Start My Answer

How to Settle Debt with the Law Office of Michael J Scott

George Simons | January 03, 2025

Fact-checked by Patrick Austin, J.D.

Patrick Austin
Attorney from George Mason
Patrick Austin, JD

Patrick Austin is a licensed attorney with a background in data privacy and information security law. Patrick received his law degree at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School, where he served as the Editor-in-Chief for the National Security Law Journal.

George Simons
Co-Founder of SoloSuit
George Simons, JD/MBA

George Simons is the co-founder and CEO of SoloSuit. He has helped Americans protect over $1 billion from predatory debt lawsuits. George graduated from BYU Law school in 2020 with a JD-MBA. In his spare time, George likes to cook, because he likes to eat.

Edited by Hannah Locklear

Hannah Locklear
Editor at SoloSuit
Hannah Locklear, BA

Hannah Locklear is SoloSuit’s Marketing and Impact Manager. With an educational background in Linguistics, Spanish, and International Development from Brigham Young University, Hannah has also worked as a legal support specialist for several years.

Summary: The Law Office of Michael J Scott represents creditors to collect debts through lawsuits. To resolve your debt, respond to lawsuits, negotiate settlements, and protect your rights. Solo can help you with all this and more.

The Law Office of Michael J Scott represents a wide variety of creditors. As such, there's a possibility that you could be contacted by this law office if you have outstanding debt in Texas.

Fortunately, you have some history on your side to help you beat the law office of Michael J Scott in court. To ensure that you are well-prepared to defend yourself, we've compiled this helpful guide to walk you through the steps to do so.

Settle debt with The Law Office of Michael J Scott

You can negotiate debt settlement at any stage of the collections process. SoloSettle makes it easy.

Settle with SoloSettle

What Is the Law Office of Michael J Scott?

Formerly known as Scott Parnell, the law office of Michael J Scott commonly issues credit card lawsuits in Texas. Hundreds of collection lawsuits have been filed by Michael J Scott. As such, you need to come to your court hearing ready to defend yourself.

Who does the Law Office of Michael J Scott collect for?

The law office of Michael J Scott represents the following creditors:

  • North Star Capital Acquisition, LLC
  • Crown Asset Management, LLC
  • Calvary Portfolio Services, LLC
  • Equable Ascent Financial, LLC
  • Arrow Financial Services, LLC
  • Palisades Collection, LLC
  • Advantage Assets II, Inc.
  • Capital One Bank (USA)
  • Citibank (South Dakota)
  • Hilco Receivables LLC
  • LVNV Funding, LLC
  • FIA Card Services
  • Discover Bank

As you can see, they have quite a wide range of clientele. If you have done business with any of the above-listed entities and are in debt to them, you may have to deal with the Law Office of Michael J Scott.

That doesn't mean you are out of options, though. It only means that Michael J Scott has experience collecting debt and that you need to arm yourself with the right tools to win a judgment in your favor.

Respond to your debt collection lawsuit with Solo and win in court.

Read online reviews of the Law Office of Michael J Scott

If you want to find out what consumers have said about their experience with the Law Office of Michael J Scott and whether it is possible to negotiate a debt collection settlement, then take a moment to read these reviews:

  • Law Office of Michael J Scott reviews on Google
  • Law Office of Michael J Scott reviews on Yelp

While the online reviews for the Law Office of Michael J Scott are pretty mixed, there are some reviews that indicate consumers can have a pleasant experience communicating with the law firm to resolve debt. Let’s consider a real example from a borrower named Jordan:

“Giving them five stars because they were willing to work with me in settling everything. They worked well between me, them and the court. Everything was dismissed. My suggestion to everyone complaining, would be to be patient and willing to work with them, and they’ll be willing to work with you. I personally had an overall great experience so thank you.”

This review shows that the Law Office of Michael J Scott is open to working with you to resolve your concerns and get your debt paid in a manner that works for you and your current financial situation. Communication is the key.

If calling a debt collector to negotiate doesn’t sound like your idea of fun, try using SoloSettle to negotiate online and resolve your debt through the digital settlement platform.

Settle with SoloSettle

Make an Offer

How to settle debt with the Law Office of Michael J Scott

In an effort to avoid going through the stress and time-intensive litigation proceedings, and possibly getting hit with an adverse judgment, it may be prudent to try and negotiate a debt settlement with the Law Office of Michael J Scott. Below are three steps you should consider taking to settle debt:

Step 1: Assess how much you can reasonably pay

Before commencing settlement negotiations, determine how much you can actually afford to pay in a lump sum. Your calculation should take into consideration your other living expenses. If you don’t have sufficient funds to make a lump sum payment, try to calculate what you could pay in installments.

