Q: In California, For Civil debt over 25k unlimited, do Courts allow installment payment plan
I was wondering if the Courts allow Installment agreement for cases above the 25k limit, I saw they do offer for below 25k but I could not find any info about above 25k installment agreement on the Court website.
And Should I hire a lawyer to file the Motion and serve the other side. So they can show up at the hearing if they want to oppose your request. It is first time planning or trying this out, I am worried I might mess up, so thinking about Hiring a Lawyer to do the Motion near me when the time comes.
1 For Civil debt over 25k unlimited, do Courts allow installment agreement
2 Should I hire a Lawyer to file the Motion and Serve the other side
3 How much can I expect to pay for hiring a Lawyer to file a Motion and Serve the other side
A:
1. A civil debt is between you and the creditor. The court does not get involved with how the parties settle their matter. Most creditors will accept installment payments as a form of settlement.
2. I have no idea what motion you are contemplating. It is always a good idea to get the legal advice you need before you decide to do anything with your case. If you have been served with a summons and complaint, you most likely have 30 days within to serve and file your answer to the complaint. The forms are available on the court's website or you can access them by copying and pasting this link in your browser: https://www.courts.ca.gov/forms.htm. Then you will click the link for Civil, and then search for the form for Answer to a complaint. The form you are looking for is PLD-050.
3. Most lawyers will ask for a retainer, the amount of which will vary from one attorney to another. You might find one to help you on a limited scope basis, just to file your answer and some other paper. You will be lucky to find one who charges as little as $500, so it is important that you search for lawyers in your county. A good place to start is with the San Joaquin County Bar Association (https://www.sjcbar.org/) and look for their Lawyer Referral Service (LRS).
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