Introducing Memberships

The solution to the advantages debt collectors have when they bring suit against people who can't afford lawyers.

Introducing Memberships

If you are being sued or pursued by debt collectors, two sets of of very basic, extremely important facts will probably control your fate.

First, debt collectors pretty much always begin a lawsuit against you without the information they need to win – they don't even know if it exists. However, debt collectors win almost all of their cases either by outright default (defendant fails to show up and defend) or a show-up to give-up settlement (defendant shows up and begs for time to make payments). These cases are rarely fought by defendants who try to win.

Second, if you do decide to defend the suit, you will be facing certain, let's call them “institutional” disadvantages. That is, the debt collectors are represented by lawyers who are familiar with debt law cases, handle them in bulk, have access to networks of other lawyers (and staff) so they can keep abreast of winning trends, and have document “banks” - files of documents that have been used in other cases and can be slightly changed to be used in yours. These institutional advantages mean that a determined pro se defendant will be constantly anxious and moving up hill despite having an excellent chance of winning.

Our Early Approach Was to Attack Based on The First Set of Facts

For a long time, Your Legal Leg Up focused on the first set of facts. The Litigation Manual and Forms, and the Video Series, showed people how to defend themselves. The materials reveal that debt collectors lack the materials they need, provide samples of the documents likely to be needed, and make it possible for a determined defendant to expose the weakness of the debt collector's case and win. Many people have done so, and as far as I know, every determined defendant has succeeded in either driving the debt collector away with nothing, or has accomplished a settlement at a “token” amount- perhaps a tenth or less of what was originally claimed. Definitely a victory.

I am proud of the Litigation Manual and Forms, and the Videos. They have worked very well up to now, and I'm sure they will continue to do the same.

Now it's time to make it a little easier and less nerve-wracking to defend yourself

And that means neutralizing the second set of facts – the institutional advantages of the debt collectors. Imagine being able to accomplish everything pro se defendants have been able to accomplish before now - in only half (or much less!) time. 

And without always worrying whether the documents you're using will do what you want.

You'll be able to find documents that say what you need to say that other people have used. You'll do some reading to make sure the law is the same for you and - - snip, snip -- you cut and past the same materials into your document. Now that's power, and it's why we call our document "bank" our "equalizer." It gives you the ability to create documents in a fraction of the time it would take you otherwise, freeing you to spend your time on more important parts of the case. Instead of them running you around, you'll be able to make them sweat.

And make no mistake, who is sweating makes a big difference. For you it's worry and the chance you'll have to give up in exhaustion. For them it's money. Make them sweat enough, find out a few critical details, and you'll probably make them give up. Or you'll be ready to beat them in court.

Imagine knowing everything the debt collectors do and having access to the best "tricks of the trade." You'll know what they're up to before they do. And that translates simply into a better chance to win, less time required, and less worry. That means more time for the things you like to do that move you forward in your life.

That's what the memberships are for.

The Institutional Advantages of the Debt Collectors are:

• familiarity with the cases and law
• the ability to handle them in “bulk;” 
• associations with other lawyers for moral and physical support and information; and 
• document banks of files that can be easily changed to apply to your case.

Two Forms of Membership: Gold and Platinum

We have two forms of membership, Gold and Platinum. The Gold Membership provides the basic services that largely equalize the advantages of the debt collectors by connecting you to other people who are fighting the same battle you are, by giving you access to a document bank of all the documents you are likely to need in your case, and by providing information (including a subscription to our newsletter, FightDebt!) that gives you cutting-edge information on issues that are coming up in debt litigation, in-depth analysis of techniques and traps you will want to use or avoid, and late-breaking court cases so you can see what the judges are doing in cases similar to yours.

To get the details on the memberships, click here.