Santa Ana Debt Defense Attorney

If you have been sued on a debt:

• Do not assume there is nothing you can do.
• Do not assume you will lose.
• Do not assume you owe what they allege.
• Do not assume there is no one who can help.
• Do not assume a lawyer will cost too much

The debt defense attorneys at Fitzgerald & Campbell are dedicated to making sure creditors follow the law to prove what you owe. Our motto is: Admit nothing! Demand proof!

A day in the life of a team member at Fitzgerald & Campbell is not easy—but we wouldn’t trade it for the world. We are proud to defend people across California from creditors, debt collectors, banks, and even debt settlement companies that would exploit them. We are your California debt protectors.

Featured Case Results

• April 25, 2023: Client’s debt was reduced by $5,379.00! In a collection lawsuit in the amount of $6,379.00, that was settled for $1,000.00. After our attorney fees and costs of $864.00, client’s net savings amount was at least $4,515.00 (Midland Credit Management, Inc. vs Client Case No. 23NWLC018XX – Los Angeles County)
• April 17, 2023: Client’s debt was reduced by $10,498.00! In a collection lawsuit in the amount of $16,898.00, that was settled for $6,400.00. After our attorney fees and costs of $1,175.00, client’s net savings amount was at least $9,323.00 (National Collegiate Student Loan Trust vs Client Case No. MCV00797XX – Placer County)
• April 14, 2023: Client’s debt was reduced by $10,046.00! In a collection lawsuit in the amount of $11,046.00, that was settled for $1,000.00. After our attorney fees and costs of $1,116.00, client’s net savings amount was at least $8,930.00 (Lobel Financial Corp. vs Client Case No. 23CV-00XX – Kings County) 
• April 7, 2023: Client’s debt was reduced by 100%! In a collection lawsuit in the amount of $31,836.00 that was DISMISSED! After our attorney fees and costs of $3,700.00, client’s net savings amount was at least $28,136.00 (LVNV Funding, LLC vs Client Case No. 30-2021-012164XX-CU-CL-NJC – Orange County) 
• March 30, 2023: Client’s debt was reduced by $24,526.00! In a collection lawsuit in the amount of $34,526.00, that was settled for $10,000.00. After our attorney fees and costs of $4,500.00, client’s net savings amount was at least $20,026.00 (Velocity Investments LLC vs Client Case No. 56-2020-005453XX-CU-CL-VTA – Ventura County)
• March 28, 2023: Client’s debt was reduced by 100%! In a collection lawsuit in the amount of $46,724.00 that was DISMISSED! After our attorney fees and costs of $5,520.00, client’s net savings amount was at least $41,204.00 (American Express National Bank vs Client Case No. CV2022-10XX – Yolo County)

DISCLAIMER: Every case is different. Results depend on the unique law and facts of each case. Fitzgerald & Campbell, APLC makes no guarantees or warranties about the outcome of any particular matter or, case. The Fitzgerald & Campbell, APLC website, or the information contained within the website, should be construed as ATTORNEY ADVERTISING.

See more results here.

Collection Defense Options

1) Defend the Lawsuit with the Help of an Experienced Debt Defense Attorney. (BEST OPTION)

By simply filing an answer in court, you extend the time before any judgment can be entered against you. This can be crucial in getting you the time you need to determine your next step. We strongly encourage everyone who is sued by a creditor or collector to do this. 

By just filing this single document, you have a chance at winning AND you extend the time before anything further can happen to you (such as garnishments and levies) by months and even years. The best settlements come when contesting the case. 
Debt collectors and their attorneys are like predators trying to find the easy meal. They’re looking for the weakest, easiest to catch prey they can get their teeth into.  You don’t have to be the fastest or the strongest to escape the predator. 

You just have to show the predator that you are not like the other 95% of defendants who do nothing at all. You’re gonna fight, and it’s going to take a lot of time and energy for the creditor to chase after you.

2) Ignore the Lawsuit (BAD OPTION)

This WILL result in a judgment being entered against you. With a judgment, a creditor can garnish your wages (of you AND your spouse), levy bank accounts, lien and sell your real estate, and enforce many other enforcement actions against any assets you have.

