Georgia Debt Collection Defense Lawyer

Carlisle Law Firm

Been Served With a Debt Collection Lawsuit?

What Happens Next?

(770) 998-6601 phone

info@debt-defender.com

William R. Carlisle, Attorney

Sued by a debt buyer, bank or collection agency? You have 30 days from the date of service to answer. Don't let a default judgment happen.

Who Files Debt Collection Lawsuits?

How We Defend Collection Lawsuits.

Other Debt Relief: FDCPA claims, Settlements, and Chapter 7 "Fresh Start" Bankruptcy

Serving Every County in Georgia.

Common Questions About Debt Lawsuits.

Debt collection lawsuits create anxiety and feelings of helplessness. Most consumer debtors either ignore the lawsuit altogether, or accept any settlement terms offered by the debt collector’s attorney. Ignoring a lawsuit or failing to show up for a hearing leads to a default judgment, allowing for wage and bank garnishments to be filed without prior warning. Debtors who represent themselves often learn hard and expensive lessons due to their lack of legal training, experience, and familiarity with state and federal collection laws, the rules of evidence, and court procedures. Others respond by filing an unnecessary bankruptcy, an extreme measure that should be considered a last resort. You have another option.

If a debt collection lawsuit was filed, don't wait to get help. Consumer debtors have valuable rights and defenses against debt collection. Your first response to the lawsuit is crucial and sets the stage for how the case will proceed. Claims and defenses that aren't included could be lost forever. This firm has defended thousands of debt collection lawsuits in courts throughout the State of Georgia. In every case, our goal is to either substantially reduce the debt, or get the lawsuit dismissed, so you pay nothing to the debt collector. Find out how we can defend your collection lawsuit by requesting a free case evaluation below.

Carlisle Law Firm employs an approach to "debt relief" that involves effective strategies based on in-depth knowledge of the debt collection industry, familiarity with common practices by collection law firms, and a thorough knowledge of the law applicable to collection cases. In addition t simply defending a collection lawsuit, we make every effort to exploit weaknesses and expose unfair practices that are inherent to the debt collection process.

What if I haven't been served yet? As a general rule, don't wait for service. The 30 day deadline to file your Answer doesn't start running until you are served, but you don't have to wait for service before filing. Some people never learn they were "served" until it is too late. Service can lawfully be made on family members and roommates. Even bad service can lead to a default judgment. A default judgment can be set aside for bad service, but these attempts often fail for multiple reasons.

What happens if the debt collector gets a judgment? After a judgment is entered, the debt collector's most used method of enforcement is garnishment. You are only entitled to notice after a garnishment has been filed. We have received numerous calls from debtors who ignored a lawsuit, or filed an Answer thinking they'd done everything tat needed to be done, only to discover their bank account was frozen, or their paycheck was 25% smaller. If you own a home, the judgment acts like a lien and has to be paid if the property is sold or refinanced.

How long do collection lawsuits take? The natural length of proceedings from filing the Complaint until trial in Magistrate Court can be anywhere from 60 days to over a year, in some cases. In the State and Superior Courts, a case may last anywhere from 6 months to 2 years or more.

Are most lawsuits settled? Yes, almost all debt collection cases are settled before trial. A settlement may involve a payment plan for some percentage of the alleged debt, or may consist of an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit.

How much are your fees? The exact dollar amount depends on multiple factors, including the court, county, and issues involved in the case. However, we make sure that our fees are cost-efficient in comparison to the amount of the alleged debt. When deemed appropriate, we will also file consumer rights claims against debt collectors, many of which result in payments to our clients.

Wherever you're at in the State of Georgia, we've got you covered. We accept cases filed in all 159 Georgia Counties. No appointment is needed. For more information on how we can help, get a free case evaluation.

For an immediate free case evaluation, just upload a copy of the Statement of Claim or Complaint, with all attached exhibits. If you don't have a copy, we'll find the case online (applicable to most counties) and send you the case evaluation by email.

Get a Free Case Evaluation.