Step 2: Engage in settlement negotiations

Once you’ve figured out how much you can repay, the next step is to try and negotiate a settlement. Start by offering a lower percentage of the total debt, typically 30% to 50% of the original amount, and be prepared to negotiate upward. If possible, offer a lump sum payment as creditors are more likely to accept a lower amount if they receive an immediate payment.

Step 3: Get the agreement in writing

Before making a payment toward the debt, ensure you receive a written agreement outlining the terms of the settlement. This is known as a debt settlement agreement. The agreement should clearly state that the payment will settle the debt in full and that they will not pursue any further legal action or collections. Additionally, you should request confirmation that the debt collector will report the debt as "settled" or "paid" to credit reporting agencies. Once you have this in writing, proceed with the payment as agreed.

If you decide to engage in settlement talks, consider using smart tools to help you with the debt settlement negotiation process, like SoloSettle, which is a software that sends and receives settlement offers for you until you come to an agreement with the collector or creditor. Innovative tools such as SoloSettle can make it much easier to fly solo in the debt settlement process, which can help you both save money and resolve your debts more efficiently than litigation.

Settle with SoloSettle

Make an Offer

To learn more about these steps, watch our video guide below:

Jake, a Texas resident, was blindsided when he received a summons from the Law Office of Michael J Scott. He had fallen behind on his credit card payments with Capital One and was now facing a lawsuit. Overwhelmed, Jake initially thought about ignoring the summons, but after researching online, he realized this would result in a default judgment against him. Determined to take action, Jake used SoloSuit to draft and file an Answer to the lawsuit, ensuring he protected his rights. After filing, he decided to try negotiating a settlement to avoid further legal action.

Jake reviewed his finances and determined he could offer a lump-sum payment of $1,200 on the $2,000 debt. He sent an initial settlement offer through SoloSettle, starting at $1,000 to leave room for negotiation. The Law Office of Michael J Scott countered with $1,500, and after some back-and-forth, they agreed to settle for $1,300.

Once the agreement was finalized, Jake made the payment and received written confirmation that the debt was settled in full. He also requested that the law office update his credit report to reflect the settlement.

By taking proactive steps and staying calm, Jake avoided court, saved money, and resolved his debt with the Law Office of Michael J Scott.

Communicate with the Law Office of Michael J Scott in Court

Now that we know that Michael J Scott does business with a variety of creditors, we can work to establish a game plan. First of all, know that the law office of Michael J Scott is hoping you will acquiesce to their intimidation and pay the debt in question.

But knowing your rights will greatly increase your chances of coming out the victor. First, you need to send Michael J Scott's law office a Request for Production of Documents via certified mail.

This request is simply asking the law office to show you the original bill of debt with your signature on it. Now, here is where living in Texas can work in your favor. If a collection agency in Texas is unable to produce the documentation outlined above, they cannot go through with suing you.

Texas has very strict consumer laws on this matter. By requesting this document, you can potentially have the entire suit thrown out and awarded in your favor.

However, you must make sure that you send the Request for Production of Documents within 30 days of being notified that you have outstanding debt. If you fail to do so within that time frame, you will have to show up for court and present your defense another way.

Keep in mind that after you send the law office of Michael J Scott the Request for Production of Documents by certified mail, they also have 30 days to respond to your request. If they are unable to produce said documents within 30 days, you're in good shape.

Now, if they don't produce the original documents and continue to sue you, you have the legal right to countersue Michael J Scott for a minimum of $100 per violation. This is where having a qualified debt attorney can make a difference in your life.

Make the right defense the right way.

You might need a lawyer

If the collection agency can produce the original debt documentation, an attorney can ensure that you are protected in court. While Texas doesn't allow your wages to be garnished, your bank account is fair game.

As such, a qualified debt lawyer can represent you in court and work out a plan to protect your money while satisfying the courts. Again, though, this is only if Michael J Scott can show proof of your debt in the form of the original documentation.

An attorney can also help you get any listings of the debt off of your credit report in the event that your Request for Production of Documents isn't satisfied.

Check the statute of limitations for debt collection in Texas

This is another critical area that can help you defend yourself in the event of a debt lawsuit. In Texas, debt collection agencies have four years to sue you for any unpaid debt. This typically starts on the day you made your last payment.

