If you need help responding to a debt collection lawsuit, call our firm for advice. Chris Mudd & Associates PLLC’s legal team has been representing debtors for more than 29 years, helping many thousands of Oklahomans in the process. When you’re deeply in debt with creditors hounding you for payment, our team stands ready to step in.
How to Respond to an Oklahoma Debt Collection Lawsuit
Once you have been served with an Oklahoma debt collection lawsuit, you have only 20 days to respond. If you don’t respond at all, it’s likely that the court will enter a default judgment against you. The default judgment means that the creditor won the case. The creditor can use the judgment to start garnishing your wages or levying your bank accounts. Either of these collection actions can put you in even more of a precarious financial position than you were before the lawsuit.
Instead, seek legal help as soon as possible after you have been served with an Oklahoma debt collection lawsuit. Your lawyer can determine what to do next. Depending on your individual situation, our team might advise a two-pronged approach: filing an answer to the lawsuit and also preparing to file for bankruptcy. Filing an answer prevents the creditor from obtaining a default judgment against you. Filing for bankruptcy will stop the lawsuit from proceeding while the bankruptcy court helps you discharge some of your debts. Our team recognizes that everyone’s financial situation is different, so we evaluate each case carefully to recommend a path forward.
Facing a Default Judgment? We Can Help
If you received notice of a debt collection lawsuit but didn’t respond within 20 days, you are probably now facing a default judgment. You might already have had your wages garnished or your bank account levied. These creditor actions can greatly increase your financial instability and cause a lot of stress. Don’t let debt ruin your life – instead, schedule a free initial consultation with Chris Mudd & Associates PLLC. Our experienced legal team can determine your options for stopping the collection efforts, such as filing for bankruptcy.
You might be wondering how exactly bankruptcy can stop collection efforts or pause a creditor lawsuit. When you file for bankruptcy, a federal judge imposes an order known as an “automatic stay”. The automatic stay is effectively a “stop collections” order requiring creditors to cease any collection activities while the stay is in place. That means wage garnishment, levies, and creditor lawsuits get put on pause. Creditors do have the right to request relief from the automatic stay, but those requests take time for the court to process. In the meantime, you get a reprieve from debt collection while you work with the court to sort out your finances.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’m already in debt, can’t I save money by representing myself in a creditor lawsuit?
There’s a reason that the creditor who filed a lawsuit against you hired a law firm to prepare and file it. Filing or responding to a lawsuit is not as simple as it might appear. And you can’t trust websites promising quick and easy legal help without the need to hire a lawyer. These websites are often inaccurate or out-of-date, and they are no substitute for individualized legal advice. Don’t risk a default judgment – hire an experienced attorney who handles cases similar to yours every day.
A creditor sued me for a debt I thought I paid off. What should I do?
We encourage you to schedule a free consultation with our firm so that we can evaluate your options. You have only 20 days to answer a debt collection lawsuit. Even if you can prove that you paid off the debt, you must answer the lawsuit or risk a default judgment against you.
Don’t Let Debt Ruin Your Life. Get Legal Help Now
When facing a debt collection lawsuit filed by a creditor, don’t go it alone. You need trustworthy legal advice about your debt relief options from our legal team. Our bankruptcy lawyers have been helping clients in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area for more than 29 years. Reach out to Chris Mudd & Associates PLLC to get started with a free initial consultation focused on debt relief. Please text us or fill out our contact form today to learn more.