Judson E. Crump, P.C.

Even if you have the best lawyer on Earth, you are the most important person involved in your case. People ask me all the time what they can do to protect themselves from bad debt collectors, mortgage lender abuse, harassing telephone calls, credit card lawsuits, and being ripped off by their home or auto lenders. While I love helping people deal with their legal problems, the fact is that there is a lot you can do to protect yourself without a lawyer.

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While trying to be your own lawyer is a horrible idea, there are some things anyone can and should do to protect their rights against collectors, false credit reports, and bad mortgage servicers.

Have you been sued? You need to know How to Answer a Complaint.
If you don’t answer the Complaint, you lose. It is just like you went to court and the judge and jury found you liable for everything the creditor or collector was asking for, even if you don’t owe the money. Once a court finds that you owe the money, you cannot undo the judgment, even if you genuinely don’t owe a dime. So if you’ve been served with a lawsuit, call a lawyer or answer on your own.

Are you facing foreclosure? Know What to Expect.
In Alabama, foreclosures can happen fairly quickly. Fortunately, new federal regulations forbid foreclosures before you’re 120 days delinquent, and if you sent them a written loan modification application at least 37 days before the foreclosure date, they cannot foreclose until they’ve evaluated your application and given you an answer. Once they foreclose, they still can’t forcibly kick you out until they’ve sued you for ejectment.