bankruptcy cases and laws, arguing for the removal of stigma and shame often associated with the need for such legal proceedings. Spotlighting high profile and rare cases from her career, Curley makes a convincing case that ‘bankruptcy affects everyone,’ referring to bankruptcy court as the ‘emergency room of the law.’” Curley provides remarkable and informative insights….and possible solutions for change….Throughout, Curley passionately advocate for individuals in need while highlighting that bankruptcy is far from a black and white process….She closes with proposed solutions to ‘make our system fairer and more responsive to all.’…Takeaway: Informed, passionate insights on U.S. bankruptcy court.”
Articles and Publications:
2026 The Genius Act Needs to Be Sent Back to School, 45 Am. Bankr. Inst. J. (Issue 2, 2026, pp. 8- 9, 59).
2022 “Don’t Cancel Student Loans. Let Bankruptcy Law Forgive Them,” Opinion, Newsweek.com, 6/21/22.
2021 Sellers and Buyers Beware: New Developments in the Sale of Assets, 38 Am. Bankr. Inst. J. (Issue 10, 2019, pp. 26-27), and 39 Am. Bankr. Insti. J. (Issue 1, 2020, pp. 44-45, and 75). Article cited in “Better than a Discharge,” Epstein, David G., and Bowens, Tevin, 71 Syracuse Law Review, 443, at 447 (2021).
2009 “Where to Hide? How Valuation of Derivatives Haunts the Courts—Even after BAPCPA,” 83 American Bankr. L.J., 297 (Issue 2, 2009).
2005 (Last revision: 2015) The Bankruptcy Card and How to Play It (published by the National Association of Women Judge). After the enactment of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (BAPCPA) in 2005, one of the first books to provide guidance to state court and non-bankruptcy, federal judges on how to proceed with bankruptcy issues that might arise in their courts