I was served with a summons
Find the court, deadline, plaintiff, and response path before the default judgment clock becomes the story.
Open guideConsumer debt defense research hub
Debt Lawsuit Research Starts With the Papers in Front of You
Use this site to organize a debt collection summons, credit card lawsuit, debt buyer complaint, judgment notice, wage garnishment, bank levy, or old-debt question before you rely on a generic online answer.
Plain EnglishUnderstand the paper in front of you and the next question to verify.
Official SourcesCFPB, FTC, court resources, state consumer agencies, and legal-aid starting points.
Independent ResearchInformation is organized around documents, official sources, and questions to verify—not paid lawyer rankings.
Start by situation
What arrived?
A debt buyer sued me
Organize the account trail, assignment documents, balance history, and proof questions to discuss with counsel.
Open guideMy wages may be garnished
Learn the questions to ask about judgments, exemptions, employer notices, and income sources.
Open guideMy bank account is frozen
Use a bank levy checklist to separate exempt funds, court orders, and urgent filing options.
Open guideWhy local rules matter
A national article cannot safely replace your court papers.
Answer deadlines, service rules, exemption procedures, and judgment remedies can depend on the jurisdiction and the exact notice you received. Start with the document, then verify the local rule.
- Confirm the court and case number
- Record when and how you received the papers
- Identify the plaintiff and original creditor
- Check whether a judgment already exists
- Keep negotiations from distracting you from a court deadline
Find the right starting point
Choose the guide that matches your notice.
State preparation pages
State-by-state starting points for debt lawsuit, credit card lawsuit, statute of limitations, garnishment, and levy searches.
ExploreForms and checklists
Practical worksheets for collecting facts before a consultation or court deadline.
ExplorePlain-English glossary
Definitions for summons, complaint, answer, default judgment, garnishment, bank levy, exemption, validation notice, and more.
ExploreCommon debt lawsuit questions
Start with the problem you are trying to solve.
How do I respond to a debt lawsuit?
Organize the summons, complaint, service date, allegations, and court response path.
Debt lawsuit response guideWhat happens if I ignore a debt lawsuit?
Understand default judgment risk and why post-judgment collection can become harder to unwind.
Review the consequencesCan a debt buyer prove it owns the account?
Map the original creditor, assignments, account-level records, and balance history.
Debt buyer proof checklistCan wages or a bank account be reached?
Separate the judgment, withholding or levy notice, income source, and exemption procedure.
Garnishment guideIs an old debt time-barred?
Build a timeline before making a payment, written promise, or assumption about a limitation period.
Old debt researchHow do I find a debt defense lawyer or legal aid?
Compare licensing, consumer-law experience, fees, scope, and free or reduced-cost help.
Find legal helpState coverage