Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in California
I received a summons and I have to repond with in 30 days also received a letter 2 weeks after the summons with a different amount and collection company - lawyer wants me to call back and do a settlement. What form do I use to respond and should I contact the collection - lawyer to make some kind of arrangement
2 Answers from Attorneys
Before responding, consider whether you might have an absolute statute of limitation defense. If you were to call the attorney's office, you might get a fax number and fax the collection letter and say you're confused about how much you owe. Can you clarify, as you don't want to be accused of not having settled the entire debt.
Unless it's a relatively small amount of money, it's often better to be represented by an attorney when dealing with things like this. Also, don't forget to file your answer within 30 days, or the creditor could take your default and obtain a default judgment for the full amount, attorney's fees, and interest.
Because you are short on time, it is best to get an answer on file an avoid a default judgment as soon as possible. If you would like a free answer template, feel free to email me.
Regards,
Bryan