Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in Georgia
Wage garnishment
i HAVE RECENTLY RECEIVED A SUMMONS OF GARNISHMENT FOR A CELL PHONE BILL THAT I HAD CANCELED 2 YEARS AGO. THE CANCELATION FEE WAS $150. I HAD THE PHONE FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS, AND I KEPT TELLING THEM THAT THE PHONE DIDN'T WORK IN THE AREA THAT I LIVED. IT WAS ALWAYS ROAMING. SO I CANCELED THE CONTRACT. I RECEIVED A BILL FOR $1024.40 BACK IN SEPT 2005 ABOUT 2 MONTHS AFTER I HAD CANCELED THE CONTRACT. dUE TO UNFORESEEN HARDSHIP AND MY NEED TO RELOCATE I WAS NOT ABLE TO PAY THE BILL. I NOW RECEIVE A LETTER FROM ANOTHER CREDITOR FOR THE AMOUNT OF 1700. I FILED A TRAVERSE AND NOW HAVE TO APPEAR IN COURT. IHAVE TO REPRESENT MYSELF. CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME TIPS ON HOW MAYBE I CAN GET IT REDUCED OR DISSOLVED ALTOGETHER?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Wage garnishment
A garnishment happens after you already lost a lawsuit (either by ignoring it or by losing it). A traverse is not a way to attack a judgment. If you are within 30 days of the original judgment you can appeal THAT case; if you waited past that you are too late.
The ONLY defense to a garnishment is to show that the judgment does not exist (very improbable) or that you have paid it.
Otherwise, the only thing that stops a garnishment is bankruptcy.
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