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Sued by Regent Law Firm? How to Settle Your Debt

George Simons | January 13, 2025

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: If sued by Regent Law Firm, respond to avoid a default judgment. Challenge their proof, settle the debt, or use legal defenses like the statute of limitations.

If you're being sued by a debt collector, such as Regent, you may feel like there's nothing you can do. After all, they seem to hold all the cards, and you’re not sure what steps to take.

If Regent and Associates files a debt collection lawsuit against you, the first thing to remember is never to ignore it. If you ignore it, they will get a judgment, and then they can garnish your wages or levy your bank account.

Respond to your lawsuit to avoid a default judgment.

Settle debt with Regent Law Firm

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

Settle with SoloSettle

What is Regent Law Firm?

Regent Law Firm is located in Houston, Texas. They’ve been in business since 1998. They are not accredited by the Better Business Bureau, but they specialize in commercial debt recovery. They are a hybrid firm, meaning they employ debt collection specialists as well as attorneys who oversee debt collection efforts.

There are Regents Law Firm reviews online. You can visit the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) for a brief review.

Who does Regents and Associates collect for?

Regent Law Firm collects for:

  • Hilco Receivables
  • Portfolio Recovery Associates
  • FSB
  • FIA Card Services
  • Equable Ascent Financial, LLC

How to respond to a debt collection lawsuit when sued by Regent Law Firm

When the debt collector files suit against you, you will be served a legal Complaint. If you owe the money and you can't afford to pay it, you might think there is little you can do. But if you don't respond, the debt collector will get a judgment automatically. That allows them to use aggressive methods to collect the debt, including garnishing your wages. Also, the debt collector will probably add their legal fees and interest.

Once Regent Law Firm files suit, the matter is in the hands of the court. So, you cannot respond by phone or letter. You will need to provide a legal Answer to the suit. To do that, here are some tips:

  • Never admit you're liable for the debt. Force the debt collection agency to prove you owe the debt and that you're responsible for it.
  • File your answer with the Clerk of Court.
  • Request a stamped copy of the Answer from your Clerk of Court
  • Mail the copy to Regent Law Firm.

You need to respond within the period that is in the summons, which may range from 14-30 days. If you miss the deadline, you will probably have a default judgment levied against you from that point.

Sending an Answer is only the first step in resolving a lawsuit with Regent Law Firm. After the Answer is filed, you’re still responsible for keeping track of the lawsuit and making any necessary appearances at hearings until the suit is resolved or settled.

How to settle a lawsuit with Regent Law Firm

Settling a debt with Regent Law Firm may be the most effective way to resolve a lawsuit. Even if you’ve been served with a lawsuit and filed your Answer, it’s never too late to initiate a settlement discussion. Follow these steps for the best chance at success.

  1. Review the debt–collect all relevant information about the debt, including the total amount owed and the account details.
  2. Take stock of your financial situation. Review your budget to determine how much you can offer to pay to settle the debt.
  3. Make a realistic offer. Be sure that it’s high enough to be taken seriously, but low enough to give you room for negotiating.
  4. Be honest about your financial situation and open in your communication.
  5. When you reach an agreement, get it in writing.
  6. Use SoloSettle to initiate negotiations.

SoloSettle is a web app designed to make debt settlement as straightforward as possible. It also keeps all communication with the debt collector in one place, provides a way for you to draft a Settlement Agreement if you and the creditor agree on an amount, and provides a safe way for you to send payment to the creditor.

Once you’ve paid the agreed-upon settlement amount, check your credit report to make sure the creditor has updated it to reflect that the debt was paid.

Settle with SoloSettle

Make an Offer

To learn more about how to negotiate debt and settle with Regent Law Firm, watch the following video:

Challenge their right to sue

An effective way to respond to the debt lawsuit is to challenge the company's right to sue you. By the time your debt has gotten to this point, it's probably been sold several times.

The company that owns the debt and is filing a suit against you is required to show that they have the legal right to file the suit. If you don't answer, the judge will assume that you're responsible for the debt. But if you request documentation in writing, the burden is on the law firm to provide adequate proof that the debt belongs to you and that the debt collector has a right to sue.

The plaintiff has to provide the credit agreement that you signed, as well as documentation of the chain of custody of all of the paperwork, which shows all paperwork is accurate and originated from the creditor. If the plaintiff cannot give you this documentation, the lawsuit may be dismissed.

Respond to your lawsuit before the deadline.

Remember, Regent Law Firm carries the burden of proof

One thing to remember when you're served is that the burden of proof is on Regent Law Firm, not you. So, they need to prove that you owe the debt, that they have the legal right to sue, and that you owe a certain amount.

For instance, if Regent Law Firm says you owe $5,000 on a credit card, you have the legal right to see documentation that begins when you opened the account and ends the last time you used the card. The idea is to force them to prove that you owe every dollar they say you owe.

The paperwork needs to show that the balance went up when you bought things. The paperwork should also reflect that the amount increased with charges that were established in the credit agreement you signed. Also, they must show that the balance is accurate and reflects every adjustment and previous payment.

Keep in mind that most debts change hands many times before there's a lawsuit, so it may be impossible for the creditor to come up with all of this paperwork in a reasonable time. This can lead to the lawsuit being dismissed.

Make the right defense and beat debt collectors in court with SoloSuit.

Consider using the statute of limitations as a defense

The statute of limitations states how long the creditor has to sue you for a debt. The rules vary by state and by the situation. Most states have a timeline of up to seven years. The beginning of the timeline usually is the last day you use the account. Activity means the day you made a payment or took funds from it.

If you make a payment on an account, it can restart the statute of limitations clock, so carefully review the statute of limitations before starting settlement negotiations.

Know your rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act establishes protection for consumers against unfair or overly aggressive collection tactics. Overall, it's important to remember that you are not powerless when sued for an alleged unpaid debt by Regent Law Firm. Here is an overview of what to do if you have a debt collection lawsuit filed against you:

  • Write down details of any phone calls from the debt collector before 8 AM or after 9 PM. Also, note if the debt collector contacts you at work or uses offensive language.
  • Be sure to file an Answer within the timeframe the court gives you.
  • In the Answer, think about raising one or more affirmative defenses, such as the statute of limitations.
  • Insist that Regent Law Firm provides you with proof of the amount owed and that you are legally responsible for the unpaid balance.
  • Consider filing a counterclaim if the debt collector violated a provision of the FDCPA.

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The Ultimate 50 State Guide

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