The Debt Collectors Laughed at Me

When I Said “Here!” in Court

But When I Gave Them My “Answer” –...

          It looked like a typical day at court - - the debt collection lawyers were circling the table in front of the judge like vultures flying around some unfortunate animal on its last legs. There must have been ten –maybe fifteen—of them, and each time the judge called out a defendant's name - - “Smith!... Jones!... Williams!... Thompson!...”- - one of the lawyers would say in a bored voice, “Call for default.”

          And the judge would say, “Default.”- - Just like that, the debt collectors had their judgments, and as soon as that court session was over, they were going down to start the garnishment process. Start taking some poor guy's paycheck.

          The judge must have given the debt collectors fifty defaults before they reached my name, and it looked like there were more than a hundred more to go after me.

          “Westmore!” the judge called out.

          “Here!” I said.

          In the shocked silence that followed I heard someone laugh. And I could see people nudging each other with their elbows. “What's he doing?” one woman whispered, just loud enough for me to hear. I heard someone snicker.

          “Just a regular guy,” someone else said. “They'll eat his lunch!”

          The debt collection lawyers smirked among themselves. They'd seen it all a million times before.

          That's what they thought.

Then I handed the Court My Answer

          I walked up to the court clerk and handed her my Answer to the Petition. It looked good. Sharp and professional. And it had a counterclaim. She raised her eyebrow with a new respect as she took the document and entered it onto the record.

          The vultures got strangely quiet and looked away when I dropped off a copy of my Answer and Counterclaim with the debt collection lawyer (I'll call him
"Mr. Nice Guy") who had raised his hand on my way back to my seat. The people who had been laughing at me could feel the change that had come over the court room. They got quiet, and I could sense their new respect. They smiled and moved over to make room for me when I wanted to sit back down.

          Mr. Nice Guy was still smirking when he took the documents I handed him, but the smile started to fade when he noticed the counterclaim. And it was ancient history by the time he noticed I'd attached interrogatories, requests for admissions, and requests for documents to my Answer and Counterclaim.

          He knew he was in for a fight. He knew it was going to cost him. He knew he was going to lose money if he kept after me.

          And he knew he might lose the case.

          He had come expecting a patsy—all those vultures had, you could see that just by looking at their smooth, scornful faces. I doubt if a single one of those lawyers ever did a day's worth of real work in their lives!

          Well, he'd run into a buzz saw this time.

A Complete Success! 

          Two days later I received a letter that said:

Dear Mr. James Westmore,

My client has agreed to offer to settle our cases against each other

as a mutual dismissal with prejudice. If that is acceptable to you,

please sign the attached stipulation for dismissal of the lawsuits

the parties have against each other and return them to me for filing.

 Sincerely,

 Mr. Nice Guy

          I decided to let the debt collector go. I could have said “no” and tried to make him pay me something to get out of it (I think I had him cold), but... who wants to spend the rest of his life in court if you don't have to? I suddenly had a whole new life in front of me.

          So I made a quick call to the lawyer and said his offer was acceptable to me...if they would cancel the debt I supposedly owed and revoke any damage they had done to my credit report.

          After a pause, he gave in. So I wrote that right into the stipulation of dismissal, signed and sent it back to “Mr. Nice Guy & Associates.”

          It was over. Just like that, a $7,000 credit card bill that debt collectors had harassed me about for three years was gone. And all the reports they had made to the credit agencies were gone with them.

How I Learned to Protect Myself in Court

          Just by chance, I bumped into one of the “bystanders” who had seen me say “Here!” on that fateful day in court. He wanted to know how it had turned out for me.

          When I told him, he asked me if I was a lawyer or “knew” somebody!

          He was shocked when I told him that the only thing I knew about the law was stuff I had learned from YourLegalLegUp – a business that gives regular people everything they need to defeat the debt collectors. I told him how I'd learned all about the debt collectors and how they usually didn't have what they needed to win their lawsuits. I told him I'd even gotten the forms I needed, too – “just a few easy changes was all I needed to make!”

          “Wow,” he said. “It cost me over $1500 to hire a lawyer. And he didn't even get my credit report changed!”

          I was almost embarrassed to say how little it cost me to defend myself.

Look in the Mirror-What Do You See?

