Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Georgia

responding to a judgement

I was served a civil judgment one week ago. I am being sued by a collection agency for a school (Computer Learning Center) which is no longer in existence. I applied as a student there over 10 years ago. I attended for one week and had to drop the class. I was approved for financial aide and dropped the class within the allotted time frame. Financial Aide did not pay and according to the school I would not be penalized. I never heard from the school and thought the matter was resolved. I have now been served a 10,000 judgement for one class that I dropped over 10 years ago at a school that is no longer in business. Please inform me on how to respond to this judgement. I only have 30 days to respond. Thanks.


Asked on 3/14/06, 10:12 am

4 Answers from Attorneys

Lesley Berggren The Berggren Law Firm, LLC

Re: responding to a judgement

Because of the amount involved, you should seek the assistance of an attorney immediately. If you are not able to afford an attorney, I suggest you contact Atlanta Legal Aid or Georgia Legal Services for assistance. Although I cannot tell you how to respond to the Complaint without seeing it, the statute of limitations should probably be raised as an affirmative defense, and, if so, you may have a counterclaim under the FDCPA.

The above is general information and is not intended to create any attorney/client relationship.

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Answered on 3/15/06, 9:16 am
Glenn M. Lyon, Esq. MacGREGOR LYON, LLC, Business Attorneys

Re: responding to a judgement

There is no way to tell you how to respond to a lawsuit, regardless of how much factual information you provide. A Proper response depends on the complaint itself and what it alleges exactly. Your response is vitally important to your ability to fight the case. Get a local attorney immediately.

If you would like to discuss any issues further, please feel free to contact my office. My contact information is below. Thank you.

The foregoing is general information only, not specific legal advice. No attorney/client relation has been created or should be implied.

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Answered on 3/14/06, 10:17 am
Scott Riddle Law Office of Scott B. Riddle, LLC

Re: responding to a judgement

You have been served with a lawsuit or complaint, not a "judgment." For a $10,000 lawsuit filed against you, you need a lawyer. You may have defenese in the facts you describe, or a statute of limitations defense, all of which need to be asserted properly within the appropriate time frame. You may have a lawyer file and answer/defenses and have the case dropped or dismissed for a relatively small fee but if it is not handled correctly, you risk a judgment for the debt, plus interest and possibly atty fees and expenses.

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Answered on 3/14/06, 10:18 am
Charles W. Field Charles W. Field, Attorney at Law

Re: responding to a judgement

It sounds bogus to me, but because of the amount of money, you should consult with a local attorney ASAP.

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Answered on 3/14/06, 4:03 pm


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