Do I have to appear in court for an unpaid cable/phone bill that my ex-wife says I accrued after we where divorced?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Do I have to appear in court for an unpaid cable/phone bill that my ex-wife says I accrued after we where divorced?
After my divorce was final I lived in our house attempting to sell it. I had the cable/phone bill off and I was told there was a 0 balance on the account. The account was in her name. Now over a year later she says there there is a $562 bill and it has gone to collections. Her attorney has given me 30 days to pay it or threatened to take me to court. I really don’t have the money and don’t want to go to court. What are the consequences of not going to court?
Asked on June 9, 2012 under Family Law, Texas
Answers:
B.H.F., Member, Texas State Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
If this was a debt that she accrued after you were divorced and you're not responsible for the debt, then you're not liable on the account. I suspect the attorney is bluffing you a bit. It will probably cost your wife more to pay the attorney to sue you than it would for her just to pay the delinquent account. In the event that the attorney does take the case to court, show up and explain your situation to the judge. You will also need to file an answer which essentially says that you "generally deny all of the allegations" in your wife's petition. If you don't file an answer after you are formally served with the notice of a lawsuit, then a default judgment could be rendered against you. This means that you will become liable of debt you were never responsible for.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.