What should I do if I’m being sued?

A lot of people don’t know what to do when you are sued for a debt.

It may be shocking if you receive a summons and complaint or a judgment on an unpaid debt. First, you should understand what a judgment is. Being sued means your creditor has filed paperwork requesting a judge order you to repay your debt and, if after reviewing all the paperwork, the judge agrees with the creditor your debt becomes part of the public record and your creditor has a legal claim against you called a judgment. This is a legal determination by the judge that you are now a “judgment debtor” and owe your creditor (now a “judgment creditor”) a certain amount of money. If you do not show up in court, which I do not recommend—you have a much better chance of pleading your case in person—the judge could order a default judgment against you.

A judgment is serious because it takes your case to the next level of debt collection and the unpleasant measures that come with it. These could include wage garnishment, freezing your bank accounts or seizing your property and you may not receive any prior notice. I recommend that you consult with a lawyer or debt resolution expert before responding to any of these measures.

If you find yourself in this type of situation, don’t panic! Being sued for an unpaid debt can be managed if you consult the right debt relief law firm. Many times I have clients who come to me once they are getting garnished or their bank account has been frozen. It is a huge stress to have this happen to you so I want to stress that if you find your debts are spiraling out of control, look for professional help early before you wind up in a mess like this because it’s not always so easy to clean up yourself.