Can they refuse my payment and garnish me?

My roommate is being sued for one of his student loans. He has to attend count in Iowa. We live in Tennessee. Is that possible to make someone come 12 hours away just to go to court to be sued? 

Has your roommate talked to the court?  Informed the court that the venue is wrong?  He needs to be sued in the county in which he currently resides.

Calling you to pay your defaulted student loan is far from harassment. With the Direct Loan Consolidation program and income contingent and income based repayment, there is no reason for anyone to default on their loans if they put a little bit of effort into it.

That said, are you working?? And no...they do not have accept just any payment on your default. Give us more information. Did they do a financial statement with you??

I think the OP is unemployed since he mentions that he is on state assistance.

You can get state assistance and be working.

To garnish you wages, first they have to get a judgment against you from the court. If you have a job along with state assistance, money can be garnished.

Garnishment for student loans can be enforced without a judgment.

Ohio is very correct....federal student loans do not require a judgment to garnish wages.

My roommate has emailed the people back. What I thought was strange instead of calling him or sending him a letter in the mail they emailed him. Do place usually do that?