Thousands of credit card collection lawsuits are filed every year in Pennsylvania's Magistrate Court System. The purpose behind these lawsuits is obvious - to get you to pay the creditor. Too often, people ignore these lawsuits or quickly call the creditor to work out a payment plan, even if that payment plan is not affordable in the long run. What many people don't realize is that they may have a good chance of beating the lawsuit or having the lawsuit stopped without paying anything to the creditor.
When creditors file collection lawsuits, they are required to meet certain procedural and evidentiary standards. They cannot merely claim that you owe a debt to them. When you raise the proper legal challenges, the creditors are forced to prove their case. But if you fail to challenge the collection lawsuit, the creditor wins automatically.
If you let the creditor win automatically, a court judgment is entered against you. Once the judgment is entered, the creditor may have other collection methods besides harassing phone calls and letters. After obtaining a judgment, your creditor may attach a lien to your home, sell your personal property, garnish your bank accounts and the judgment may negatively impact your credit report for years.
People will ignore these lawsuits out of frustration, fear, or embarrassment. Some people will quickly call the creditor to work out a deal, forgetting why they were unable to pay the debt in the first place. Both of these decisions are wrong because they are based on emotion, which is exactly what the creditor is hoping for.
What the creditor doesn't want you to do is contact an experienced consumer rights attorney. Contact EDF Law because we have the experience and knowledge to help you stop the Magistrate Court Lawsuit in a realistic way. We are a true full service debt relief office offering a range of options to fit your budget and goals.
TIME LIMITATIONS
Please be aware that time limitations will apply to the Magistrate Court Lawsuit. You must act quickly because a defense to the lawsuit will be required within the deadlines set forth in the Magistrate Court lawsuit papers. We have helped hundreds of people facing similar lawsuits beat the lawsuits. Contact us today to receive a free consultation and learn more about how we can help you gain relief from the Magistrate Court Lawsuit. When you call us, don't forget to ask about how we might be able to help you at no cost and what happens after the lawsuit is resolved.
* The content on this page is only related to collection lawsuits filed by credit card companies or debt buyers. All other types of legal matters filed in a Pennsylvania Magisterial District Court may have different legal strategies or outcomes.
Collection Judgments May Result In:
A lien against your house, making it difficult to sell or refinance
The sale of your personal property, including your vehicle & household furnishings
A bank account garnishment freezing your account
A negative effect on your credit report for years or even decades in certain circumstances
Common Creditors We Have Beaten:
Portfolio Recovery Associates LLC
Capital One Bank
Barclays Bank
Discover Bank
Many other creditors and debt buyers
Credit Card Defense - Magistrate Court Lawsuits
Past experience and/or success cannot serve as a guarantee of certain outcomes.