Lawsuits are a tool used by creditors to collect their debts. Often, they file many of these lawsuits at one time against numerous debtors, counting on an outsize percentage of these defendants to ignore the lawsuit. These defendants may be overwhelmed by the lawsuit or simply believe it doesn’t matter since they have no money left to give. When this occurs, the creditors are able to obtain easy “default” debt judgments against these debtors. In New Jersey, defendants who have had debt judgments entered against them should next expect to receive an “information subpoena” from the creditor’s attorney.
What is an Information Subpoena?
Like its title suggests, an information subpoena is legal document in the form of a questionnaire, seeking detailed information about your place of employment, your income, your bank accounts, and your property. The information sought in an information subpoena is generally a standard set of question pre-approved by the court. The purpose of this information is to give the creditor’s attorney a roadmap to recouping what they allege you owe them. As you can guess, none of this is good news, as the next step is for the creditor to seek an order from the court to levy your bank accounts, to place a lien on your property, or to garnish your wages to satisfy the debt judgment against you.
Don’t Ignore an Information Subpoena, Get Help Instead
Like with any lawsuit or legal pleading that you are served, the absolute last thing you should ever do is ignore an information subpoena. Failing to respond to an information subpoena carries a consequence of a court holding the defendant in contempt. Whether you have just been served with a lawsuit by a creditor, or whether you have received an information subpoena, you need to speak with an attorney now. In fact, when given your options, you may find that bankruptcy may be your best option to protect yourself from wage garnishment or a levy on your property.
Let Us Help You Move Forward
If you have been sued by a creditor, contact Levitt & Slafkes, P.C. For more than three decades, our experienced attorneys have provided intelligent, effective legal guidance to clients overwhelmed by debt struggles. You have important legal options and rights that we can help you exercise to obtain the debt relief you deserve. We want to help you move toward a brighter financial future. Call us today at (973) 323-2953 to schedule a consultation, or reach us online.
We are proudly designated as a debt relief agency by an Act of Congress. We have proudly assisted consumers in filing for Bankruptcy Relief for over 30 years.