Sued by First Financial Bank – How to Win

Edited by Hannah Locklear

Millions of Americans suffer from debt, and if you have a past due credit card debt of your own, you might feel like all hope is lost, but this is simply not true. Debt collections are common but can lead to negative consequences.

If you have defaulted on your credit card debt and cannot figure out an arrangement with your original creditor, then you may end up being sued by a debt collector such as First Financial Bank.

This can be a terrible experience, but it will be easier if you know what is coming. The most important thing you should know is that you should not ignore a summons to appear for a debt collection lawsuit.

Being sued for non-payment of debt

If you are unable to pay for your credit card bills, then there are many ways that debt collectors can try to push you into paying them. You may have already experienced many of these, such as written statements, or serving you with a lawsuit.

One of the first steps taken typically involves reporting your account to a credit agency such as Equifax, TransUnion, or Experian. If a collection agency is involved, then you will end up with a record of missing payments on your credit report as well. You will most likely see your credit score go down due to late payments, charge-off status, and collection accounts.

If you are ignoring calls or debt collection letters from a debt collection agency, you should stop as soon as possible. This can make the situation a lot worse. When you get to this point in the creditor lawsuit, you may be given one more chance to settle your debt or pay it off. If you do not decide to do either of these options, then you will be required to go to court.

Respond to a debt collection lawsuit with SoloSuit and win your case.

What you need to know about debt collection lawsuits

If you have been sued by First Financial Bank, then you need to prepare yourself. This will depend on your state of residence, but usually, the process is similar. After you receive a summons in the mail, the process of suing you will begin. You will be given important information on the summons that you receive. It will include:

• Who is suing you
• Amount you are being sued for (may include balance, interest fees, and legal expenses)
• Date of the hearing
• How to file a formal response

You cannot go to jail for nonpayment of a debt. You must be aware of this. In some situations, debt collectors may try to tell you this to scare you. If the debt collector threatens you with this, you can report them to the FTC (Fair Trade Commission) as a violation of the federal law known as the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).

Make the right defense the right way with SoloSuit.

Sued by First Financial Bank – How to Win

If you are being sued by First Financial Bank for debt, then you must know the steps you take to win this lawsuit.

Ask for debt verification

Although you may have received a summons for the debt, it does not mean you actually owe the debt, or that it is accurate. If you are being sued for unpaid debt, then you must ask the debt collector to verify that debt. Force them to prove that it belongs to you.

It is common for debt collectors to sue consumers by mistake, or to make mistakes on the lawsuit. The balance might be wrong, or the payment dates could be off. This is extremely common because debt collection agencies often purchase these debts from creditors at a cost that is next to nothing. Because of this, they are often not given the necessary paperwork to collect on the debt.

Legally you can ask for verification of a debt under the FDCPA. The only requirement is to send the request in writing, as a legal Answer. This should be mailed as a certified letter (return receipt requested) to the party that is suing you.

Use SoloSuit to respond to debt collectors in 15 minutes.

Decide on your response

When you receive the summons and complaint regarding your debt, it is essential to pay close attention. You most likely do not have much time to respond, only between 14 to 40 days (depending on which state you live in). If you ignore the lawsuit and do not show up in court you will lose automatically.

Your best bet is one of the following responses:

• Settling the debt is possible if you speak to the creditor or debt collector. You can either decide how much you can pay and offer that as a settlement amount in one lump sum, or generate a payment plan. This may not always be possible, but it is worth it to try. If you decide to do this, then you need to be careful about what you sign. If you accidentally sign something that gives up your rights, you may be in a bad situation.
• Speaking with a credit counselor is another option. Certified credit counselors can often help you to set up a debt management plan. This will allow you to pay off your credit card debt in one payment, and pay off all of the individual payments, making it more manageable.
• Going to court is something that may be inevitable if you do not find a settlement or debt management plan. It is also the only option if you wish to fight the debt collection lawsuit in court. Whether the statute of limitations has expired, or you have another affirmative defense, this is the best way to beat First Financial Bank in court.

What is SoloSuit?

