Q: There has been a civil lawsuit filed against me by a collection agency
I Previously asked this question and got a great explanation I owe approx. 990.00 purchase was made in 2007 on a cc Now the collection agency has filed against me in court Question 1 I cannot afford a lawyer I am unemployed, so how do I answer to their lawsuit wait till court hearing? or talk or write to them . I did send a financial info form to them before the filing I listed no earnings I had approx. 20.00 in a checking acct and own a 1994 Toyota pick up. It don't run also additional cc debt in the amt of 2,400.00 did not include that on financial form Under RI State law a collection agency can come after anyone up to 10yrs next yr is 10yrs Should I hire a legal aid laywer or is it too late or defend myself in court which some Judges frown on Can I offer a payment of 20.00 per month or has the time for that expire Thanks for any advice you can give me Jon
A: If you don't qualify for legal aid and cannot afford a lawyer, you must comport with the court rules and procedures and defend yourself. the Summons will tell you how long you have to file your answer with the court to avoid being defaulted. The judges will likely frown on your inability to know the law, raise appropriate defenses, follow proper procedure, and file counterclaim motions, if any are viable to your case. Good luck.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
