Credit Card Debt

back in 1996 my mother put me on a credit card as a co-applicant (or maybe an authorized user, i'm not sure). she never paid off her debt, left the country, and the debt collectors came after me. i never signed a single thing, never asked to be a co-applicant. but since 1998 they've had a judgement against me (in california) and put a lien on my bank account. i closed my bank account, left the US to go to grad school abroad. Want to move back to the US now, open a bank account, buy house/car, but afraid that the debt collectors will try to collect their money. last time i checked my credit report, everything was cleared, had no bad history, but i noticed that the collection agency had made a recent 'inquiry' into my account.
please help what can i do to solve this mess?
i just feel that if I never signed any credit card application back when my mom put me as a co-applicant, how come i'm the one being sued?

It's probably already too late to bring up whether you signed or not as a defense, if there is already a judgment. Though, maybe you could move to have the judgment vacated on these grounds. In California the statute of limitations on judgments is 10 years, but it can be renewed. Unfortunately, the time you spent out of the country might not be applied to the time within the SOL. Is this judgment on your CR?

Hi Law Student
thanks for your reply
The judgment is no longer on my credit history, although i don't think this makes a difference since only 8 years have gone by since i got this judgment-and they have a total of 10 yrs right?
but i just realized for the past 7 years i have lived outside the jurisdiction of this judgment-i've been living in europe, so i think in all fairness am I responsible for the interest that is compounding on this debt (13% annually) since I left the US? I really want to negotiate this debt, pay it off and get rid of this problem. But if the debt used to be 4500$ and now after 8 yrs its close to 20,000$ i don't know what to do....any advice?

It is my understanding that they might not have to renew the judgment, because if you were outside the jurisdiction for 7 years, and move back, that 7 years won't be subtracted from the 10 year SOL (someone correct me if I'm wrong). That debt is very over inflated indeed. I would send them an offer which you think would be reasonable. When you find the offer they will accept, make sure you get the acceptance in writing.