SoloSuit makes it easy to respond to a debt collection lawsuit.

How it works: SoloSuit is a step-by-step web-app that asks you all the necessary questions to complete your answer. Upon completion, you can either print the completed forms and mail in the hard copies to the courts or you can pay SoloSuit to file it for you and to have an attorney review the document.

>>Read the FastCompany article: Debt Lawsuits Are Complicated: This Website Makes Them Simpler To Navigate

>>Read the NPR story on SoloSuit: A Student Solution To Give Utah Debtors A Fighting Chance

How to answer a summons for debt collection in your state

Here's a list of guides for other states.

All 50 states.

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri

Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah; File a Motion to Satisfy Judgment Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Guides on how to beat every debt collector

Being sued by a different debt collector? We're making guides on how to beat each one.

• Absolute Resolutions Investments LLC
• Accredited Collection Services
• Alliance One
• Amcol Clmbia
• American Recovery Service
• Asset Acceptance LLC
• Asset Recovery Solutions
• Associated Credit Services
• Autovest LLC
• Cach LLC
• Cavalry SPV I LLC
• Cerastes LLC
• Colinfobur
• Covington Credit
• Crown Asset Management
• CTC Debt Collector
• Cypress Financial Recoveries
• Delanor Kemper & Associates
• Eagle Loan of Ohio
• Educap
• Estate Information Services
• FIA Card Services
• Forster & Garbus
• Freshview Solutions
• Fulton Friedman & Gullace LLP
• Harvest Credit Management
• Howard Lee Schiff
• Hudson & Keyse LLC
• Integras Capital Recovery LLC
• Javitch Block
• Jefferson Capital Systems LLC
• LVNV Funding
• Mannbracken
• Mariner Finance
• Medicredit
• Michael J Adams PC
• Michael J Scott
• Midland Funding LLC
• Mullooly, Jeffrey, Rooney & Flynn
• Mountain Land Collections
• MRS Associates
• National Collegiate Trust
• Nationstar Foreclosure
• Northstar Capital Acquisition
• NCEP LLC
• NRC Collection Agency
• OneMain Financial
• Palisades Collection LLC
• Pallida LLC
• Paragon Revenue Group
• Pinnacle Collections Agency
• PMAB LLC
• Portfolio Recovery Associates
• Provest Law
• PYOD LLC
• Reunion Student Loan Finance Corporation
• Revenue Group
• Regents and Associates
• RSIEH
• Salander Enterprises LLC
• Second Round Sub LLC
• Security Credit Services
• Sherman Financial Group
• Suttell and Hammer
• T-Mobile
• Transworld Systems
• Tulsa Teachers Credit Union
• UCB Collection
• Velo Law Office
• Velocity Investments
• Waypoint Resource Group
• Weinberg and Associates
• Wolpoff & Abramson

Win against credit card companies

Is your credit card company suing you? Learn how you can beat each one.

• Bank of America
• Capital One
• Chase
• Credit One Bank
• PayPal Synchrony Card
• SYNCB/PPEXTR
• Synchrony Bank
• Target National Bank
• Wells Fargo

Going to Court for Credit Card Debt — Key Tips

How to Negotiate Credit Card Debts

How to Settle a Credit Card Debt Lawsuit — Ultimate Guide

Get answers to these FAQs

Need more info on statutes of limitations? Read our 50-state guide.

Why do debt collectors block their phone numbers?

How long do debt collectors take to respond to debt validation letters?

What are the biggest debt collector companies in the US?

Is Zombie Debt Still a Problem in 2019?

SoloSuit FAQ

If a car is repossessed, do I still owe the debt?

Is Portfolio Recovery Associates Legit?

Is There a Judgment Against Me Without my Knowledge?

Should I File Bankruptcy Before or After a Judgment?

What is a default judgment?— What do I do?

Summoned to Court for Medical Bills — What Do I Do?

What Happens If Someone Sues You and You Have No Money?

What Happens If You Never Answer Debt Collectors?

What Happens When a Debt Is Sold to a Collection Agency

What is a Stipulated Judgment?

