Can I handle my collection case on my own?
“Can I handle my collection case on my own?”
Often times when you’re dealing with a collection lawsuit, a big question that needs to be answer is whether or not you can handle the lawsuit on your own.
The simple answer is it depends.
There’s lots of different types of debt collection suits.
We’ve seen people sued for $500, we’ve seen people sued for six figures — it makes a difference.
Let me try to describe it this way, you have five options when you’ve been sued.
We’re more than happy to mail you out a package, you’ll have a DVD with a very detailed video, lots of written material to help you think through this process if you’ve been sued.
You have five options:
You can file bankruptcy, if you do that, it’s very rare that’s appropriate, but you would need a lawyer for that.
You can fight it on your own, so you don’t need a lawyer.
Settle it on your own, so you don’t need a lawyer.
You can also hire a lawyer to fight the lawsuit or settle lawsuit.
It depends on where were you sued.
You may be wondering, “which option is best?”
Well, it just depends.
We have something we call Small Claims Court, and that’s up to $6,000.
We have something called District Court, that’s from $6,000 up to $10,000.
Then we have something called Circuit Court, which is from $6,000 up above.
If you’re, for example, sued for $7,000, it could be in District Court, it could be in Circuit Court.
If it’s $6,000 or below, it’s going to be in Small Claims Court.
Generally speaking, Small Claims Court is something you can handle on your own.
District Court, generally speaking, you can handle on your own.
Once you get to that Circuit Court level though, that could be as low as, say $6,001, normally it’s about $10,000 and above.
If you’re in Circuit Court, very very difficult to handle on your own, because the rules get so much more complex, especially with such things like Motions for Summary Judgment, Discovery, Depositions.
The level of complexity is not just a little bit above Small Claims or District, it’s way above it.
That is very difficult to handle on your own.
Sometimes in District Court, Small Claims Court, it makes sense to hire a lawyer, but a lot of times we’re encouraging people, “Look, handle this on your own. Go win your case, and then we’ll talk about suing this debt collector in Federal Court.”
We will be glad to help talk you through your options
My suggestion to you is, keep in mind it is possible to handle your case on your own.
Work through those five options, bankruptcy, fight it on your own, settle on your own, hire a lawyer to fight it, hire a lawyer to settle it, and we’re more than happy to help you go through those options, and then decide what is the best for you.
It doesn’t matter what somebody else did, even in the state of Alabama.
Surely doesn’t matter what somebody did in Nevada, or California, Florida.
What is best for you, that’s what you’ve got to figure out, we’ll be happy to help you do it.
Just pick up the phone and call us, 205-879-2447, or you can get in touch with us by filling out a contact form.
I look forward to talking with you.
Have a great day.