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North Carolina Consumer Law Questions & Answers
1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law, Consumer Law and Contracts for North Carolina on
Q: Can I sue someone from Craigslist for selling me a misrepresented dog breed?

I purchased a dog from a seller on Craigslist who advertised it as an 11-month-old purebred Pomeranian for $400. The listing explicitly stated "Pomeranian," and the seller implied the dog was purebred, mentioning I was getting "a really good deal." Upon receiving the dog, I... View More

Lynn Ellen Coleman
Lynn Ellen Coleman
answered on Mar 18, 2025

You can always try, but the issue is, how likely would it be that you would win? How much are your damages (how much is the dog you received worth)? With no written contract and no requirement for papers, its a "he said, she said" situation. Court costs are around $180.00 for small... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Civil Litigation, Consumer Law and Contracts for North Carolina on
Q: I sent $8,200 to Liaz Legacy Solutions LLC in Statesville, NC, but they never provided the service. What should I do?

I sent $8,200 to Liaz Legacy Solutions LLC in Statesville, NC, for a service, but they never provided the service and have been giving me the runaround. They mailed me back a copy of the cashed check, and the compound interest is now $200. The transaction occurred on 10/24/2024. I want to sue them... View More

Lynn Ellen Coleman
Lynn Ellen Coleman
answered on Feb 27, 2025

You can sue them in small claims court in Iredell County or any other county where they do business. This is a corporation so you will need to go to the Secretary of State's office and get their registered office and registered agent for service.

You will not be able to recover...
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1 Answer | Asked in Civil Litigation, Consumer Law and Contracts for North Carolina on
Q: Can I refile my dismissed case as Pro Se and file for Summary Judgment in NC?

I am a plaintiff in North Carolina. A month ago, I dismissed my case without prejudice due to difficulties with upfront attorney fees. The case involves four counts: Unfair Business Practices, Breach of Contract, Fraud, and Money Had and Received. I plan on refiling the case as Pro Se and intend to... View More

Lynn Ellen Coleman
Lynn Ellen Coleman
answered on Feb 22, 2025

If you are going to represent yourself, you MUST familiarize yourself with the North Carolina Rules of Civil Proceudre in their entirety, as well as your Local Rules of Court and the General Rules of Practice. Pro se do not get a break, you are held to the same standards as an attorney.... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law, Contracts and Civil Litigation for North Carolina on
Q: How can I recover my $200,000 from a fraudulent transaction?

A woman from another nation offered $200,000 to two people in my church, with a requirement of paying $1,500 upfront. We each complied, and while others received their money, she is refusing to send me the $200,000. We have a written agreement. I've threatened to expose her on social media.... View More

Lynn Ellen Coleman
Lynn Ellen Coleman
answered on Feb 22, 2025

"From another nation"? Are you saying you were a victim of an online scam? If so, Your best option is to report the issue to law enforcement. If law enforcement says this is a civil act, then they wll not accept the case. Exposing this person on social media will only lead to this person... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law and Collections for North Carolina on
Q: Being sued for debt but summons was delivered to the wrong address and not signed by me - what should my next step be?

I discovered recently that a lawsuit was filed against me due to my Discover debt. I had no knowledge that it was assigned to an attorney's office. I was on the Mecklenburg court site to verify something regarding a different situation and I seen the lawsuit information. The summons was served... View More

Lynn Ellen Coleman
Lynn Ellen Coleman
answered on Feb 4, 2025

You will need to file a motion to set aside the entry of default due to faulty service under Rule 60. If it was served by mail, an affidavit from you will be required with proof of your correct address. You will likely need a lawyer to help you because there are no "forms" for this Motion... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law, Contracts, Legal Malpractice and Small Claims for North Carolina on
Q: My attorney used all of my retainer then withdrew from my case a few days later. Can i get a partial refund?

Attorneys grounds for withdrawal are said to be medical issues.

