Q: My girlfriend has a court order detailing her ex-husbands responsibility for 100% of a medical debt.
The debt has been sent to collections and as she has no contact with her ex-husband (she has tried but he is currently a fugitive wanted by Yavapai County in Arizona) they are still hurting her credit and forcing her to pay in spite of the court order that clearly details that he is responsible for 100% of this particular debt. She has disputed the debt multiple times but the collections agency continually claims the debt is her responsibility yet has never mailed documents verifying the bill. What options does she have to both not pay this debt but also remove her liability so it stops negatively effecting her credit score as it is not her responsibility?
A:
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) helps protect consumers.
https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/rules/rulemaking-regulatory-reform-proceedings/fair-debt-collection-practices-act-text#809
You may want to retain an attorney to represent you, and see if you can get the collection agency to pay your legal fees.
Timothy Denison agrees with this answer
1 user found this answer helpful
A: File a motion to hold husband in contempt and for fees. Send copy of court order to creditors as well. Any debt she did not personally sign on she cannot be collected from her regardless.
1 user found this answer helpful
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.
