A detailed overview of being sued by a debt collector (debt buyer) in small claims or district court
Consumer Protection Attorney John G. Watts answers your questions about what happens when you are sued by a debt collector in district or small claims court in Alabama.
We talk about the following:
**Collection court lawsuit (complaint)
**Being served
**Advertisement letters from bankruptcy lawyers and non lawyer “mediation firm” of Ferry & Nicholas
**Time limits to answer a small claims and district court lawsuit
**How to file an answer
**When you get a trial date notice
**What to do BEFORE you go to trial
**What happens in trial
**What happens after trial if you win or lose
**Why you may have the right to sue the debt collector for false credit reporting and other violations of the law after you beat the collector in the collection trial
We hope you enjoy this video and feel free to share or comment below thanks!
John G. Watts
205-879-2447
Watts & Herring, LLC
Birmingham and Madison Alabama offices (Serving clients in all parts of Alabama)
No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.
You are such a great Attorney
I like the way to explain things ??????????????????
A friend lives in NYC is on rent stabilization program, and is currently terminally ill and not
expected to live too much longer so he has no computer and asked if I can ask a few
questions for him, and I hope you will reply advise, and thanks for your very informative video's
on youtube and the wonderful service you are performing:).
My elderly terminally ill friend has no other income or assets of value. His only monthly income
he receives in his Bank is his monthly social security check. As soon as it is deposited he withdraws the
complete amount in cash.
He owns nothing else of any value and lives extremely frugally, but wanted to know can any debt collectors
in NYC or from anywhere else legally garnish his Bank social security direct deposit check he receives every month?
We both thank you in advance for your kind legal informative reply and love your sharing information on youtube!
I wish you were here in Texas
Fyi in Missouri. If you are on disability and this happens to you. They can not make u pay it back ( credit cards ) . all u have to do is go to court and show the judge your award letter and bam it's done. I've done it 2 times.
John Watts, Thank you Sir! for bringing clarity to my situation, making it easier to understand, you brought alot of light in to a very confusing legal system, Thank you!
Superbly!! . Done. !!
Loved it !!
Amazing video!Thank You!
I was sued by Midland debt collector last year. In California the procedure is a little different.The court date was was on the actual summons. It was year after I was served. I was researching on line months after i was served when i came across this video. I failed to file my response with the court and thought i was screwed. I followed through on all the other information i could find. Verification of ownership, contracts, chain of of ownership, ect. I sent certified letters to Midland asking for additional proof ownership. They sent they same paperwork. Nothing in the paperwork said i owned the debt. Other that the cover letter, nothing in the 70 pages had my name on it. The court date came and i arrived early. Court convened, they called my case, and low and behold, no one representing Midland was present. Well i was taken aback when the judge RESET the trial for 3 months. Fast forward 3 months. Court time 1:30. They call my case 2:10, i step up, again, no one representing Midland is present. Just as a the judge who was sitting in stay for the normal judge was about to dismiss the case, the Midland rep calls, says hes running late. Judges asks me to sit. Midland shows up, states they have a default judgement in place, judge looks at his records, states they do not. Judge tells me i need to put my response paperwork in, i do. resets trial for 3 months. Fast forward 2 months. I get a letter from Midland DEMAND i provide them with copies of the original contract, payments, bills, statements and present them in person, in their office almost 300 miles away in less than 5 day, pursuant to some law and that i tell the truth during their questioning. Being a law enforcement officer, i kinda laughed because i say that to kids when i talk to them. A week later i get a summons in the mail for mandatory settlement hearing. Now i'm confused. They haven't showed up, won, or even prove they owned the debt. Date of the 3rd trial. They call my name, and again, no Midland. Judge is FURIOUS. I say my piece and throw in, "as a law enforcement officer who's been a witness in many trials, i can only imagine the sanctions the court would impose on prosecutor who disrespected the judge and just flat not showed up, for the 3rd time. I'm asking the court to dismiss this case". He fined Midland but I had to return because of the mandatory settlement hearing. Day of the hearing, the rep for Midland stated he had been following my plight and could understand my frustration and asked the court if he recommended dismissal would the waive the sanctions. The court agreed and the case was dismissed without prejudice. So, long story, I just want to say thank you for your advice. It was VERY beneficial
You're awesome tks.
Thank you sir! You’re a fair-minded attorney.
I wish you were my attorney. I am very ill been on chemo five years and after second year my savings were gone. I had to dip into my retirement, was turned down for disability because I had taken off time when my son was dying. The lawyer couldn't help me. I also fell in airport on my way home and broke my knee so lost more work tune. As a nursing supervisor I could not be on my feet. I was used for debt that I didn't owe. It was a very old debt too. My attorney on!y helped set up payment plans even on debt not mine my insurance was used to treat a female child they said was my daughter it was right after my only child my son died It was thousands of dollars. I was unable to work at this time. My attorney set up payments just to get rid of it. I've been to My attorney off and on over 16 yrs. Never heard any of this until, I watched the video. I hope you can read this.. Besides chemo brain the chemo has left me with blurred vision. I feel very let down by my attorney. As a professional nurse there is standard of care. I assume something like it is in place for attornies? I was under served. I am looking forward to death no more people using me. It's exhausting. Thank you for caring. Blessings!
Thank you so much for all you teaching us. Thank you for take time to do it, really appreciate it.
Thank for change my perspective on lawyers.
I want to become an attorney because of John