          Before the debt collector sued me, back when they were just calling me every day, I got so that I hated to hear the phone ring. To tell the truth, there were many times I just couldn't answer the phone at all. If an old high school friend tried to reach me, and I didn't recognize his phone number, well, that was too bad. I missed the call. I wouldn't answer the doorbell, either, unless I was expecting someone.

          It's hard to be a good friend or neighbor if you dread answering the phone, you know? It's also hard to be a good neighbor if you're afraid to answer the door when the doorbell rings or walk outside on the porch on a nice night when other people are out there.

          And after a while it can be hard to look yourself in the mirror.

          That's all changed for me now, though. Now I like what I see, and you can too.

Why'd I Do It?

          I won't kid you - - it was scary to stand up and say “Here!” that first time. It was a little embarrassing to have all those people looking at me - - even though I'd never met them before and didn't expect to meet them again. So why would I care what they thought? I cared because I'm like most people. We do care. I didn't want to be the center of attention and didn't want to be laughed at or pitied or scorned by strangers. That's human nature.

          I did it, though, because I was fed up. I was sick and tired of those debt collectors and their nasty voices. Sick of their contemptuous looks. Tired of being bullied and threatened by some anonymous punk on the phone. Plus I didn't have the money to hire a lawyer –or to lose the case, either.

          And I was fed up with feeling hopeless and pushed around.

It Changed My Life

          And now that I've done it, it's changed my point of view completely. The whole world looks and feels different to me in ways I never would have believed. I look in the mirror and like what I see again because I know I'm the guy - - yeah, that guy right there in the mirror!- - that's the only one who stood up in court and said “Here!” that day.

          I'm the one who fought back.

          And I'm the one who won't have to hear from the debt collectors any more or try to scrounge every cent I possibly can to keep the wolves away from the door. That's me! It feels great to know I was brave enough to do what it took. No one will ever take that feeling away from me again.

         To tell you the truth, the whole thing was absurdly easy. (The work was all in my head.) I spent a few hours reading the Manual, a few hours watching videos, and an hour or two  putting together the documents I gave the court. The lawsuit was for about $7,000, so I figure I “made” about $1,000 per hour defending myself. It's better than what I usually get at my job, let me tell you!

          Maybe I will become a lawyer at that! (You'll feel the same way, I promise.)

          I like what I see when I look in the mirror now, and I feel good about answering the phone or the door.

          It's the little things in life that are so big, isn't it? Now I'm a good friend and neighbor again. I hold my head up when I'm out in public. Little things that are so huge.

          I'm a new man!

          My wife has certainly noticed the difference. Not only do we both have a sense of security we'd been missing for so long, but she also says she'd about lost the man she fell in love with. And she lets me know she's glad I'm back every night! It's like a second honeymoon.

 …................................................................................................................

Defend Yourself from the Debt Collectors

– Protect What's Yours

          You too can defend yourself from the debt collectors. You can have the good feelings “Jim Westmore” has. The above is a fictitious letter, but it's drawn from the things real people have written to me. The results are not fictional.

          Let me share just a few of the things some real people have said in their own words –and I've never paid, or even asked, for any of these testimonials. Notice the confidence and joy in every word they say.

Thanks for your work, Kenneth, I believe you have done a great job creating yourlegallegup.com. It helps in many ways, not only I fought against unfair debt collectors, but also I was educating myself.

I went through your work and crafted it to fit my case circumstances. Your "legal bundle" gave me ideas and the direction I should follow and, together with research skills, it made great power in defending the case.

 One more thing. I've got the letter from the lawyers last night. The letter is addressed to the court and it says it is plaintiff's "voluntary dismissal...”

Yes, it works. Yes, it wins.I appreciate you sharing your great knowledge.

Thanks,
Andrew, Georgia

 Hi Ken,

You have GREAT videos!! There's something about seeing the videos and hearing your voice that makes the material all the more easy to absorb!

Thanks again for your continued support and help!! :)
Christine, Michigan

Ken, Just a quick email to say THANK YOU for your well-written manual! I was scared to death when I got a summons and complaint served on me by a debt collection attorney. I did exactly what you said, though, and basically let them know I wasn't going away....and that was pretty much it. The attorney folded like a cheap suit, and I have to say it almost felt better than sex!

