If you think your state’s attorney general has better things to do than give attention to your personal legal problem, think again. In fact, your attorney general’s office is the first place you should turn when you need the law on your side. They should be able to offer help and/or resources on any number of legal issues, including disputes with creditors and credit repair companies.

Though it may vary by state, generally you should be able to request and receive the following from your attorney general’s office. Depending on your specific legal issue, your attorney general should be able to:

• Tell you what paperwork you need
• Help you find affordable representation
• Give you statutes
• Cite legal precedences pertinent to your state

And if yours is, indeed, a consumer issue – as a dispute with a creditor would be – the attorney general can tell you how to get in touch with your your state’s consumer protection agency. In fact, these two departments of state government often share the same office.

Case-in-point of state attorneys-general looking out for the rights of consumers is the recent $25 billion settlement deal reached among 49 states and five big banks accused of illegal lending and foreclosure practices. Their work on behalf of homeowners resulted in the reduction of more than a million existing mortgages by as much $20,000,  and payment of up to $2,000 to as many as 750,000 homeowners who were foreclosed on.

Have you ever contacted your state’s attorney general for help with a legal issue? If so, what was the issue and how were they able to help?

Related posts:

1. What a Tax Attorney Can Do for You At the end of every year, many people in the...
2. Debt Past Statute of Limitations and Collection Threatens to Issue 1099-C Q. Can a collection agency file a 1099-C on a...
3. FTC Not Acting on Individual Consumer Complaints. Where Should I Report Shady Collection Agency Practices? Q. We have nowhere to complain about debt buyers/collection agencies...