If I have to pay another attorney to familiarize themselves with my case, does that not make at least a large portion of my withdrawing attorneys fees that have been charged useless? It appears malicious to send a bill using... View More

Lynn Ellen Coleman
Lynn Ellen Coleman
answered on Jan 13, 2025

Your attorney is entitled to be compensated based upon the terms of your fee contract. It is impossible to predict if the attorney's retention of the retainer is justified because we do not know when the medical issues arose. You are entitled to an explanation of what work the attorney did,... View More

3 Answers | Asked in Consumer Law and Bankruptcy for North Carolina on
Q: I put up a title for a loan, but the title was sent back to me by mistake, what could the title company do ?

The DMV told me that the tiitle was satisfied which means it has no lien on it, I am having some financial difficulties , what actions could they take ?

W. J. Winterstein Jr.
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W. J. Winterstein Jr.
answered on Dec 27, 2024

I've had cases where such a lender goes to non-bankruptcy court with a plea of either unilateral or mutual mistake, and gets the title back by court order, but no damages award.

You don't state the value of the auto. If your fiscal problems are serious, speak to an experienced...
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3 Answers | Asked in Consumer Law and Bankruptcy for North Carolina on
Q: I put up a title for a loan, but the title was sent back to me by mistake, what could the title company do ?

The DMV told me that the tiitle was satisfied which means it has no lien on it, I am having some financial difficulties , what actions could they take ?

Lynn Ellen Coleman
Lynn Ellen Coleman
answered on Dec 27, 2024

As the attorney from Pennsylvania noted, there are court processes available for them to take if they want to get the lien put back on the title. They also can sue you for the balance due once you stop paying on the loan and get a money judgment without seeking possession of the vehicle. This can... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law and Civil Litigation for North Carolina on
Q: How can I handle this miscommunication or confusion with my insurance and then being extra charged because of that?

I was dealing with mi car insurance about rates jumping up too high for my next policy and used the chat option that their app have, the person that I interacted with misunderstood what I wanted, I wanted to change my next policies rates and he changed my current one and now they are expecting me... View More

Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
answered on Dec 13, 2024

A North Carolina attorney could advise best, but your question remains open for three weeks. You should be able to remedy this without attorneys. Keep trying to reach them on the phone. It looks like this mix-up resulted limitations in clear communication because of the chat session. Over the... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Bankruptcy and Consumer Law for North Carolina on
Q: Discover Card has an abirtration clause which was enforced by a judge. But I can't afford the abirtration

I want to file for bankruptcy as the other alternative to this whole thing because Discover has sent false paperwork saying that they had filed a court case against me and that if I just sign a voluntary judgment, then I wouldn't have to court but when I showed up for the court date I was told... View More

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Jun 21, 2024

I understand you're in a difficult situation with Discover Card and considering bankruptcy as an alternative. Let me break down the key points and offer some general information:

1. Arbitration clause enforcement: It's common for credit card agreements to include arbitration...
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4 Answers | Asked in Bankruptcy, Consumer Law, Estate Planning and Family Law for North Carolina on
Q: Am I responsible for my wife's CC liability when she passes? South Carolina
James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Jun 19, 2024

In South Carolina, as in most states, debts belong to the individual, not the spouse, unless it was a joint account or the spouse co-signed on the account. When someone passes away, their estate is responsible for paying off any debts. The deceased person's assets must first go toward paying... View More

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4 Answers | Asked in Bankruptcy, Consumer Law, Estate Planning and Family Law for North Carolina on
Q: Am I responsible for my wife's CC liability when she passes? South Carolina
W. J. Winterstein Jr.
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W. J. Winterstein Jr.
answered on Jun 19, 2024

You should have no direct legal liability for debts in your wife's name alone, but assuming that you are a beneficiary of her estate, to the extent that there are assets in her name, those estate debts must be paid before you receive any distribution from her estate.

Confer with...
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1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law for North Carolina on
Q: Can I sue a company for false advertising by sending me a email saying I won money and as I read it then says I may have

I received some emails stating I won with the amount but it was false advertising

Lynn Ellen Coleman
Lynn Ellen Coleman
answered on May 3, 2024

You could, but you will not win. You have no damages, because you realized the ad was misleading. You also could not file a lawsuit like this in small claims, you would have to file in District or Superior Court which means hiring an attorney. It would be difficult to get an attorney to handle this... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law, Criminal Law and Federal Crimes for North Carolina on
Q: Is this extortion?

