Can a collection agency in one state sue me ifI live in another?
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Can a collection agency in one state sue me ifI live in another?
Lived in an apartment in TX and 4 months before the lease was up, moved out because we bought a house. Collection agency is in OH.
Asked on September 9, 2010 under Bankruptcy Law, Texas
Answers:
S.J.H., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
You can be sued by anybody in any state provided they have jurisdiction over you. Since you live in Texas and the incident took place in Texas, you can be sued in Texas. Normally states require that the Defendant( person being sued) reside in the State and County that they live in. So as long as the suit takes place in the County in which you live, you can be sued. Normally collection agencies do not file suits on behalf of creditors, it is either the company themselves or an attorney. If the amount in question is not a lot of money, it may not be worth it for the company to pursue a lawsuit. IO am not sure what the maximum limit in small claims court is where you live, you should check that out. However, you should be okay since they will probably not feel it is worth the expense of filing in Texas. However understand that even though they might not sue, they can place a negative rating on your credit report. The only way to remove that is to settle the matter with the collection agency.
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