Where to find if a lawsuit or judgement has been filed?

[tiredmimi]

Can anyone please tell me where to look to see if a lawsuit of judgement has been filed against you yet? I am in Tennessee.

Thanks

[Meatstick]

You can try your county recorders website. Where I live we can search recorded documents for free.

[debtinohio]

Google
"mycounty tennessee court records"

[optimistic1]

Google,


____________ County public access to court information

[catleg]

Lawyers also generally have access to a professional judgment search service, you can ask your BK attorney to run this for you.

[nickifan]

Okay, I"ll ask the dumb question: wouldn't the OP have been served with papers or notified in writing??? Generally speaking the people suing don't keep it secret, right?

[Mensa1]

Okay, I"ll ask the dumb question: wouldn't the OP have been served with papers or notified in writing??? Generally speaking the people suing don't keep it secret, right?

The OP would have been served IF they accepted service. Many ppl hide from service and erroneously think that this will keep the creditor from obtaining judg. Not saying the OP did this but often times folks know when someone is looking for them, or has a reason to do so, and make themselves scarce. They eventually surface and want to know what fallout has occurred, and that may be the basis of the question; "where do I look" (to see if they tagged me yet).

[tiredmimi]

I haven't filed for Bk yet, but plan on doing so soon. I am hoping i file before any lawsuits of judgements occur. I have not been hiding although I have not been answering the calls. They have called me a few times at work even though I told them not to, and 1 creditor US Bank left a message on my cell phone stating that my time was running out. They are becoming more aggressive so I know I have to make a move. I know to expect a summons at anytime as they have threatened, but just wanted to know if there was a way to see if anything has been filed yet.

[debtsucks]

I would think if they have your proper mailing address, then you would know by now if you are getting sued. How long has it been since you last paid on your credit cards?
We are planning on filing around June, and they too are telling me that time is running out.

[tiredmimi]

We haven't paid since September 09, so I know our time is running out. We are scheduled to see a lawyer on Wednesday. I have just been putting this off as long as possible. We have a lot of cc debt, and now just did our taxes and we owe 7000 dollars partially because I took out a 401 k last year to keep our head above water a little longer, BIG MISTAKE. We did see a lawyer in November, but left there with a budget no one could live on. One of the 1st things he said to us is you guys have a lot of unsecured debt, I knew immediately this was not going to be an attorney we need to hire. It was one of those big law firms, with multiple lawyers that do nothing but bk. He plugged some numbers into a computer and told us what we would have to pay into the plan and that was it. I don't know what we will end up doing. We have received 2 letters telling us we have 30 days to dispute the debt or they would take legal action against us and may obtain a judgement, but nothing has come via certified mail, or a summons. I decided not to answer and take my chances. I just know some people on here have a way to look up and see if anything has been filed with the courts yet.

[Mensa1]

We haven't paid since September 09, so I know our time is running out.

We have received 2 letters telling us we have 30 days to dispute the debt or they would take legal action against us and may obtain a judgement, but nothing has come via certified mail, or a summons. I decided not to answer and take my chances.

tired... you are giving these lenders WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too much credit here. You are worried after not paying them since 9/09, well I got news for you there are folks on here that haven't paid since 9/08... or even 07, that haven't been sued yet. It is kind of luck of the draw depending on which creditor(s) you have, but for the most part they are full of hot air with their threats of suit, etc. You are probably safer than you realize, but one never knows.

Just don't give them credit for being able to follow thru on a threat or a promise.

[tiredmimi]

I really hope that you are right. I am not quite ready to file yet but their phone calls to me at work, and my biggest worry being they will garnish my wages, is making me panic. As far as which creditors I have, I think I owe all of the major ones and some of them more than 1 account. I have thought about offering a settlement to them with a 3 year payment plan and then try working on doing something with my mortgage that I am not behind with right now. I would rather do this, but don't know if they would accept that. I am honestly thinking of asking the lawyer we see, it he could negotiate this instead of bk, but don't know if it is possible. I only know that the lawyer we saw in November left us only 900 a month to live and that was with utilities, gas, food ect, and I don't see that happening with any budget.

[Overmylimit]

I use publicrecordsources.com from there you can click on your State, then find your County when you go to the County site just put your name in only and click on the Civil court records. I was worried one of my creditors was seeking a Judgment but it looks like it got dropped it said this..."Request for Dismissal without Prejudice" and a few days later it dropped off.

[Mensa1]

I really hope that you are right. I am not quite ready to file yet but their phone calls to me at work, and my biggest worry being they will garnish my wages, is making me panic. As far as which creditors I have, I think I owe all of the major ones and some of them more than 1 account. I have thought about offering a settlement to them with a 3 year payment plan and then try working on doing something with my mortgage that I am not behind with right now. I would rather do this, but don't know if they would accept that. I am honestly thinking of asking the lawyer we see, it he could negotiate this instead of bk, but don't know if it is possible. I only know that the lawyer we saw in November left us only 900 a month to live and that was with utilities, gas, food ect, and I don't see that happening with any budget.

Have you attempted telling the creditor that "your employer does not permit such calls at work, and any future calls may run the risk of you being terminated................"

That should eliminate such calls at work. The fact that you continue to accept them is almost and encouragement for them to keep calling you.

Read the FDCPA cover to cover.

Without prior consent by the debtor given directly to the debt collector or the express permission of a court of competent jurisdiction, a debt collector may not communicate with a consumer in connection with the collection of any debt—

805. (a) 1. (3): (3) at the consumer’s place of employment if the debt collector knows or has reason to know that the consumer’s employer prohibits the consumer from receiving such communication.

The problem with a workout like you mention is that the debts will continue to accrue interest and fees, unlike in a Ch 13 where those cease to accumulate and partial payments are an option. Another, albeit temporary, is to mention to the collector that you have retained an Atty and that you are considering Bk. Provide them your Attys name, address and phone no. They may contact the Atty to verify that you are consulting the Atty. This may buy you 30 days or so.

Best way is to KNOW what the FDCPA says and use it to your advantage. Let the creditor KNOW that you KNOW too, and this may cut down on nuisance issues. GL