Legal Question in Business Law in Indiana

Re: trade law

Stop monkeying around with your magical thinking. You must immediately confer with an experienced attorney. "Trade law" could include a number of allegations, such as breach of contract for violating a noncompetition agreement, conversion of business assets for stealing the company's customer list, and unfair competition, to name a few. You have a limited time to respond (20 days, perhaps) and if you fail to respond, a judgment could be entered against you for thousands of dollars and you could be ordered to stop doing business. I would call that "trouble." A non-compete agreement must be in writing, signed by the parties, and limited in scope as to time, place and extent, or it won't be enforceable. It forbids a person from doing business in competition with, usually, an employer or former partners. There could be valid defenses to all the claims, so take the summons and complaint to a good lawyer. Contact your local bar association for a referral to someone experienced in business litigation. A consultation should cost a few hundred dollars, and to retain a good lawyer to defend against the complaint will cost thousands of dollars, all of which you should cheerfully pay. Good luck.