What is the Deadline for a Defendant's Answer to Avoid a Default Judgment?

Can a Judgement Creditor Take my Car?

Can I Settle a Debt After Being Served?

Can I Stop Wage Garnishment?

Can You Appeal a Default Judgement?

Do I Need a Debt Collection Defense Attorney?

Do I Need a Payday Loans Lawyer?

Do student loans go away after 7 years? — Student Loan Debt Guide

Am I Responsible for My Spouse's Medical Debt?

Should I Marry Someone With Debt?

Can a Debt Collector Leave a Voicemail?

How Does Debt Assignment Work?

What Happens If a Defendant Does Not Pay a Judgment?

How Does Debt Assignment Work?

Can You Serve Someone with a Collections Lawsuit at Their Work?

What Is a Warrant in Debt?

How Many Times Can a Judgment be Renewed in Oklahoma?

Can an Eviction Be Reversed?

Does Debt Consolidation Have Risks?

What Happens If You Avoid Getting Served Court Papers?

Does Student Debt Die With You?

Can Debt Collectors Call You at Work in Texas?

How Much Do You Have to Be in Debt to File for Chapter 7?

What Is the Statute of Limitations on Debt in Washington?

How Long Does a Judgment Last?

Can Private Disability Payments Be Garnished?

Can Debt Collectors Call From Local Numbers?

Does the Fair Credit Reporting Act Work in Florida?

The Truth: Should You Never Pay a Debt Collection Agency?

Should You Communicate with a Debt Collector in Writing or by Telephone?

Do I Need a Debt Negotiator?

What Happens After a Motion for Default Is Filed?

Can a Process Server Leave a Summons Taped to My Door?

Learn More With These Additional Resources:

Need help managing your finances? Check out these resources.

How to Make a Debt Validation Letter - The Ultimate Guide

How to Make a Motion to Compel Arbitration Without an Attorney

How to Stop Wage Garnishment — Everything You Need to Know

How to File an FDCPA Complaint Against Your Debt Collector (Ultimate Guide)

Defending Yourself in Court Against a Debt Collector

Tips on you can to file an FDCPA lawsuit against a debt collection agency

Advice on how to answer a summons for debt collection.

Effective strategies for how to get back on track after a debt lawsuit

New Hampshire Statute of Limitations on Debt

Sample Cease and Desist Letter Against Debt Collectors

The Ultimate Guide to Responding to a Debt Collection Lawsuit in Utah

West Virginia Statute of Limitations on Debt

What debt collectors cannot do — FDCPA explained

Defending Yourself in Court Against Debt Collector

How to Liquidate Debt

Arkansas Statute of Limitations on Debt

You're Drowning in Debt — Here's How to Swim

Help! I'm Being Sued by My Debt Collector

How to Make a Motion to Vacate Judgment

How to Answer Summons for Debt Collection in Vermont

North Dakota Statute of Limitations on Debt

ClearPoint Debt Management Review

Indiana Statute of Limitations on Debt

Oregon Eviction Laws - What They Say

CuraDebt Debt Settlement Review

How to Write a Re-Aging Debt Letter

How to Appear in Court by Phone

How to Use the Doctrine of Unclean Hands

Debt Consolidation in Eugene, Oregon

Summoned to Court for Medical Bills? What to Do Next

How to Make a Debt Settlement Agreement

Received a 3-Day Eviction Notice? Here's What to Do

How to Answer a Lawsuit for Debt Collection

Tips for Leaving the Country With Unpaid Credit Card Debt

Kansas Statute of Limitations on Debt Collection

How to File in Small Claims Court in Iowa

How to File a Civil Answer in Kings County Supreme Court

Roseland Associates Debt Consolidation Review

How to Stop a Garnishment

Debt Eraser Review

Do Debt Collectors Ever Give Up?

Can They Garnish Your Wages for Credit Card Debt?

How Often Do Credit Card Companies Sue for Non-Payment?

How Long Does a Judgement Last?

​​How Long Before a Creditor Can Garnish Wages?

How to Beat a Bill Collector in Court