A Credit Card Company Has Filed a Lawsuit Against Me, What Do I Do?

This is one of the most commonly asked questions by people who are considering bankruptcy.  At the Maryland Bankruptcy Center we eliminate more credit card debt than nearly every other law firm in the state of Maryland.  Here is how it works.

If you have an outstanding balance on a credit card, you will initially get phone calls from the credit card company.  Usually they will lie to you and tell you that if you don’t pay your wages will be garnished or your property will be taken immediately.  Not true.

Usually, credit card companies in Maryland wait about 6 months to a year before they actually file a lawsuit against you.  And even then, the only way that they can garnish your wages or attack your bank account is to obtain a judgment against you, wait for the appeal period to expire, and then file more papers with the court.  In EVERY case, it takes the credit card company at least 120 days AFTER they file a lawsuit against you to be able to garnish your wages or attack your bank account.  So, if a lawsuit has not yet been filed against you, don’t worry, you have plenty of time. Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy immediately and automatically stops a wage garnishment.  That is true EVEN IF THE WAGE GARNISHMENT HAS ALREADY STARTED.

In fact, in some cases, where the credit card company has garnished more than $600 in the 90 days prior to filing the bankruptcy, you are entitled to get that money back.  If you have credit card debt or other unsecured debt, such as medical bills, repossessions, old rental payments, phone bills, or other debts, call us today to see if you qualify for a Chapter 7 or a Chapter 13 bankruptcy.  The large majority of people who call us are eligible to file, and in every it turns out to be the best decision our clients have ever made.  Making the decision can be hard, but we are here to guide you through it.  All of our consultations are free, so you have nothing to lose by calling or e„mailing us today. We are Maryland bankruptcy lawyers who help people eliminate debt every day.  Call (410) 766 4044 or (301) 587„8900 or fill out the e„mail contact form and we will answer all of your questions and put you on the right track to getting the fresh start that the bankruptcy laws provide for you.

David L. Ruben, Esquire
Maryland Bankruptcy Center