I received a letter in the mail from home depot threatening to lower my credit limit if I do not make a purchase by a certain date. They have done this to me once before and when I was near a home depot working on a project I had to get my limit increased again. I feel like if they threaten to... View More

Lynn Ellen Coleman
Lynn Ellen Coleman
answered on Apr 7, 2024

There is nothing illegal about this. Citibank (who I believe issues the cardit card) has the right to change the terms of your card at any time by notification. Any bank can close your card if you do not use it after a certain amount of time, as well. Accepting the reduced credit limit will hurt... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law for North Carolina on
Q: Motor repair cost $15,000, warranty company is covering $10,000 cap, 3 weeks after purchase. Is this even legal?

We put less than 3,000 miles. The mechanic is saying the warranty company is only going to cover $10,000 and the car requires another motor, making total cost around $15,000. We put down payment, insurance, extended warranty as there was no dealer warranty. The warranty company technically accepted... View More

Lynn Ellen Coleman
Lynn Ellen Coleman
answered on Apr 1, 2024

An attorney would have to review the warranty itself to make sure that all covered charges are being paid for. How much is the deductible (the amount you have to pay for repairs). Is there a limitation on how long you have to own the car before the warranty will come in to effect, or a limitation... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law, Criminal Law and Personal Injury for North Carolina on
Q: My things were in a fire at a storage facility. The biz isn't letting me look through my destroyed unit for salvage.

I feel like I'm getting the runaround from this company. At first they told me a customer used a code to get in and set it on fire, and now they're telling me they cut their way in and did the same.

The problem is this: I think some things survived in this fire, but they... View More

Lynn Ellen Coleman
Lynn Ellen Coleman
answered on Mar 8, 2024

Your property should be covered by your homeowners or renters insurance policy. Turn in an insurance claim and your own insurance company will help you get access.

If you did not have insurance, that's too bad because most likely the storage facility is not at fault whether a customer...
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1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law, Banking, Civil Rights and Constitutional Law for North Carolina on
Q: Title 15 usc 1611. Does it mean I can get a personal loan and a bank can't deny it

And is it bc of our bond that was created when we're born

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Feb 23, 2024

Title 15 USC 1611, also known as the Fair Credit Reporting Act, doesn't guarantee you automatic approval for a personal loan. It outlines regulations for credit reporting agencies and ensures fair treatment in credit-related matters. However, banks still have the right to evaluate your... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law for North Carolina on
Q: Can I get compensation from American airline

My flight was canceled for 48hrs due to weather conditions even thought other flights nearby are landing. We paid extra cash for a flight with no stops yet they added a stop for our new flight. They won’t give our luggage back with all our stuff until our destination. They won’t pay for hotel,... View More

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Jan 25, 2024

In cases where a flight is canceled due to weather conditions, airlines typically have policies that limit their responsibility for providing compensation or covering additional expenses like hotel stays or meals. However, the specifics can vary depending on the airline's terms and conditions... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law and Landlord - Tenant for North Carolina on
Q: can the apartment management force me to use their internet/ISP instead of the one i've been using for the past 2 years?

i live in an apartment community in Greensboro, NC. Recently, i was asked to vacate my current unit, and was given the option to transfer to another unit, which i accepted.

The 'welcome letter' for the new unit stated that i will be charged $65/month for cable, (i assume)... View More

Lynn Ellen Coleman
Lynn Ellen Coleman
answered on Dec 31, 2023

You mentioned that you had spectrum cable in the other unit and I presume you paid for it in the other unit. If that lease required all residents to pay for internet and they offered a transfer on the same terms then yes they can make you continue to "pay double". It is not illegal for an... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Consumer Law, Personal Injury and Products Liability for North Carolina on
Q: Can you sue a company that put alcohol in a cooking spray that was not labeled to have that ingredient in it
James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Dec 25, 2023

Yes, it may be possible to sue a company for failing to properly label a cooking spray that contains alcohol. Some key considerations in evaluating a potential lawsuit:

- Product liability laws require companies to adequately warn consumers of any risks or hazardous ingredients in their...
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