 Thanks again,

Gary, Ohio

I settled and it was a victory on my terms! Thank you for the manual and working with me thru my emotions and getting me to the end....I waited to respond to until I saw for myself....It works to fightback! THANK YOU ...THANK YOU...Ken.

I saved several thousand dollars....money well spent on the manual....

Olivia, California

Again Thank you very much for all your great advice-hints. I wont keep messaging you because I know you have a life over there too! But again Thank you so very much. If you make it out to Seattle let me know. Star bucks is definitely on me as well as dinner.

And I'm serious.

Kevin, Seattle

           Today I received in the mail an offer "Stipulation For Dismissal With Prejudice",which basically states the Plaintiff will dismiss their Complaint if I dismiss my counterclaim.

Its a done deal. Over five thousand dollars just like that!

Your litigation materials were clear, vital and necessary tools for me to win. All the examples,logic and powerful arguments presented in your materials helped me beyond belief! I am eternally grateful,and right now quite ecstatic!

Your materials are simply the best and finest of its type anywhere for pro se defendants facing debt lawsuits!

Thanks Ken,

Frank, Arizona

The great thing about your materials is that they take away the fear of going to court. I can never thank you enough for that!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Barbara, Maine

The Secret of Their Success

          As anybody who knows me or has visited my site (YourLegalLegUp.com) can see, I have devoted a great deal of blood, sweat and tears to helping ordinary people stand up to the debt collectors. As a former attorney who represented hundreds of people being sued by debt collectors, I know what it's like to be harassed and sued, and I know what it takes to fight back. I have written dozens of articles, two full length books, and created over a hundred videos on defending yourself from debt collectors.

          What makes it work, though, is actually very simple. Here's the “secret.”

          Debt collectors usually don't have what they need to win a lawsuit from you when they file suit against you... And they usually can't get what they need without spending more than the lawsuit is worth... if you fight back with knowledge and determination.

          It isn't hard! The main battle is in your head. Once you get used to the idea of speaking to the lawyers and the judge, once you see that they're just people who don't usually have to work very hard and who really don't like to work hard, you'll have all the advantages in your case.

          The debt collectors win about 80 to 90 percent of their cases without a fight. If you convince them that you know how to fight and that you will fight - - to the bitter end if need be - - they'd rather leave you alone. That's the secret.

          My materials tell you what you need to know so that you can fight back. And I'm there to encourage you to do it when things seem a little scary so that you will fight back.

You'll Deserve the Credit!

          I offer my help. My materials will inform you and give you the tools... but in the end the victory is yours. And you will deserve the pride you feel when you look in the mirror. And the peace of mind that comes from knowing that debt collectors will never push you around again. Because you are part of a very exclusive club of people who will actually stand up and fight.

          You'll deserve all the credit and peace of mind you earn for yourself.

          And you will see the world differently – I guarantee it.

My Materials are Guaranteed

          If you're being sued by a debt collector and get my materials... I like your chances of winning –they're great!-- but I can't guarantee you will win. Sometimes the debt collectors can get what they need and are willing to spend what it takes to get you even though it means they will lose money. That's just life. What I can and do guarantee, though, is that you will be satisfied with the materials and the service you get, or you can have your money back. I wouldn't want it. I also guarantee that if you decide to settle your case (instead of going all the way to trial), you will save at least twice what the materials cost you. Probably much much more.

          One customer decided to pay the debt collector $500 rather than fight to the very end. But he had been sued for $12,000. And he made them clear his credit report.

          I thought he would win the case –maybe make them pay him something—but he decided he had better things to do. If you ever feel the same way—that you'll do better in your life if you settle for a small fraction of what they claim you owe—you'll get a settlement offer that saves you at least twice what you paid for the materials from me—or you get your money back from me.

          I'll take that risk. Gladly. That way you don't risk anything on the materials.

          Now I just need you to move quickly. And that's mainly because you need to move quickly. If they're suing you – or about to sue you – you don't have time to waste. I'll sweeten the deal to try to make it easier for you to do the thing we both know you need to do right now.

 Take Action Now to Take Advantage of this Special Offer

          There are two “core” products at YourLegalLegUp, the Litigation Bundle, and the Litigation Video Series. And there are other products for special situations. If you are being sued by a debt collector, you need either the Litigation Bundle or the Video Series. In a moment I'll tell you why you should really get the Video Series if you can.

