Lawyer tricked me out of showing up to court! help!
Date: Wed, 03/26/2008 - 19:25
Three weeks later I received a summons to appear in court over the same matter. I tried to call to explain but they wouldnt hear of it. The agent said that my ex had declared banckruptcy so I was now responsible for paying the debt. I couldnt afford a lawyer nor pay the debt myself nor did I felt that I owed it so I decided to show up to court to fight it and told so to the agent.
When I showed up to the court, Mr. Farrel showed up and took me aside before going in front of the judge and told me that if I choose to talk with the judge and I couldn't pay the whole debt within 24hours, the judge would most likely give me a prison sentence and put my 9 year old in foster care.
I was so scared and my daughter was crying to too. I had to agree to monthly payments in exchange for him to drop the suit. It wasnt until later that I found out he lied to me about everything. Had I seen the judge, he would have likely dissmissed the case because of the debt was clearly not mine. Instead Mr Farrel got a default judgement agaisnt me because I didnt show up to court!
Help!! What should I do??
You need to consult a local attorney on this matter immediately.
You need to consult a local attorney on this matter immediately. Given what you've said in your post, you should have no problem at all finding one to take this case on contingency, so you aren't out a lot of cash up front.
You'll also want to file a complaint with your state Bar association, as well as the attorney general complaint and FTC. What state do you live in?
Start looking for a good consumer attorney. You need to get this
Start looking for a good consumer attorney. You need to get this judgment overturned and sue these creeps for everything they are worth. You get the collection agency for filing suit when they cannot legally do so (it looks like it could be a time barred debt) and you will get a great deal more naming the law firm in your suit for their amoral court practices of extortion, coercion, and professional misconduct.
You are sitting on a lot of money. Whether you pick the dollars
You are sitting on a lot of money. Whether you pick the dollars up or not is entirely your choice.