Ignoring any lawsuit is a BAD IDEA. At a minimum, get a free consultation from an experienced lawyer at Fitzgerald & Campbell, APLC. Knowledge is power — make an informed decision.

3) Settle the Lawsuit (GOOD OPTION IF YOU CAN DO IT)

In cases where the amount is small, sometimes the best thing is to settle it right away (instead of contesting it). This won’t always get the best or lowest settlements, but the time and money to contest a case can make fighting it a bad financial move. For example, if you are sued by Wells Fargo for $1,200, it makes more sense to settle it for $700 than to pay court filing fees and lawyers a total of $1000.

At Fitzgerald & Campbell, APLC we offer clients a strong incentive to settle early because if a lawsuit is settled without the need of filing an Answer in the courthouse, we CUT OUR FEE IN HALF!

Many debt buyers and collection agencies buy bad debts in bulk from creditors and other agencies for pennies on the dollar owed. A plaintiff may be willing to accept a fraction of the original debt in a lump sum to resolve the issue. This is particularly true when they are made to prove their case.

4) Do It Yourself (UGLY OPTION)

This is a BAD idea for many reasons, and here is just one: Collection attorneys love when you represent yourself (the only thing they like more is if you ignore the lawsuit entirely!) because they will actually have to do less work. 

They don’t have to worry about having all the documents necessary to win. If you are in court, they can “prove up” their case out of your mouth! They only need to ask you two questions: 1) Did you have the account? and 2) Did you pay it? With an experienced attorney on your side, its way harder for them than that!  

Doing it yourself will mean hours & hours of your time learning the court system and what to file. The court is a heavily process driven system and judges have no patience for these “smaller” and “simpler” cases. Many people come to us who started the defense themselves only to figure out hiring us was the way to go.

Focus on what you know and how you can increase your income. That is a far better use of your time. 

5) File for Bankruptcy (SMART OPTION FOR THOSE THAT CAN)

Depending on the type of debt, bankruptcy may eliminate the debt entirely. Bankruptcy should always be reviewed as an option to terminate a collection lawsuit. Of course, you must qualify, and there can be downsides to bankruptcy. But if you have a lot of debt and no ability to pay it, it makes sense. The bottom line: Find out if bankruptcy is an option for you, even if you decide to not go that route.

Know Your Rights!

If you’ve been sued on a debt, don’t give up! You have rights, and just because a lawsuit has been filed doesn’t mean it will be successful. Banks and creditors often make mistakes in the loans, in the payment history, and in the filing of the case. They are not perfect. They also violate federal collection laws regularly. They also don’t always show up in court! It’s true what they say: Showing up is half the battle! 

Our Promise to You

We have decades of experience fighting these cases. Mr. Fitzgerald has been a consumer lawyer for over 30 years. He has a staff of over 35 people who are specifically trained for these types of cases. We do not do any other type of case. You will not find a better team to represent you in a collection defense case.

We will make them prove up their case. We will make it difficult for them. We will make it not profitable for them to pursue you. We will hold them to the letter of the law. We will make sure that you are treated equally and fairly. You owe it to yourself and your family to use your money wisely, and that includes only paying the debts that you are legally obligated to.

At Fitzgerald & Campbell, we can help. Our process is simple. All that is needed is an attorney who is willing to fight hard for you, does not blindly accept what collectors say, and is willing to remind the judge of what the law requires.

Our Fees

Our fees are all flat and fixed, and include all expenses, including court filing fees. You WILL NOT receive any “surprise” bill or expense. They also include going to trial — we know it is important as creditor attorneys to show that we are all in for our clients.

We do not “coach,” as that is a big mistake in these types of cases. We do not charge one fee for this and one fee for that. When we are your attorney, WE DO EVERYTHING.

We are extremely affordable and offer payment plans. 

Schedule Your Free Consultation

Call (844) 431-3851 or use our contact formto speak with a representative 24/7. One of our case analysts will get in touch with you to schedule your consultation.