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Washington Collections Questions & Answers
1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law, Contracts, Criminal Law and Collections for Washington on
Q: I sold pieces of silver to a local jeweler. The check bounced. For two months he kept promising to make it good.

For two months he promised to make it good in a "few days". For the last month he has not returned my calls or texts. What are my options? Since he has done this recently to multiple people at what point does this become criminal? The transaction occurred in Sequim, Washington

Joel Gary Selik
Joel Gary Selik
answered on Apr 22, 2024

It is probably criminal now. Report it to the police (do not threaten to report it to the police as that might be a crime). Check your states laws on giving notice on bounced checks and your rights to recovery in small claims for damages in addition to the amount of the check.

1 Answer | Asked in Divorce, Tax Law, Banking and Collections for Washington on
Q: Me and my ex husband share a house. He went to prison and owes court fees and lawyer fees. Will I lose my house?

I want to keep the house, but I don’t want them to take the whole house from me since he doesn’t have money to pay them off.

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Feb 28, 2024

When you co-own a house with someone who incurs significant debts, such as court fees and lawyer fees, there is a risk that creditors might target the property to recover what is owed. However, the extent to which your house is at risk depends on several factors, including how the property is... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Civil Rights and Collections for Washington on
Q: I've been served today but I'm out of the country right now, I reside outside the country. Breach of contract .

I can't afford to fly back in the Us , they give the summon to my daughters . I don't know what to do.

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Sep 25, 2024

It can be stressful to receive legal documents while you're out of the country, but there are a few steps you can take. First, it's important to check the legal requirements for the service of the summons. If it was served to your daughter and she isn't authorized to accept it on... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Bankruptcy and Collections for Washington on
Q: I’ve got a lawsuit against me from a creditor. The creditor has filed Ch 7. I can’t get extended warranty info now.

I bought 6 appliances from an appliance business that has recently filed Ch 7. I have extended warranties on all appliances. Due to personal financial issues I got way behind on my credit account payments to this business and they closed my account and I now have a lawsuit for repayment to this... View More

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Sep 11, 2024

When a business files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, it typically means the business is liquidating its assets and will no longer be operating. Because of this, you may face difficulty obtaining warranty information or getting the warranties honored. Unfortunately, if the warranties were provided by the... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Bankruptcy, Consumer Law and Collections for Washington on
Q: Does a husband have to accept from a process server a summons that names only the wife on it? Or has to give to her?

A process server came to our door trying to serve a summons to my wife and her name is the only one on it not mine. It’s not my credit account either. Do I by WA State law have to accept her summons if I’m approached by the server?

Timothy Denison
Timothy Denison
answered on Sep 14, 2024

No. You do not have to accept the summons.

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1 Answer | Asked in Contracts and Collections for Washington on
Q: I loaned someone cash & have handwritten IOU & cashier check & what the checks for. Is this legal & binding in WA ST?

I loaned someone $3,500 cash and have a cashiers check that shows what the loan was for to this person on the comments. I have a handwritten, dated and signed IOU from this person indicating they owe me this amount of money. Is this legal in binding in Washington state because now they don’t want... View More

Joel Gary Selik
Joel Gary Selik
answered on Jan 27, 2024

Under general principles of law (not specific to WA), this is a valid and enforceable contract. There are strict time deadlines so that you must file your lawsuit in Court or take other action or be forever barred from relief.

1 Answer | Asked in Collections and Traffic Tickets for Washington on
Q: A collection agency is asking me to pay a traffic fine from Italy in 2017. Do I need to pay this?
Maurice Mandel II
Maurice Mandel II
answered on Jul 10, 2023

Did you get a ticket in Italy in 2017 for driving? This sounds like a possible scam. Be very wary of this "agency" research them on the internet before you give them any money. The other question is "do you plan to return to Italy?" The Italian Highway Patrol (or whatever... View More

3 Answers | Asked in Bankruptcy and Collections for Washington on
Q: Can I remove a collection if I didn’t include it in my bankruptcy?

Hi,

I have bankruptcy back in Nov 2019.

I forgot to include one of the collection from 2018.

It’s been 4 years is there any way to remove it?

Joel Gary Selik
Joel Gary Selik
answered on Feb 13, 2023

Contact your bankruptcy attorney to see if the petition can be amended.

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1 Answer | Asked in Collections, Estate Planning and Probate for Washington on
Q: I am the creditor to a court ordered instalment plan where the debtor has died. Most likely no will

His partner at time of debts til present, knew he was borrowing money from me and also benefited from it. She also helped in lying about his living arrangements and conditions of bail for his 5criminal charges dealing with a minor. How do I collect this debt?

Keith Armstrong
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Keith Armstrong
answered on May 4, 2022

Creditor, you may want to make a claim against the estate of the debtor and send written notice to the surviving partner. If the debt was in the company capacity, then the company should be responsible for paying. If the debt was made in his personal capacity, then his estate should pay for the... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law, Collections, Legal Malpractice and Small Claims for Washington on
Q: A random lawyer sued me for debt that wasn’t mine and I thought it was a scam but I now owe him. Isn’t this illegal?

