Debt Suit Reply | How To Handle Debt Suit | Weatherford, TX Legal Help
If you’ve been served a notice that a creditor is suing you, take it seriously.
Your creditor could be a car company, home loan, or bank/credit card. No matter who sues you, make sure you respond, and do it promptly. Whether you live in Mineral Wells, Weatherford, Azle, or Aledo, the state of Texas takes debt suits seriously, and ignoring a citation may mean a default judgment, meaning that you lose automatically.
I’m James Foley, PLLC, and I am a licensed attorney. Call me and I can discuss the following with you, phone me at 817-738-1633. We’ll work on one of the following avenues to get you set up for the best outcome:
1. You have to answer the suit.
You may have as little as 14 days to properly respond. Don’t let any more time pass if you’ve been putting off the task. Your issues will compound if you delay. Let’s get to fixing things.
What may very well be happening is that you have been sued by a debt buyer. While you may have never heard of companies like Midland Funding, Portfolio Recovery, Cavalry, etc. They buy up charged off accounts and file suit in masse. Only about 2% of all consumers hire a knowledgeable debt defense attorney.
Even if you find that a debt suit is inaccurate, failing to reply may still leave you liable.
No matter what your case may look like, give me a call and I can advise you on how to move forward. Even better, I can represent you in court if it comes to that.
If you find that your identity has been stolen, there are a number of steps you’ll need to take:
a. Obtain a police report from your local department. The police may not be able to do anything to help your identity theft case, but you’ll need this report moving forward.
b. Obtain an FTC affidavit.
c. Freeze your credit with the three major agencies, so that any future attempts to use your identity will alert you.
Check for fraud for free at www.annualcreditreport.com.
2. Can you pay the amount in the suit?
You generally have three choices when served a debt case: fight, settle, or declare bankruptcy.
If you decide to settle, I’ll help you get the best result. I’m able to serve discovery, see documents, and evaluate the creditor’s case. I also know how your judge may rule, due to the fact that I’ve worked with most Weatherford, Arlington, and Fort Worth judges during my career.
You may not know the long list of terms that creditors will accept, so rely on my knowledge and we’ll get the best result we’re able, based on your circumstances.
Our options when you’re not able to pay off the debt are three fold. We can negotiate a more lenient payoff calendar, we can settle the debt outside of court, or you may find that bankruptcy is your best way forward.
While bankruptcy may not sound like the best way forward, it can be a valuable resource for certain cases.
3. “Bankruptcy” is a scary word, and deciding what to do when facing bankruptcy is a complicated decision.
The process of bankruptcy is like a bailout for consumers. During this past year, we’ve seen major companies receive hundreds of millions of bailout dollars, yet what is there for the average person?
While bankruptcy shouldn’t be the first line of defense in a debt suit, it isn’t a worst case scenario either. Bankruptcy is a valuable tool, if used correctly and exercised at the right moment.
I’ve guided multiple clients from Grand Prairie, Arlington, Haltom City, Weatherford, White Settlement, Aledo, Granbury, and Azle through the process. As long as you’re considering bankruptcy in Texas, I’ll be on your side.
We’ll likely discuss your options under chapter 7 bankruptcy, which allows you to retain important assets like your home or vehicle, while discharging debts like the ones you may have been sued for. However, if your income bracket is too high for chapter 7, and we have to discuss chapter 13, there is still light at the end of the tunnel.
No matter whether we choose to fight, settle, or declare bankruptcy, I’ll get you the best result I can!
When you’re ready to talk to your legal representative about your options, give me a call. I look forward to helping you pave the way to financial independence and eventually, success.
Aledo, Weatherford, Arlington, and fellow Texans across Dallas/Ft. Worth, call me today at 817-738-1633, and let’s make this the beginning of the end of your troubles.