Litigation Bundle

          It all started with the Litigation Manual. That's a handbook that explains the debt litigation process from beginning to end. Tells you who the debt collectors and their lawyers are. Tells you how to get around in court and how to handle yourself while you're there. This is a collection of materials that are not available anywhere else - - I wrote every word specifically for people like you, who are being sued by debt collectors. And it's in plain English.

          The Litigation Forms Book is a set of forms you can modify to use as your situation calls for them. Most of the forms were written for use in real cases, so they're “battle-tested” and ready to go, although you will have to modify them to fit your case. As similar as debt lawsuits are to each other, they do vary, and you will need to change the forms somewhat.

          Together the Manual and Forms make up the Litigation Bundle. And it should be all you really have to have to defend yourself from the debt collectors. They're delivered to you via internet in pdf form.

          If you order today, I will also give you two special bonuses.

Bonus One:

          I will include a copy of my new book, Special Issues in Debt Litigation, free. It regularly sells for $12.95. Special Issues in Debt Litigation is a compendium of articles (some previously published elsewhere, some not, but all modified and updated specially for the book) about many of the individual issues that come up sometimes in debt litigation. There's a basic similarity between all debt cases, but no two are totally alike. Special Issues in Debt Litigation will prepare you for some of the things that may come up in your case and will broaden your knowledge of the whole process.

Bonus Two:

          You will receive a special copy of the Forms Book in Open Office. Open Office is a word processing program compatible with M.S. Word, so you could use it if you have Word, but I also include a link to Open Office's web site, where you can get this fabulous word processing program for free.

          And that will kill two birds with one stone as far as I'm concerned. It will make it easier for you to use the forms I provide and it will help you make the documents you file with the court and give to the other side look much sharper and more professional. And that will make a difference in how seriously the other side (and the court!) takes you.

So Why Would You Need the Video Series?

          If the Litigation Bundle is so good (and it is), why should you get the Litigation Video Series? The Video Series is a ten-disk set of cds containing over a hundred videos. There is a series of videos that give you an overview of the debt litigation process in general and tells you how to do the basic things you will need to do to defend yourself. If you learn better when you both see and hear the material, you will find this helpful.

          And then there are many other videos which take apart the litigation process and show you in detail how and why to do many of the things you need to do to make your case as strong as it can be. If you've seen my videos on You-Tube, you're familiar in general with the way they work. But there are many others included in the Video Series which are not available on You-Tube or anywhere else. And some of my customers say it's nice to have them all in one place to watch whether you happen to have an internet connection or not.

          The Video Series comes with a workbook that includes a summary of the contents of the videos and some enhanced forms for litigation. We're environmentally conscious here at YourLegalLegUp, and the materials are padded with brown paper grocery bags! (No new waste involved.) And they're sent to you by U.S. Priority Mail.

          The Litigation Bundle also comes free with the Video Series. Together they supercharge your understanding, and –I'm not kidding here—there's a very good chance you'll know more about debt law and litigation than the lawyer representing the company suing you by the time you get through the materials. You will certainly know more than most lawyers do about debt law.

I Hate Increased Prices!

          I hate increased prices. I hate to pay them, and I also hate to charge them. But time and inflation march on, and if I charge more for my litigation products I can spend more time developing and improving them and responding to customers. And, I am currently losing money on the Video Series. In plain English, I charge $50 more for the Litigation Video Series ($150) than the Litigation Bundle ($100), but it costs me more than $50 to produce and send you the videos.

          That means I'm going to have to raise my prices. For now, I have fifty sets of Video Series packages basically ready to go. When I run out of them, I'll start charging $165 for the Litigation Video Series and $105 for the Litigation Bundle.

          We're obviously not talking about a huge price increase, and the products are always improving, but... you'll get them for less if you order immediately. And don't worry—if I make any revisions or add any new videos you'll get them.

Order Now

          What you need to do now, if you're being sued or threatened with suit by a debt collector, is order one of the products. Click on one of the two links below. They'll take you to my website where you can order the product indicated.

Get the Litigation Bundle 

Get the Litigation Video Series

           I look forward to serving you and getting to know you.

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