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And so the fun begins. Got served a complaint about 10 days ago. Still have 11 to answer. Been lurking here while putting together my answer to the complaint. Now I need some guidance as to how to proceed. I have read all of the topics in regards to AA and Michigan I could find here and they are great. I am trying to decide the best game plan. What I am thinking right now is to file a motion to dismiss in lieu of answer. This is intended to put them on notice I am going to fight. I would then file my answer with request for jury trial and counter-claim (still a work in progress). I will add it below, looking for any suggestions. Also would the counter-claims and request for jury trial send me out of district court to circuit or federal court? 1. Who is the named plaintiff in the suit? Asset Acceptance, LLC. 2. What is the name of the law firm handling the suit? (should be listed at the top of the complaint.) FULTON FRIEDMAN & GULLACE, LLP 3. How much are you being sued for? 3K and change 4. Who is the original creditor? (if not the Plaintiff) DELL FINANCIAL SERVICES / CIT ONLINE BANK 5. How do you know you are being sued? (You were served, right?) SERVED IN PERSON 6. How were you served? (Mail, In person, Notice on door) IN PERSON 7. Was the service legal as required by your state? YES 8. What was your correspondence (if any) with the people suing you before you think you were being sued? Recieved notice from AA in July 2012 that they purchased account and demanded payment in full. Sent DV in July, 2012 by normal post (I know). No response from AA. Recieved letter from Fulton Friedman & Gullace LLC in October 2012. Sent DV in October (certified). Recieved response early December from FG&G listing very little information other than CO, OC, 4 digits of OC account number, open date, last payment date, claim balance, interest due, and states that "Additional documents relating to the reference account have been requested". Last contact was when I was served on 02/12/2013. 9. What state and county do you live in? Michigan 10. When is the last time you paid on this account? (looking to establish if you are outside of the statute of limitations) Not sure if I ever did. They never gave me enough info to research. They claim last payment was 06/10/2009. Was opened on 04/20/2006 11. What is the SOL on the debt? To find out: 6 Years in Michigan 12. What is the status of your case? Suit served? Motions filed? You can find this by a) calling the court or looking it up online (many states have this information posted - when you find the online court site, search by case number or your name). Served. Have about 11 days remaining to answer summons and complaint. 13. Have you disputed the debt with the credit bureaus (both the original creditor and the collection agency?) No. 14. Did you request debt validation before the suit was filed? Note: if you haven't sent a debt validation request, don't bother doing this now - it's too late. Yes. Sent one to AA at first notice. Sent second when recieved 15. How long do you have to respond to the suit? (This should be in your paperwork). If you don't respond to the lawsuit notice you will lose automatically. In 99% of the cases, they will require you to answer the summons, and each point they are claiming. We need to know what the "charges" are. Please post what they are claiming. Did you receive an interrogatory (questionnaire) regarding the lawsuit? VERIFIED COMPLAINT ACCOUNT STATED NOW COMES the Plaintiff, ASSET ACCEPTANCE, LLC, by its attorney, and for its Complaint against the above named Defendant(s), states to this Honorable Court as follows: The Defendant(s) resides within this court’s venue and venue is proper in this court. The amount in controversy is within this courts jurisdiction. The Defendant(s) has an agreement for a/an INSTALLMENT LOAN, originally with DELL FINANCIAL SERVICES/CIT ONLINE BANK. The Defendant(s) has defaulted in payments on the above mentioned account, said account being shown in the Affidavit. See Exhibit “A” (Affidavit) and “B” (Statement of Account not previously sent to Defendant). ASSET ACCEPTANCE, LLC purchased the account shown in the attached Exhibits “A” and “B” and was assigned all rights to the account in the normal course of business. ASSET ACCEPTANCE, LLC has notified the Defendant(s) of the above mentioned account and the Defendant(s) has failed to pay for same. There is presently due and owing over and above all legal counter-claims the sum of $3,XXX.XX which includes interest at the statutory rate. See Exhibits “A” and “B”. ASSET ACCEPTANCE, LLC requests Judgment for $3,XXX.XX plus interest, costs, statutory attorney fees, pursuant to MCL 600.2441.I declare under penalty of contempt of court that to the best of knowledge, information and belief that this is good ground to support the contents of this pleading. FULTON, FRIEDMAN & GULLACE, LLP THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT BY A DEBT COLLECTOR. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. 16. What evidence did they send with the summons? An affidavit? Statements from the OC? Contract? List anything else they attached as exhibits. EXHIBIT “A” STATE OF MICHIGAN ) ) ss. COUNTY OF MACOMB ) AFFIDAVIT OF ACCOUNT I am an employee of ASSET ACCEPTANCE, LLC (“Plaintiff”), a DELWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, and am competent to testify to the facts set forth in this affidavit. I am familiar with the manner and method by which ASSET ACCEPTANCE, LLC creates and maintains its business records pertaining to this account. These records are kept in the regular course of business and were created at or near the time of the event. To the best of my knowledge and belief and upon review of the records in my possession, [DEFENDANTS NAME] (“Defendant”) established an account with DELL FINANCIAL SERVICES / CIT ONLINE BANK herein under account number XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX-0025. That after establishing said account, Defendant(s) incurred charges and/or fees and/or interest upon said account. Defendant(s) defaulted on their payment obligations with regard to said account. Upon information and belief, Plaintiff’s predecessor(s)-in-interest performed all of the conditions of the contract required by said contract. Thereafter, Plaintiff purchased said account for value and is now the owner of said account. That as a result of Defendant(s) payment default, the Defendant(s) named herein is/are justly indebted to the Plaintiff in the amount of $3,XXX.XX together with interest at the statutory rate. Signed: GINA VINCI Notorized Dated 2nd November 2012. ============================== EXHIBIT "B" AA Logo/Letterhead Their account number 12-XXXXXX Original Creditor Account Number XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX-XX-0025 My Name My Address City, State, Zip Date Account Information November 2.2012 ASSET ACCEPTANCE LLC, A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ORGANIZED AND EXISTING UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELEWARE. ASSIGNEE OF DELL FINANCIAL SERVICES/CIT ONLINE BANK Purchase Date: 06/xx/2012 Charge off balance: $3,XXX.XX Statutory interest rate: 5% Date of last payment: 6/9/2009 This is a communication from a debt collector * Not previously mailed. ==================================================== If you are inquiring about a the best way to sue someone, you need to answer the following questions (as much as possible): 1. Who are you suing? ASSET ACCEPTANCE 2. How old is the debt? Opened 4/2006. Last payment reported 6/2009 3. If the person harrassing you about the debt is a collection agency, Is the debt being reported on your credit report? YES 4. Have you disputed the debt with the credit bureaus (both the original creditor and the collection agency?) This means you wrote or called Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. NO 5. Has the collection agency sent you a letter, called you on the phone? How did you learn about the collection? Recieved notice from AA in July 2012 that they purchased account and demanded payment in full. Sent DV in July, 2012 by normal post (I know). No response from AA. Recieved letter from Fulton Friedman & Gullace LLC in October 2012. Sent DV in October (certified). Recieved response early December from FG&G listing very little information other than CO, OC, 4 digits of OC account number, open date, last payment date, claim balance, interest due, and states that "Additional documents relating to the reference account have been requested". Last contact was when I was served on 02/12/2013. 6. What state are you in? MICHIGAN 7. What kind of debt is this? (credit car, auto loan, student loan). AA Claims it to be an INSTALLMENT LOAN which I think means it is an Open Account. 8. What kind of violations do you THINK the collection agency has committed? What section of the FDCPA do you think has been violated... Still researching this. Will be posting my answer to the complaint shortly which will have this listed. Also trying to see how to tie this against their consent decree with the Feds.