I lost a good paying job a couple years ago and defaulted on one of my credit card accounts. Now I just found out my checking account has been frozen by a law firm/collection agency in New York City. Does this necessarily mean that they have gotten a judgment against me (I read somewhere that this particular firm sometimes freezes accounts without having a valid judgment, don't know if that's true or even possible)? I was never served anything, but I moved outside of New York a few years ago. Is there a way I can find out if there is a judgment against me without physically going to a courthouse since I am out of state? Any ideas how to proceed from here to get my account unfrozen? I won't be able to make rent without it. Someone please help, I am sick to death over this.
They probably sent you threatening letters which you ignored and ran to the courthouse to get a default judgment against you, authorizizing them to freeze your account. Do you now bank with the same bank that you banked with in New York? You could contact them requesting that your account be unfrozen and set up a payment plan.
They must have a judgment on you, Call the court house and find out how much it is for. Also You need to call the lawyer that is handling the case and set up a payment plan. Also work on getting it vacated. Do a search on vacting a judgment on you but first you need to know the what and where the judgment was for.
First of all, contact your bank and ask them for a copy of the paperwork authorizing the freeze. That should reference the judgment. Then you know what courthouse to contact. Then get a copy of your case file and find out when and how you were served. Find out what legal service is in your state (and in NY). Did they know where you live?