Most lawsuits get filed close to the end of the four-year deadline. If your attorney can verify that you are past Texas's statutes of limitations for collecting debt, they can motion to have the case thrown out.

In doing so, you won't have to worry about paying the law office of Michael J Scott and can rest easy. What's more, you can work to have your credit report fixed so that this debt isn't reflected on it.

Come to court prepared to win your case

If your case goes to court, you want to be sure that you come ready to win. This means never admitting that the debt is yours, no matter what kind of “evidence” is presented to you. If you feel that you are being sued for something that isn't yours, stand your ground and make the law office of Michael J Scott produce documentation that proves otherwise.

Many people make the mistake of trusting the court to protect them when they represent themselves. Unfortunately, many judges will side with the plaintiff unless you know your rights and are willing to fight for them.

If at all possible, you should work to retain a qualified debt attorney. When you do this, you can trust that you are being represented by someone who knows the law thoroughly and completely and will work hard to ensure that you are absolved of the debt in question.

How to Answer a Summons for debt collection in all 50 states

Here's a list of guides on how to respond to a debt collection lawsuit in each state:

The Ultimate 50 State Guide

Guides on how to resolve debt with every debt collector

Are you being sued by a debt collector? We’re making guides on how to resolve debt with each one.

Resolve your debt with your creditor

Some creditors, banks, and lenders have an internal collections department. If they come after you for a debt, Solosuit can still help you respond and resolve the debt. Here’s a list of guides on how to resolve debt with different creditors.

Settle your medical debt

Having a health challenge is stressful, but dealing medical debt on top of it is overwhelming. Here are some resources on how to manage medical debt.

Guides on arbitration

If the thought of going to court stresses you out, you’re not alone. Many Americans who are sued for credit card debt utilize a Motion to Compel Arbitration to push their case out of court and into arbitration.

Below are some resources on how to use an arbitration clause to your advantage and win a debt lawsuit.

Stop calls from debt collectors

Do you keep getting calls from an unknown number, only to realize that it’s a debt collector on the other line? If you’ve been called by any of the following numbers, chances are you have collectors coming after you, and we’ll tell you how to stop them.

Federal debt collection laws can protect you

Knowing your rights makes it easier to stand up for your rights. Below, we’ve compiled all our articles on federal debt collection laws that protect you from unfair practices.

Get debt relief in your state

We’ve created a specialized guide on how to find debt relief in all 50 states, complete with steps to take to find relief, state-specific resources, and more.

Debt collection laws in all 50 states

Debt collection laws vary by state, so we have compiled a guide to each state’s debt collection laws to make it easier for you to stand up for your rights—no matter where you live.

Statute of limitations on debt state guides

Like all debt collection laws, the statute of limitations on debt varies by state. So, we wrote a guide on each state’s statutes. Check it out below.

Statute of Limitations on Debt Collection by State (Best Guide)

Check the status of your court case

Don’t have time to go to your local courthouse to check the status of your case? We’ve created a guide on how to check the status of your case in every state, complete with online search tools and court directories.

How to stop wage garnishment in your state

Forgot to respond to your debt lawsuit? The judge may have ordered a default judgment against you, and with a default judgment, debt collectors can garnish your wages. Here are our guides on how to stop wage garnishment in all 50 states.

Other wage garnishment resources

How to settle a debt in your state

Debt settlement is one of the most effective ways to resolve a debt and save money. We’ve created a guide on how to settle your debt in all 50 states. Find out how to settle in your state with a simple click and explore other debt settlement resources below.

How to settle with every debt collector

Not sure how to negotiate a debt settlement with a debt collector? We are creating guides to help you know how to start the settlement conversation and increase your chances of coming to an agreement with every debt collector.

Other debt settlement resources

Personal loan and debt relief reviews

We give a factual review of the following debt consolidation, debt settlement, and loan organizations and companies to help you make an informed decision before you take on a debt.

How to repair and improve your credit score

Debt has a big impact on your credit. Below is a list of guides on how to repair and improve your credit, even while managing major debt.

How to resolve student loan debt

Struggling with student debt? SoloSuit’s got you covered. Below are resources on handling student loan debt.

Civil law legal definitions

You can represent yourself in court. Save yourself the time and cost of finding an attorney, and use the following resources to understand legal definitions better and how they may apply to your case.

Get answers to these FAQs on debt collection

How-to debt guides

Learn more with these additional debt resources

Contents