My fiancé got handed a random court case with my name on it stating I owed debt to places I’ve never been to or had accounts with so I thought it was a scam, but I just got another set of papers in the mail that state I now owe money to this lawyer for the debt and I don’t understand how this... View More

Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
answered on May 16, 2021

A Washington attorney could advise best, but your question remains open for two weeks, and those court papers your fiancé was handed could have relatively short deadlines by which a response is due. There could be a number of reasons for the court case, one being that someone made fraudulent... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Products Liability, Car Accidents and Collections for Washington on
Q: My rental car was stolen while I had the keys on me and now I'm being asked to pay for the vehicle. Is that right?

I was originally told I wouldnt be held responsible since I was in possession of the keys

Steve Dashiak
Steve Dashiak
answered on Jan 6, 2021

I'm sorry that happened to you. The process here will be dictated by the contract with the rental car company. Assuming you have insurance, the worst case scenario is you've got to pay the deductible for your own insurance company.

1 Answer | Asked in Bankruptcy, Banking, Collections and Small Claims for Washington on
Q: Can we fight this and at least stop the repo?

The co signer for my car filed for bankruptcy so now the bank won’t let me pay. When I try, it says that it’s covered under the bankruptcy. Now the bank is coming after my car if I don’t pay for all the missed payments. So they won’t let me pay but now they want all the money “I owe”

Timothy Denison
Timothy Denison
answered on Sep 21, 2020

They can’t repossess your car while the co-signers automaton stay is in place. Hire a lawyer and let him straighten out the issues between you and the lender going forward.

1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law and Collections for Washington on
Q: we traded in our SUV for another SUV and dealership hasn't paid off our old loan. It's been 4 months, what can we do?

We traded in our old SUV for a newer one, we still owed about 7k on the old loan, dealership has been dragging on that they have sent the payoff and all paperwork needed to our old loan place, but i'm still getting calls from previous lender saying nothing has been sent and were behind 3... View More

Ana Maria Del Valle-Aguilera
Ana Maria Del Valle-Aguilera
answered on Jul 24, 2020

You should seek legal counsel immediately. It seems you have been given the round-around by the dealer and this will affect your credit score due to the late payments. If the dealership does not provide you evidence of payment and copy of the paperwork, I would have an attorney contact them... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Bankruptcy, Consumer Law, Collections and Social Security for Washington on
Q: I need to sue ORS in utah for illegally garnishing my concurrent ssd/ssi benefits for 7 years. How do i do this?
Timothy Denison
Timothy Denison
answered on Feb 8, 2020

Contact a competent debtors rights attorney near you who can lay out your options.

1 Answer | Asked in Contracts, Real Estate Law and Collections for Washington on
Q: ray klein, Inc has a judgement against me for over 20000.00. its been since 2003? first ive heard. did a name search

haah thanks to a wonderful lawyer on here, I found out it was on me. Same name different person

Bruce Alexander Minnick
Bruce Alexander Minnick
answered on Jun 6, 2019

Maybe it is because I am a lawyer, but I do not think it that unusual for a very large credit services corporation in business since 1970 to have "had 44 lawsuits in the last 10 years." But I certainly do find it unusual that you just found out about a judgment entered against you some 16... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Personal Injury and Collections for Washington on
Q: Just trying to find out on a judgement/settlement i received,if and how to collect on it.Superior court judgement

Was referred to by original attorney to hire collection attorney. I was molested by my teacher. Judge ordered 500,000 judgment with the teacher himself being the debtor or one ordered to pay. Dont know anything on how or if this can be recovered

Vincent J. Bernabei
Vincent J. Bernabei
answered on Aug 20, 2018

You will need to begin enforcement action, including wage and bank garnishments, seizure and sale of real and personal property, if any, owned by the debtor. If the debtor transferred property to others in an attempt to avoid the judgment debt s/he owes you, the recipient of the property may also... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Contracts, Civil Litigation, Collections and Legal Malpractice for Washington on
Q: Have make payment on the 1st . It falls on the weekend they're closed next Day now want to charge me interest ,legal?

They called me before the due date saying pay today , becuase were closed on the weekend and also that Monday . So if you pay Tuesday you will be charged interest . I'm essentially being forced to pay interest . Is this legal ? I feel I was entrapped into making the interest payment . They are... View More

Jeffrey Michael Haber
Jeffrey Michael Haber
answered on Jan 6, 2017

As a general matter, due dates that fall on a weekend or holiday get pushed to the next business day. However, there is not enough information to know whether this applies to your situation. Your summary does not explain the context in which the money is owed, and whether there is an agreement... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Collections and Consumer Law for Washington on
Q: A collection agency tried to coerce me into acknowledging a debt when I requested validation. Do I have any recourse?

I had verbally requested a verification of debt be sent to me in writing. I was told that they could not send me verification of debt without me first acknowledging that I may actually be responsible for it. I refused and insisted on them sending me something in writing. I have since mailed them a... View More

Marjorie Simmons
Marjorie Simmons
answered on Sep 13, 2016

You may benefit by reading the article on debtors' rights re collections at the Washington Law Help website:

http://www.washingtonlawhelp.org/resource/debtors-rights-dealing-with-collection-agenci.

The website also has other articles on debtors' rights.

1 Answer | Asked in Collections and Car Accidents for Washington on
Q: I allowed a friend to use my name to pull a car out of auto lot well he wrecked the car went missing I'm 20k in debit

What are my options

Peter N. Munsing
Peter N. Munsing
answered on Jul 4, 2016

Not sure why there's no insurance but if it's 20k I suggest you contact an attorney in your area because it's certainly worth paying for a consultation if you have to when $20,000 is on the line. Letting someone use your name means usually you accept to be ....it.

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